Skin is everything! No one will argue that having eczema is not as severe as having cancer. One of the worst pieces of news you can receive is the life-threatening nature of cancer. I have various friends who suffer from terrible eczema.
However, eczema makes people feel self-conscious about their appearance and how others might perceive them because of their skin condition. It’s clear for everyone to see: you have red, dry, and often bloody skin due to scratching. People mistakenly believe it is contagious, although it is not.
It can also give the impression that you lack hygiene, even though this isn’t the case. If you have widespread eczema and are in a dire state of irritation, you are probably showering or bathing too much. Water saps your skin of natural oils, which means your skin becomes even drier. So how do you cope with eczema and take care of your body image in public?
Loose and soft
Firstly, cover up until you have a lid on the scratching. You don’t want to expose dry skin to the sun or air because the moisture will eventually be sapped away, causing your skin to crack and become irritated.
Wear loose-fitting clothes so there’s no chafing of your skin and rubbing together. Additionally, opt for soft clothing to reduce the likelihood of grazing and cutting your skin.
Avoid wearing jeans, even if they are baggy, as denim is a coarse material and will often be uncomfortable to tender, raw, or bleeding skin. Jeans also tend to spread your moisturizer around because denim isn’t very absorbent compared to cotton.
Similarly, avoid wearing pure cotton or pure wool due to their high porosity, which can deplete your natural oils. Find something made out of nylon or acrylic to wear.
Express your anxiety.
It’s a good idea to write a blog about your daily life with eczema if you are pretty self-conscious of how you look in public.
However, you might find that joining an Inspire Psoriasis support group will help you more as you talk to other people with a similar skin condition. You’ll find new ways to cope and different tips and tricks to reduce skin irritation caused by clothing. Bathing techniques are also discussed, which is helpful for people with psoriasis on their private parts who are struggling to find a way to clean this area without drying it up and making it hurt.
Talk about your social anxiety due to eczema and how you can avoid feeling wrong about your body image. Many people in your position and others have climbed out of that negative space.
Any visible skin condition that looks abnormal makes us feel quite self-conscious in front of other people. We tend to cover up with inappropriate clothing choices. Avoid denim if you can, and stick to soft and loose clothing until your irritation is under control.
