Top 5 Worst Locations to Experience Eczema
Eczema knows no boundaries. The disease can affect patients in a variety of different ways. Some experience dry skin, while others struggle with oozing and crusting. These symptoms aren’t limited to specific locations, but rather present themselves anywhere they so choose. Based on my eczema journey, I’ve found the following areas to be the most troublesome to deal with.
Face eczema
I’m sure most eczema patients can agree with this one. The first thing people notice upon meeting someone new is their face. I like to believe that most people won’t judge a book by its cover, but unfortunately, this type of thing does happen. I can only imagine the thoughts that enter someone’s mind when they see my red, swollen and peeling facial skin.
“What’s wrong with him? Why are there bags under his eyes? Is it poison ivy? No, maybe it’s sunburn. Could it be something else? Hopefully, it’s not contagious.” You see where I’m going with this.
This location is particularly frustrating to me because as a professional, I’ve felt that my facial eczema has held me back at times. I can say with a strong degree of certainty that I was not hired for several jobs because my face was an absolute disaster at the time of the interview. At the time, I couldn’t expect the interviewer to be familiar with my health problems, nor was I going to share them. For all they know, I had been out all night at the bar before coming into their office for our appointment.
Scalp eczema
I could have grouped scalp in with the previous section, but I decided to give it its own because seborrheic dermatitis presents its own set of challenges. Just like eczema complications on my face, people notice when I’m having scalp issues. I tend to wear dark clothing. So when I have dandruff, which is inevitable during a flare, it stands out like a sore thumb. To add insult to injury, it’s a struggle to prevent myself from scratching my head all day when I’m out in public. When I do, the result is an abundance of large, dead, skin flakes that accumulate on the base of my hair follicles. To top it all off, the oily medication that I need to rub into my scalp each night can get pretty messy. Needless to say, I’m not a fan.
Behind the knee eczema
I can’t think of a single location on my body that has more eczema scars than the back of my knees. Despite being on Dupixent (which has made my skin the clearest it has even been), I still experience frequent discomfort in this region. Like the other joints on my body, I’ve found that sweat is normally the catalyst for any problems that I might experience.
Hand eczema
Throughout my life, I’ve worked in a variety of jobs that range from general labor to office work. No matter what I was doing at the time for a living, I’ve always needed to use my hands to get the job done. Whether I was lifting boxes of promotional items or typing on a keyboard, I’ve found that when my hands are dry, cracked and inflamed, it makes it more of a challenge to be productive—especially when I need to take a break every 15 minutes to scratch them.
Back eczema
I can’t begin to tell you how many sleepless nights I’ve experienced due to back discomfort. When my back is having a flare, I find myself tossing and turning all night to get into a comfortable sleeping position. Not only do I have to deal with the obvious complications from eczema, but I have the additional burden of not being rested for the day ahead of me.
Please feel free to leave a comment below if you agree with my list of problem areas. If not, what would you change?
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