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• Ask yourself how you really feel.

  • Does your eczema physically hurt? Does your shame stem from a need to mask physical pain with mental pain? If you answered “yes” to one or both of these questions, your emotional state might be partially due to what is happening to you physiologically. That said, this is no excuse for feeling shame about your eczema. It is important to keep in mind that you, and only you, can change the way you feel about your body despite the physical pain you are going through.

• Remind yourself that there is no purpose in feeling shame about your eczema.

  • Feeling self-conscious can lead to high levels of prolonged stress, which sends the body into “fight-or-flight” mode and increases stress-hormone (cortisol) production in the body, which can suppress the immune system and thus cause an inflammatory skin response. It is normal and sometimes even healthy to feel stressed sometimes, but feeling stress for a long duration of time is damaging to your body and mental health. 

  • All of us have to face the daily stressors of life, and living with eczema already makes getting through the day a challenge. Don’t let shame over your eczema be something extra that you have to deal with. Having a positive mindset when it comes to eczema is a key to being on the path forward towards healing.

• Don’t apologize to people for the state of your face during a flareup.

  • Let us reiterate that having this disease is no one’s fault, including your own. While you can take action to try and mitigate the damage, don’t forget that its cause is due to a genetic predisposition and an environmental influence (AKA not you). Don’t hurt your self-confidence by apologizing for something you have no control over. You also don’t have to explain why you’re feeling pain or discomfort. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. Whoever feels entitled to such apologies or explanations doesn’t deserve your respect and time. 

• If it’s safe to go out and you want to, don’t reject a fun invitation.

  • Being invited somewhere means that someone WANTS you to come. If you’re in the mood for partying but are scared to go because of people seeing your eczema flare, ditch your fears and go! It will show people that you aren’t afraid, and it will give you an opportunity to practice your confidence skills. If you go to an event and start feeling uncomfortable, you can always leave and go home. Missing out on an opportunity like this might make you feel worse, so please, treat yourself. Don’t let eczema stop you from living the way YOU want to live.

  • ***Note: This tip applies after quarantine regulations surrounding COVID-19 are lifted.

• Smile, even if you’re not really in the mood. 

  • Smiling won’t only show others that you’re confident in your own skin, but it will make you feel more confident on the inside! Science has shown that smiles release feel-good neurotransmitters in your brain (dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin), which can help with confidence by lifting your mood. Smiling also is shown by science to have another benefit: boosting your immune system, which is great help in the process of healing from eczema.

  • A good way to start smiling more often is to always greet people with your biggest grin possible. Not only does it make you happier, but it also makes other people happy. Even when greeting someone by phone call or text message, still smile to get in the habit.

  • If you’re feeling a little down and want a reason to smile, resort to your favorite funny movie or video! However, if you are really sad or upset, don’t fake a smile. Reach out to someone you trust for emotional support. Social support, in-person or online, can be immensely powerful in lifting you up during your worst moments. Sometimes we need to cry it out, even if it burns our eczema.

• Stop comparing yourself to pictures in the media. 

  • Whether it be Photostop, Facetune, or some other program, whoever famous person you see on Instagram has likely had their photos edited. And yes, that also includes their skin. The reality is, no human being really depicts the “perfect” image that societies across the world paint for us. 

• Be confident in the strength that you have just from dealing with eczema.

  • Recall that skin is the biggest and one of the most powerful organs of your body, and enduring it on a daily basis is something you should be confident about. Taking care of your skin, especially with eczema, is not an easy task. The fact that you can do it shows that you are powerful. We know that eczema is a chronic, life-long condition with no cure or miracle-cream, yet we still persist. That’s something to be really proud of. 

• Remember that those who judge you by your eczema don’t matter.

  • As terrible as eczema is, one good thing that can come from it is figuring out which people are really important in your life, meaning those who stick by and remain supportive.

  • Have a friend or family member who expresses negative behavior towards you because of how you look? If you do, the solution to the problem is plain and simple: CUT THEM OUT OF YOUR LIFE. If this option is not possible, recognize that their contact is not helping you and minimize social interaction with them as much as you can.

  • If you’re concerned about what your crush/S.O. thinks about your eczema, reconsider the rationality of your worries. If they can’t handle how you look during a flareup, think about if they would handle seeing you get old! 

  • People will judge you regardless of your appearance, but know that you are not alone and there are people that are willing to support you through the tough times eczema can bring.

• Know that your actions can create change in others. 

  • Taking the first step in establishing body confidence can be difficult and scary. Freeing yourself from appearance anxiety is a  journey that is different for every individual, and it can take more time and effort for some people than others. But regardless of how you get it, your confidence will serve those who couldn’t build this bravery. It will deny the misconception that just because you might look like crap during a flareup, that doesn’t mean you feel like crap. In fact, you feel like an eczema warrior. Help those with eczema and other skin conditions by showing them that being yourself is okay, no matter what you look like. Educating others about this condition will also help spread an understanding of eczema that could reduce stigma and allow others more opportunities to start being confident in their own bodies.  

• Some Inspiration

  • There are two great shows that demonstrate others exhibiting body confidence while having a disease or disability. They both show a wide range of people with certain medical conditions, but in every video, the message is essentially the same: have confidence in yourself. While I haven’t seen a specific video regarding eczema, there are several videos featuring people who have various skin conditions. Every episode is very inspiring and ends in an uplifting note. Check them out here:

    • Born Different: Click here

    • Shake My Beauty: Click here