Never would I have thought that I would need to apply eczema moisturizing cream for at least three to four times a day. What I imagined when I was a teenager was to travel the world without care at the age of 30, but as you can see, it did not work out as I planned. It went to the opposite side of what I dreamed of, and now I am suffering from a skin condition called eczema.
What is Eczema?
For those who do not know what eczema is, it is a skin condition that makes your skin flare, flake, itch at the same time. For some reasons, no one knows what it causes. Despite the numbers of research and studies, no one can provide the answer on how to cure it. What we know today is that it alleviates when you apply an eczema cream. Its inflammation and itchiness subside after spreading some eczema moisturizing cream. Because of that, I could say that having eczema is bearable.
Do I know how or why I developed eczema?
I am not entirely sure why I developed eczema. However, as far as I could remember, the first time I noticed my skin became inflamed was during my college days. Back then, I was writing my thesis and attending my internship while doing some part-time jobs. I thought that redness on my skin was natural since the weather in Singapore is quite hot. So, I did not bother myself to seek help and ignored it since somehow it subsided on its own.
Little did I know that was the sign of eczema, and it got worse when I started working. At first, I thought it was just an allergic reaction since that was also what happened to my Mum when she ate seafood, but I was wrong. It was not an allergy. It is eczema. I only found out about it after my trip to the dermatologist. What I planned was to get a facial for my birthday, but I did not expect that I would be diagnosed with eczema. She said I should buy eczema cream in Singapore so its flare would subside.
Does it affect my daily life?
It does when it flares up. However, when my skin is not inflamed, it does not affect my daily activity at all. All I have to do was to religiously apply eczema moisturizing cream so my skin would not become dry and start to flake.
What happens once my skin starts to flare up?
Once it happens, my skin starts to develop red, flaky patches. Sometimes, even my face has it, and it stings a lot. So, what I usually do is ask my boss to let me go to the clinic and rest for a few hours. If it happens at home, I do the same thing, apply some moisturizer and sometimes a natural eczema balm that my dermatologist recommends. Spreading those into my skins helps to alleviate its flare and itchiness.
Which treatment did I try?
After I visited the dermatologist, I could not believe that I was diagnosed with eczema. So, what I did was to deny it, and went to another dermatologist, but the results were the same. Because of that, I walked out of the room and cried. A few days later, I tried to accept it and tried to do a lot of things, but none of those works. So, I went back to the first dermatologist who diagnosed me and asked her to treat my eczema. It was then I found out that it has no cure but only alleviation.
Here are the things that she advised me to avoid.
My dermatologist said when you have food allergies, make sure to be careful what you eat as well as what you apply on your skin. In my case, ever since I found out I have eczema, I no longer use makeup. The only thing you can find in my vanity mirror is eczema moisturizing cream and nothing more.
So, if you are unsure if you have food allergies, visit an allergist and take a prick test. It would help you figure out which food you should avoid eating.
Both hot and cold can worsen your eczema. That was what my dermatologist also told me. She said I should avoid getting myself exposed to extreme temperatures. So, whenever I take a bath, I always time myself. That way, I would not expose myself to water for a long time.
Based on what I have learned for the past five years since I developed eczema, you should listen to your skin. When your skin starts to become red, dry and flakey, make sure to apply some eczema moisturizing cream. If you want to know where I bought mine, go to Mummybrand! What I always purchase is the Botanical Eczema Essential pack for only $73!
