Australian woman with eczema reveals what you should never say to her

One young woman shared how a debilitating skin condition shattered her self-confidence and left her unable to go to the gym, work, or university.

Leilah Johnson, 20, says her struggle with eczema, a type of dermatitis, has damaged her confidence and cost her thousands of dollars.

She has been battling severe allergies and the painful skin condition that causes severe dry and itchy patches of skin since she was three years old.

Ms Johnson said the skin condition, which targets her cheeks, lips, legs, chest and eyelids, came back “with a vengeance” a few months before she turned 18.

Since then, the college student has opted to study online to better manage her frequent flare-ups at home with several expensive creams.

Her eczema forced her to quit her job at the store after a terrible flare-up left her eyes swollen and closed and painful welts from head to toe.

She prefers to wear sports bras because they rub less against her skin, and she can’t wear nice “office clothes” because her eczema cream stains and sticks to the fabric.

“People stare at me, and when they comment or suggest what I should do, I know they’re trying to help, but it’s frustrating and overwhelming because they don’t understand how many things I’ve tried. I have tried everything!’ she said.

Her skin, which is so thin and dry it feels like sandpaper, can also tear when Mrs. Johnson undresses, making her even more uncomfortable.

“Ninety percent of the time it’s horrible and looks horrible,” she said of her skin.

“Last year I had a really big circle of eczema on my upper leg, and it got so infected that my leg turned purple and I had to go back to the hospital.”

The 20-year-old had to be hospitalized after her entire head became swollen and her lips and eyes stuck together from several painful blisters.

“I was hospitalized several times and tried everything. I can’t bear to think how much I’ve spent on creams and treatments over the years,” she said.

“I go to a specialist every few months, but it’s disappointing because all they give me is antihistamines and steroids, which ruin my skin.”

The uni student said she “didn’t want to think” about the amount she spent on various creams and says she is allergic to most of them.

Ms Johnson said her constant battle with her skin had affected her weight and body image as sweat flared up her dermatitis.

It comes as a mother whose four-month-old baby had eczema so severe she left her pillow bleeding and was able to give her baby some relief with a ‘miracle’ cure.

Millie Zweifel’s mother, Jen, 35, said her daughter had eczema on her face and scalp with “scabs and yellow bits coming off.”

“Millie’s face hurts so much she can’t stop crying,” Ms. Zweifel said.

She claws at her face and scalp. Her pillow is sometimes covered in blood.’

Ms. Zweifel has started using products from Australian natural skincare brand MooGoo, which offers products specifically designed for eczema and dermatitis.

“As soon as I apply it to her face, it immediately soothes her and the redness disappears. It’s amazing and really comforts her,” she said.

“Because she has such thick hair, I massage it into her hair and scalp as a conditioner, leave it on for a few hours, then comb it out. It comes off very easily and then I wash her hair.”

Moogoo offers cleansers, creams, body washes and ointments specially formulated for skin conditions such as psoriasis, keratosis pilaris and rosacea.

CEO Melody Livingstone says Moogoo has been inundated with orders from people experiencing flare-ups due to the dry and cold winter air.

People’s face and body skin can become dry after long hot showers and hours spent under an electric blanket or in front of a heater.

Ms Livingstone said Moogoo sold an eczema cream every two minutes, with sales of face creams and moisturizers skyrocketing by 80 to 90 per cent.

Australia has one of the highest rates of eczema in the world and it’s only getting worse – 50 years ago it affected just one in ten Australian children,’ says Ms Livingstone.

‘Despite the fact that eczema is becoming more common, there is still surprisingly little understanding about how to deal with it.

“Since there is no proven cure for eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis, education and management of symptoms is critical.

“The skin has a protective barrier, in the winter it can get very dry and if it’s broken it’s prone to infection. So it’s important to start using a good quality moisturizer now to maintain the skin’s barrier function.’

Australia has one of the biggest eczema problems in the world, with about a third of the population suffering from the debilitating skin condition. People with eczema often suffer from chronic itching, rashes, festering sores and rough skin.