Born with Eczema
As a baby my Mum would manage my eczema skincare. From head to toe I would be constantly itching and layers of cream would be smothered all over to help soothe my broken areas. Bath soaks were a regular thing as well as wearing cotton mitts at night to prevent itching. One of the worst episodes was when I was temporarily hospitalised.
After that my Mum and Dad opted for herbal medicine, Chinese tea. The leaves were boiled and bubbling on the stove until it was piping hot and then it was left to cool. My love for it shocked them but it definitely made a difference to my aggravated skin.
By the age of 3 or 4 my eczema skincare had paid off and it vanished and only remained on my joints, and was a lot easier for my Mum to manage and take care of. When I entered puberty around the age of 14, my Mum introduced me to the Simple range. I become accustomed to using the Cleanser, Toner and Moisturizer daily. The Exfoliator I would use occasionally, but was always tempted to use it more because I loved the scrubbing feeling on my skin. At this point my skin was really oily producing lots of sebum keeping my skin soft, supple and shiny.
My hardest experience with Eczema
At 7 years old I moved from a non-religious centred Primary School to a Catholic School. I made friends instantly. My eczema was still visible but somehow manageable but there were times when I would still itch in front of the other kids. I wasn’t conscious of doing this because I was never ever judged for it.
Then one day a girl I considered my close friend started verbal bullying me in ways I never imagined. My Mum found out and went ballistic and approached her parents one day after school to tell them what was going on. The girls behaviour changed to a certain degree but it certainly effected my confidence. I was known for always smiling and laughing at any little thing and here I was being bullied because my friend couldn’t outshine that and instead found fault in my weakness. My light dimmed after that day.
My skin erupts
The Gordon Brown Outdoor Education Centre was a school trip arranged for all year 6 pupils. We’d stay there a few nights to camp, do activities. Till this day I remember the nightwear set Mum packed for me. A perfectly folded pink cotton pyjama set with a light white design all over it. The first night we arrived, I wore it and my skin felt settled. The next day we were immersed in activities exposed to high grass besides nature itself. When we returned to the girls bedroom that evening my skin was on fire. I couldn’t even shower that’s how uncomfortable it was. Mrs Jolinnon the class teacher put me in a bath whilst I itched away and made unusual sounds.
Fast forward
Years passed and as I entered teenage years and rolled into adulthood I added other brands to my eczema skincare. Such as the Boots skin range, Superdrug skin range, Clarins, Liz earl, Clinique and Bare Minerals. Most recently I have used Lush, Estee Lauder, Dr Sabagh,Dermalogica to name a few. https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/
Moving onto Acne
When I turned 24 I tried Microdermabrasion for the first time at a clinic in the Dubai, Jumeirah Road, the home to numerous Medical Clinics. It was time to treat my acne scarring mainly dotted around the cheeks and sides of my face. Dr Laila assessed my skin and said this non-invasive treatment would benefit my skin greatly. The results were good but a month later when I returned for the follow up treatment I ended up leaving with 2 red marks on my left cheek! This was because the Doctor had allowed the Nurse to perform it on me the first time (there is risk of this happening if the machine intensity is too high and if the movements aren’t brisk enough). After a few days the marks darkened and ended up peeling and fading a month later.
What is my Eczema skincare like now?
I still occasionally go for facials and focus heavily on home body care e.g. body brushing, and exfoliating. This is so important in illuminating dead skin and promoting skin renewal. In 2021 I tried a chemical peel and Laser Skin Rejuvenation a couple of times at True Beauty. I still aim to do 5 hours of exercise a week and drink 5 liters of water a week. I commit to a balanced diet. My skin still can’t help but react to hormonal changes, running water, and external environment conditions in London. Some days it looks normal and other days more congested but I’d rather this than the eczema I one experienced as a child.
There are times when I feel disappointed because my skin isn’t completely clear. Yet I try to look past this and remind myself I am still beautiful.
4 Statements to feel more confident:
- I am grateful for the skin that I have.
- I am grateful that it functions the way it is supposed to (Protection,Regulation,Secretion,Sensation).
- As I grow my skin changes and one day it will stabilize and even out.
- My skin does not define who I am but is just an extension of what is visible to the world.
Top 3 Body Products that keep my skin moisturised and free from irritation:
Vaseline Essential Moisture Cocoa Radiant Lotion 200 ml, (Pack of 1)
NeoStrata Lotion Plus 15 AHA 200ml
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Firming Butter – 10.6 fl oz, Pump (Pack of 2)
Eczema skincare can be managed with trial and error. There are many things that aggravate skin conditions like eczema. A major one is smoking. Find out how you can quit smoking in 2021, in this blog.
Hey! Someone in my Myspace group shared this website with us so I came to take a look. Fallon Cleveland Jollenta
Hi Fallon, thats amazing, I didnt even know Myspace was still around! I will be uploading 1 new post weekly so stay connected and dont forget to share. Kindly, Coley xx
Awesome post. I am a regular visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I will be a frequent visitor for a long time. Dode Bond Bonnee
Hi Dode, really pleased you are enjoying my site. Would love to know what you think of my latest blog! Check it out when you can. Kindly, Coley xx
Hi there. I found your site by means of Google whilst searching for a comparable topic, your site got here up. It appears to be good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then. Margit Justus Zosi
Hi Margit, I’m really happy google directed you to my site. Seeing your comment made me smile. I will be uploading a new post weekly so hope you stay connected. Kindly, Coley xx
My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
Hi, aww your so welcome. Thank you for looking at my blog. Do you or anyone you know have eczema? Kindly, Coley xx
I do agree with all of the ideas you’ve presented in your post. They’re very convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are too short for beginners. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
Hi, thank you for appreciating the ideas I shared, its all based on my personal experience. I really appreciate your feedback too and will try to make the posts longer in future. Kindly, Coley xx