My Story
My name is Lynnette, and I have suffered from eczema for my entire life. The severity of my eczema varied throughout the years, and whenever a patch healed, another popped up again. Some thought I had a contagious disease, such as one of my pre-school teachers that sent me home out of fear I’ll infect the whole classroom. Growing up with eczema, constant itching and burning was a regular daily feeling. The eerie sound of fingernails tearing against skin became familiar, and the infestation of crust, gashes, and bruises became a normal part of life.
In December of 2018, my eczema flareups became worse than ever before. The itchy patches had uncontrollably spread throughout my entire body, and even with the use of corticosteroids, they soon became unmanageable. I couldn’t sleep at night, I was skipping school from being drowsy and fatigued, and one day a flareup became so bad that I had to visit the ER.
From seeing countless general practitioners, dermatologists, and allergists, there seemed to be no consistent answer to the problem, and every treatment only served as a quick fix rather than a long-term remedy. As a result, I did extensive research and self-experimented with dozens of treatment products. I was able to find some great products, but the eczema was already so severe that more aggressive action had to be taken.
A string of hope emerged as I was introduced to the new eczema “cure,” Dupixent. During March of 2019, I started Dupixent injections and my eczema finally went away. My skin had been the clearest it has ever been, and life became pretty good for a while. However, I ended Dupixent injections 9 months later due to experiencing its conjunctivitis side effect. The eczema then came back within 4 months, and the flares became once again unbearable. No longer wanting to use corticosteroids, I finally decided to come back on Dupixent in July 2020 and focus on treating the conjunctivitis symptoms.
Around this time, I also decided to take a holistic approach to healing this condition. After making a few lifestyle changes, I began to feel healthier, and my eczema flareups became slightly more manageable. But there is still room for improvement (even as I write this, I can still feel the daunting urge to itch everywhere possible). Although I still use Dupixent, my personal goal is to one day withdraw from this dependence, and finally beat the itch-scratch-rash cycle naturally.
Many of us eczema sufferers have asked ourselves the question, “why me?” We experienced grief and frustration from wondering why the largest organ of our bodies has failed us time and time again. But eventually, we must accept that we had a genetic predisposition to the disease, that we were affected by it, and in order to get better, we have to learn how to work with what we got and take control. That is where the holistic approach to tackling eczema comes in; through over-the-counter treatments, a healthy diet, and mental health wellness, we CAN get better. Now is the time to be in tune with our bodies and respect them. We must be our own role models and take control of our own narrative.
This website’s purpose is to be a source of inspiration for those coping and managing with the disease that might help them live a normal day-to-day life. Every person with eczema is a unique individual that might have different needs from one another, but hopefully sharing what works for me will still be able to help others.