Allergies

My whole life I have had to deal with health problems that have shaped who I am. First of all is that I have eczema which is a condition where patches of the skin either get inflamed, itchy, rough or even cracked. It did not appear on my skin for a little when I was born but the doctors told my parents that there were signs. They were right, within a year my skin would begin to get dry and rough. Throughout my toddler years I would cry because my skin would be so itchy. I would scratch a lot overnight without knowing which would open up more cuts. Then eventually when I started going to school, my parents tried so many methods such as slapping my hands or the itchy areas, running my hands under cold water, taping socks onto my hands. Each method worked for a while until I learned my way to scratch around it which I hated about myself. I tried so many different brands of lotions, went to multiple doctors, dermatologists and my skin would still be the same only with mild improvements. I would be so conscious of my skin that I would unnecessarily wear long-sleeves or pants when everyone else would be wearing shorts and a t-shirt. It used to annoy me whenever my classmates what asked me what happened to my skin, or "why does your skin look like that? look at mine!' At the time I did not understand the curiosity of young children, to me it was annoying. I did not feel like explaining myself every single time. I also did not understand it that well, I would just say that I have dry skin because that's what my parents would tell me. This would go on throughout my elementary school and middle school days. Eventually I got better at hiding my skin or distracting people from it.

This is my hand today, still trying to heal the dry spots

I feel great about my body now

I still have eczema today, but having it throughout my childhood taught me a lot. I have accepted my condition and have tried not to hide it. It taught me that I am still the same as anyone else, I just look a little different. The most important lesson was that, there is nothing wrong with being different from everyone else. My skin has gotten a lot better from when I was younger which I am very happy about, it has been something I have been trying to improve for the longest time. My skin started to finally clear up and it would be a sign of relief. However, that does not mean I cannot ju
st disregard it, I still have to maintain it with lotion all the time. Lotion is my best friend actually, I even carry it around whenever I can, whether it be my bag, my car or my mom's purse. I have learned the ways to keep my skin hydrated and clear. I realized that my condition could never be cured but definitely treated. It changed my outlook on my body because then I would start to workout which gave me a lot of confidence in how I looked. I love working out and staying fit because it reminds me that it is something anyone can do to make them feel and look better.

My eczema used to be prominent on my hands, elbows and knees but now its getting better!