Transforming Eczema: How Living from Within Changed My Life
Eczema is a condition that many people might dismiss as just a skin problem, but my journey has taught me that it transcends beyond physical appearance. This skin condition, particularly atopic dermatitis, has profoundly influenced my life, leading me to discover the holistic nature of health and wellness.
My eczema journey started when I was a baby. If someone told me as a child that over time, eczema would affect me much more than just physically, I wouldn’t have believed them. It’s taken decades to understand that this condition is more than skin deep.
For years, I focused primarily on treating the external symptoms of my atopic dermatitis—the most common type of eczema—like dry skin, scaly patches, itching, and oozing. I wish I had known that my eczema flares weren’t the only issue. They were more like alarm bells warning me that something inside of my body wasn’t right.
Living With Topical Steroid Withdrawal
My eczema typically flared when life got too stressful. Doctors always did the same thing: prescribe a topical steroid ointment, which kept my skin somewhat manageable for years at a time.
If I were only measuring my health based on having clearer skin, then I’d say steroids worked. Once the doctor and I reduced my inflammation, we thought that the job was done. I’d go on with my busy life, no other changes needed. Little did I know that my steroid creams were just a cover-up. I learned the hard way just how many underlying issues they masked once they stopped working for me in 2018 at 26 years old.
I stopped using the creams for a few weeks shortly after I noticed they were no longer helping me. I quickly flared from my scalp to my legs. I learned that my body had developed a topical steroid addiction; it was reacting to the lack of steroids. I chose to begin the withdrawal process shortly after. Even if the steroids could clear my skin again, I no longer wanted a quick fix.
Topical steroid withdrawal left me bedridden for months. I’d only get up in order to take baths to relieve my skin, then go right back to bed. My other symptoms included:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Hot and cold sweats
- Muscle and skin pain
- Itchiness down to my bones
My hair was even falling out—so I shaved it to help focus on healing my scalp eczema. My weight shrunk from an already small size to just over 100 pounds.
During this time, all I could do was pray, stretch, do breathwork, and attempt to control my diet. I tried everything from the elimination diet to plant-based eating. I remained plant-based for three years, and I do believe that helped my skin and other symptoms.
Finding My Own Solutions
Ultimately, regardless of diet, I am sure that finding the right detoxing program for me helped the most.
After much time and research, I came across detoxes that focused on cleansing my liver. These involved extreme processes such as:
- Saltwater flushes
- Fasting
- Juice cleanses
- Eliminating processed foods from my diet
After trying them multiple times, I eventually eased the symptoms of both my skin lesions and my itching.
Everybody is different, and I do not recommend any diet or detox without consulting trained health professionals. I experimented on my own body because, at the time, I didn’t have a doctor who understood what I was going through.
Online research was my only solution, and YouTube and Instagram proved to be the most helpful resources. I connected with a whole community of people with eczema who had also experienced topical steroid withdrawal.
This Instagram community helped save my life! Together, we shared research, tools, and inspiration for living with eczema. I still continue that work with my personal Instagram account, as well as with my website, Woke Within. I encourage people to be #WokeWithinSkin: to be open, vulnerable, and above all, aware of what’s really going on inside of their bodies.
Becoming an Advocate for Others
My worst eczema experience turned into the greatest healing process of my life. I’m full of gratitude to not just have made it to the other side of topical steroid withdrawal, but to be thriving.
As a patient advocate with the National Eczema Association, I now get to share some of the deepest parts of myself to help counsel and inform others who are suffering like I was. I’m proud to share my worst flares; they’ve even been on display on a Times Square billboard!
Because of my eczema journey, I can call myself a writer, model, video producer, and health content creator.
Eczema is not a life-threatening disease, but it is life-altering. I wish I knew how seriously I should’ve taken it from the start.
After all the pain and irritation eczema has caused me, I’m now able to see it as a friend who is looking out for my best interests. My skin served as a warning sign to pay attention to the entirety of my body—from the inside out.
