Per the National Eczema Association, which is the driving force for an eczema community fueled by knowledge, strengthened through collective action, and propelled by the promise for a better future:
“More than 31 million people in the U.S. have eczema and each one of them has a story to tell. For Eczema Awareness Month 2023, we are calling on our community to tell us #OneThingAboutEczema to highlight our shared experiences and reveal unique eczema stories.”
#OneThingAboutEczema I want to shout from the rooftops is that it doesn’t have to be this way.
Eczema is a complex skin disease characterized by chronically dry, inflamed, irritated, cracked, weepy, itchy skin. It has many different subtypes and presentations. Everyone’s eczema story is unique.
And, like many diseases in dermatology, eczema is woefully under-treated.
There are too few board-certified dermatologists as it is, and the relatively risk averse nature of this group compounds that problem.
No matter how severe your eczema is, it doesn’t have to be that way.
A good eczema management strategy, which includes education, prevention, and treatment, should educate you about life-changing medications such as Dupixent and Rinvoq, to name just two, that have come from scientific breakthroughs over the last few decades.
If your dermatologist or “provider” is not making you aware of these things, or you or your child’s eczema is not well controlled (think itching, poor sleep, embarrassment about appearance of the skin), ask about them or find someone else.
Again, it doesn’t have to be this way, but it sometimes takes a few tries to find the right partnership.
Every medication has risks, but a young child who sleeps poorly due to chronically itchy skin is a major risk, especially when you consider how important sleep is to brain development and function.
Did You Know? Dyshidrotic eczema (AKA pompholyx) is the type of eczema that causes those tiny, itchy blisters on the palms and soles. Perhaps you suffer from this from time to time but didn’t know it was eczema.
I had a severe flare during medical school that covered almost the entirety of my palms. It gave me insight into how debilitating eczema can be and how helpful a good dermatologist can be. Like other type of eczema, flares can be triggered by stress, which was certainly a factor in my case. This is why a holistic and personalized management approach is helpful.
What’s your #OneThingAboutEczema? Let us know in the comments!
