10 Things Only People With Eczema Will Understand

#1 It's more than skin deep

Symptoms aren't always of the visual kind. You may still have other symptoms that are internal like pain, emotional distress, fatigue.

#2 It's NOT poison ivy!

People will ask you is that chickenpox or poison ivy, or shingles, or mumps or psoriasis?

#3 For the last time everyone I'm not contagious

Explaining that you are not a walking contagion will be exhausting. It is definitely not contagious, you are not giving it or getting it from someone.

#4 Please keep your unhelpful statements to yourself

If you could get a nickel for everytime someone says "just stop scratching" you would be a millionaire!

#5 What does a hot shower feel like?

Steaming hot showers? Nope! Saunas? Nope! Soaking in a hot bath? Double Nope! Definitely not experiencing these things, more like lukewarm or cool showers followed by a slathering of moisturizers.

#6 Back away from the wool

Cozying up in a wool sweater...definitely a hard No! You spend a lot of time finding and reading the tags of clothing and hoping that someday they will make 100% cotton sweaters that are fashionable!

#7 You can find me in the lotion aisle

The frustration of having to go to a new store to buy groceries or laundry detergent and you can't find your normal go-to products since you don't know the layout of the store. Add another 2 hours to the shopping trip while you have to read every label of shampoo and lotion bottle to make sure it doesn't include any ingredients that might irritate your skin.

#8 Everyone has a magic cure to offer

Yes- I have tried all of the aforementioned things you just rattled off to me and no I do not want to try or buy (insert any product that someone has tried to sell you that will help your atopic eczema.)

#9 Is that a trigger for me? Or not?

You get one area under control and figure out what the trigger was and suddenly you are battling a new flare area and aren't sure what the trigger culprit was this time. The struggle is real!!

#10 Excuse me, what did you make this with?

Asking what ingredients are in something, is probably part of your regular vocabulary and going out to eat or attending parties or gatherings at others people's houses is never dull a moment.

While there are definitely frustrations living with atopic dermatitis remember it doesn't define who you are and there is always a community of folks who understand what it is like to cope with this condition!