14 struggles all girls with eczema can relate to

If you’ve ever had eczema, you’ll know it’s a seriously unpleasant skin condition – and the worst part is, there’s no cure.
Granted, I’ve never had it, but I’ve overseen my allergy-stricken younger sister enough over the years to know the struggle is real.
If, like my poor sister, you live with it too, these struggles will be all too familiar…
1. Girls with dry skin have no idea
Your friends often complain about how they suffer from dry skin in winter, but this pales in comparison to the itchy, flaky skin condition you’re dealing with. Sorry, no sympathy!
2. Your bathroom has more creams than a chemist
From your heavy-duty Hope’s Relief Premium Eczema Cream, Dexem Repair Cream ($19.95, chemistwarehouse.com.au) and Medihoney Eczema Cream ($19.95, comvita.com.au) to the soothing Abeeco Miracle Manuka Cream and Botáni Olive Repair Cream, there’s an endless amount of cream in your beauty cupboard. And that doesn’t even include the prescription-only stuff!
3. Everyone thinks they are a doctor
“Oh, have you tried cutting out dairy? It worked for my cousin.” No. Just, no. *Slaps on Indio SOS Gel angrily*.
4. You can never completely get rid of it
Your eczema might subside momentarily, but it always comes back with a vengeance at the worst possible time. Think the night before your wedding, a job interview, or a first date. *Irons out depressingly long-sleeved top*.
5. Eczema is just the beginning
Eczema goes hand in hand with other allergic conditions including asthma, which is just the cherry on top of an incredibly crummy cake. Seriously, what did you do to deserve this?!
6. Going to bed is an ordeal
By the time you’ve finished putting on all the creams, cotton gloves and/or bandages, it’s practically sunrise already. Also you look like a slippery mummy.
7. But it still keeps you awake
You feel like you’re going crazy because it’s so itchy and you just want to cry but no one will understand because you’re the only one in your family who has eczema. *Screams into pillow*.
8. You often resemble a wild animal
Your itching and scratching is almost primal. You know it’s not a good look, but you can’t stop.
9. And you don’t even realise you’re doing it
… until your mum yells at you to stop, because “you’re making it worse!!!”. Well yes, I know that mum but I’M PRETTY SURE YOU WOULD TOO IF YOU FELT LIKE YOU HAD CHICKENPOX 24/7!
10. Sometimes you rub your itchy bits against inanimate objects
When you get tired arms, the couch leg comes to the rescue. Don’t judge.
11. Turning the heat up in the shower is #amazing
Scalding your arms, neck and legs provides great, albeit short-lived, relief.
12. Your shampoo and conditioner choices are paramount
As if it wasn’t hard enough finding a suitable body wash, your shampoo and conditioner also need to be eczema-friendly. Sure, Neutrogena's T/Gel ® Therapeutic Shampoo and Conditioner aren’t super glamorous, but they leave your sensitive scalp intact and for that you are eternally grateful.
13. You leave little dead skin flakes everywhere you go
You don’t even notice it anymore, but occasionally you catch someone looking at the flakes flying off you and you feel the shame only an eczema sufferer can know.
14. You get it in the WORST places
It’s not just on the insides of your elbows, it’s also under your eyes, around your neck and between your toes. Oh, and when it really flares up, hiding it under make-up is no longer an option. #Thestruggleisreal.
Are you an eczema sufferer? Can you identify with any of these struggles?
70 Member Comments
Had eczema once, and Charity Pot from LUSH worked wonders! Dry brushing and coconut oil for me now and I've never had a flare up since.
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The itch! oh my ... The itch! Its uncontrollable and drives you insane!
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I had to force myself to stop doing the scalding hot shower thing, it felt sooo good against my eczema but I would always regret it later.
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After reading these articles I am sure that I have a mild form of eczema as I have a few spots on my shoulder and back that have broken skin and sores appearing. I could not think what had happened as I try to be as clean as possible, mostly not using soap as I know this does dry out the skin but occasionally it is good to get a good lather up to thoroughly cleanse the skin. Following this cleansing routine I do moisturise. But, I guess not sufficiently, hence the break outs.
The other reason most likely to cause this problem for me is SHAMPOO! Yes, I didn't even think of the suds falling onto my shoulders and back and the potential harm and drying effect this could have on my skin. Now I will take more care in quickly rinsing my body first then my hair then my body again, and moisturising more often.
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Omg... This is terrible I feel sorry for those with this condition that would be horrible to have constantly & with no cure is the worst I hope there are product's out there for those who have this condition otherwise it would be a nightmare to search high & low for product's that you wouldn't be sure that would do the job for person self.
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I can so relate! As a child my mum used to bandage my knees so tightly that I couldn't bend them to walk! I know she was only trying to help as my eczema was so bad. I still get it now but thankfully not as bad.
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The worst thing is going to bed after you've applied all your greasy eczema products!! In summer when the eczema gets worse and you're sweaty all the time
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Oh that sounds like hell!
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Under the armpits, is literally the pits; As deodorants make it worse but going without is not an option in polite society. Stress just adds to the fun, but with a flare comes the stress of how to survive it which of course adds to it. People offer you to try their 'fantastic new hand cream' and your running away like they offered you a dose of botulism.
They don't understand that you cant grab washing powder or soap that is on sale, because heaven help you if you do. Which means visting or holidays come with added risk of potential flares from the bedding.
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My son has severe eczema, we have tried many things to help. Then after I found foderma serum on google with good review and I ordered this serum just to see if it would help. Within days of using this, his hands are no longer bright red and inflamed. They are still patchy but I can't believe how much better they look in such a short time.
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I have had eczema since birth and it was starting to wear off after we went to a skin specialist and I had have multiple baths in bleach and then I had to put a whole tube of cream on. I hated doing this but my eczema settled down, it has now flared up again. This article is sooo relatable!!
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I've had eczema my entire life (18 years) and it is a pain in the butt. I found that it interfered with my schooling quite a bit. In year 6 I refused to go to school for a month or so because I had it all over my face, arms and legs. I was already bullied at school for my dyslexia so I wasn't going to risk it. My cream always went missing at school so mum and dad had half a million around the house.
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Literally picturing half a million creams around the house!!
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My poor kids have suffered for years with eczema and we have tried countless remedies and treatments. Best combo was Pine oil baths, oatmeal based creams and lots of trips to the beach!
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I really feel for my daughter who suffers eczema (yep, asthma and severe allergies too). She's allergic severely to dustmite poo!! ...and cats but we have two because we love them and she takes Zyrtec to deal with that.
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I have a slight case of eczema and its the most annoying thing! I can't seem to get rid of it. I have a little patch just inside my inner thigh & behind my knee. Doesn't matter what I use it won't go away. Recently the dr gave me advantin which I have been using daily for a while now and it still won't budge! Wish I could get rid of it :(
I feel sorry for the people with bad cases of it. I only have a small section which is frustrating enough let alone having it worse. Lets hope they find something that actually gets rid of it!!
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I'm so lucky that my eczema isn't bad... I mean, it's bad enough... but it's mild compared to many people... BUT This article is relatable. Especially the shower point... Hot water, yes please. It sucks though because as relieved as I feel, I know that straight after doing it, I'm in for an itchy hell.
Love the comments that people throw your way too... "ew. What's that on your arm?" Or 'Are you having an allergic reaction? Maybe you should see a doctor?'... The comments are so great. So so great. eye roll
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Oh how the struggle is real! I suffered from eczema as a child and only recently it has started to flare up again on my legs and behind my knees - now age 24.. But Aveeno has been my saviour to help calm the itch and flaring.
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Totally relatable, mine also flared up bad during my pregnancy recently and not much could be done. Very annoying
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I am so lucky I dont have this condition.
I had dry itchy patches on my skin once, i was worried that it was eczema, turns out to be an allergic reaction to ultraceuticals (a pretty nasty reaction as it turned out , but at least it was temporary)
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I'm lucky too. I have the occasional psoriasis on my scalp, but nothing noticeable!!
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My eczema on my hands flares up allll the time. I feel this.
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I suffer from eczema and asthma, but thankfully my eczema is mild and only really causes problems when I am stressed.
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Eczema was complete nightmare for me growing up. It used to drive me insane with the itches. I remember dreading summer and trying anything and everything for it. For me it was a milk allergy and I remember having to drink goats milk and soy milk and eating carob for chocolate. My eczema gradually improved as I got older. Now, I barely get the itches just very dry skin patches which is bearable compared to what I had to deal with as a child
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