I have had eczema since I was a little girl, but it was never terribly debilitating. I had some scratches on my neck, arms, and legs, but I never thought too much of it. And I was lucky to have clear skin on my face. Other than a pimple here or there, my complexion was generally even and bright, and I never needed to use foundation.
That all changed this past May. Perhaps triggered by a combination of poor diet and taking too many medications, my eczema finally reared its ugly head in full force. Despite never having had facial eczema before, I started experiencing symptoms around my eyes—within the next few months, it would consume my entire face, neck, arms, and upper legs. I ended up visiting countless doctors, starting a clean diet, and buying Mummybrand's eczema moisturizing cream that helped me.
I wish I could tell you that I’m now free of eczema symptoms, but I have a long ways to go. My face is still bright red, raw, and itchy. My legs and neck have inflammation, and I struggle to wake up every day feeling happy and healthy. Slow progress is still progress.
It didn’t take long before I ended up with pretty severe, and super painful, eczema on my fingers. It would start out as tiny little blisters, that looked like whiteheads, which would then pop and ooze out clear liquid. Once they had popped, that's when the itching began. As anyone with eczema probably knows, itching is the worst thing you can do for your skin - but oh is it satisfying at the moment! Of course, the more I itched, more of these white blisters would appear, and then would pop, continuing the cycle. Eczema continued to worsen and I could hardly straighten my fingers because they were so severely painful, dried, cracked, and infected. My skin was so thin and if I moved my fingers the wrong way, my skin would crack and bleed. I would wake up in the middle of the night scratching like crazy and it got to the point where I would shower with plastic bags over my hands and my partner would have to wash my hair, as anything that touched my poor fingers was excruciatingly painful. I even wore socks over my hands to bed at one stage to try and stop the night scratching! I had rings on my fingers that I struggled to get off because of how swollen my fingers were. Holding ice packs over my hands was the only relief that subsided the bone-deep itch and burning sensation.
Did my skin issues make me feel down about myself at times? Sure. But succumbing to that way of thinking only made me more depressed. What has helped aside from the cream: understanding that my struggle with eczema is key to appreciating my life even more. Here, five ways the skin condition has helped me gain perspective and live a more fulfilling life.
I care less about looks
In the past, I couldn't leave the house without eye makeup. I can’t remember a time when I was able to confidently go outside without my trusty eyeliner. Now? I truly feel beautiful without makeup. Even when my facial eczema completely clears—which I know it will—I plan on wearing a lot less makeup than I used to. I’m finally comfortable in my skin.
Strangely, I've become more confident
During my worst flares, when my face was red and sore, I found that I felt empowered. Sure, I cried on my way to buy an eczema cream in Singapore. But I found strength from within to muster up the courage to continue my day. Once that happened, I felt like I could take on anything.
I became more empathetic
As cliché as it might sound, I've realized that everyone is fighting their own battle. Sure, mine might be more noticeable, but I've become more understanding that no one's life is all peaches and sunshine.
I focus more on health
I admittedly used to eat way too many cookies, cake, fries—you name it. As a result, I was constantly fatigued, no matter how many hours of sleep I got. Since improving my diet by cutting out unnecessary sugar and consuming more leafy greens, I feel more alive. Another plus? I lost 10 pounds.
I know who’s there for me
I didn't always handle my eczema well—I avoided seeing people, I worked from home, and I didn't want to look at my boyfriend in the eye. But the experience has helped me realize who truly loves me for me. My boyfriend, for example, continues to tell me I’m beautiful every day. So what if other people want to make comments or stare? They don’t matter.
Have eczema, psoriasis, acne, or another condition messing with your confidence? Know that you’re so much more than your skin, and you can’t let it tell you how worthy you are. Do I still struggle with myself? Of course. But I now know that it will always get better.
On the other hand, if you are looking for baby eczema cream in Singapore, visit Mummybrand's website, and let their products help you today.
