Woman bullied for bleeding eczema shares how £4.99 cream turned her life around

26-year-old Lucy has struggled with eczema from when she was a baby, with the ‘incurable’ condition causing her a lifetime of physical pain and bullying.

Eczema causes dry, cracked skin – which can bleed and become infected – that can be caused by genetic factors and environmental ones.

There is no known ‘cure’ for eczema, as it varies so differently between person to person, with many people who suffer from the condition trying multiple diet changes, creams, and medications to reduce their symptoms.

For Lucy, the mental toll it took on her was massive, with her having to use steroids on and off for 22 years and being in almost constant pain.

‘I’ve been bullied my whole life because of my eczema and I always felt like the odd one out at school,’ she says.

‘The PE teacher used to make us wear shorts, yet I would only want to wear my tracksuit bottoms. I was scared that everyone would stare at me – because the backs of my knees were covered in dry, cracked eczema.

‘In secondary school I was teased a lot which made me ashamed of my appearance. Everyone else had perfect skin which made me cover up, making it even worse.’

From a young age, Lucy was prescribed high potency steroid cream, but says that this topical medication (designed to only be used in the short-term) would work while she was taking them, then she’d flare up again as soon as she stopped.

Over the years, her eczema continued to worsen.

Lucy, from West London, said: “Some of the worst memories I have of my eczema are around sleeping.  My eczema would become so itchy at night that I’d often wake up with blood all over the sheets.

‘We’d have to change the bedding each day and wash it. There was one time where I woke up in the night and my skin was SO itchy, that I took a bristly hairbrush to my skin and scratched it.

‘There was blood everywhere; it looked like a crime scene in my bedroom. This would make me exceptionally anxious about going to bed each night.

‘I found that stress is a huge factor that impacts my eczema. I noticed that when I would get flare-ups, I would stress about it even more and it became a vicious cycle.’

Anyone with eczema knows that finding the right emollient to soothe and moisturise the skin is key to reducing symptoms, and for Lucy that cream was Cetraben.

She started using this alongside her steroids – getting through one large bottle a week – but ended up stopping steroids altogether when she realised they were no longer working for her.

As is common when coming off steroids abruptly after a long period of use, Lucy’s skin went into shock. Although TSW (topical steroid withdrawal) shouldn’t occur if steroids are used for short periods, it has been reported in those with severe skin conditions who’ve been prescribed this medication for many years.

Once this reaction began, Lucy said: ‘I was covered in eczema from head to toe and I couldn’t move. The simplest things would hurt me, like putting on clothes, showering and even eating was hard. I had to take a year and a half off work, so I wasn’t making any money.

‘I was smothered from head to toe in eczema and my legs were swollen. I couldn’t walk. All you would have to do is touch my skin and it would crack, bleed and ooze.’

Dermatologists told Lucy she should go back onto steroid creams, but she was determined not to become dependent on them again.

It was then that she tried using emollient cream Cetraben (from £4.99 at Boots for a 50ml bottle) and she found over time that it has mostly cleared up.

‘I only have a bit on my neck and arms,’ says Lucy.

‘At the time, I thought my eczema looked horrendous but now I’m just happy. I don’t stress when I flare up anymore and I’ve learned to accept it. It’s always going to be unpredictable but I embrace it now.’

She continues: ‘My advice for anyone who might feel like I did before is to embrace your eczema (if that makes sense!)

‘You shouldn’t worry about what other people think and focus on what’s right for you! Your skin is a part of you, and you can’t help it. It doesn’t define who you are as a person.

‘I want people to realise that eczema is okay. Find the right product for you and work as best you can to soothe your eczema naturally and without steroids – there is a way and mine was through Cetraben.’

As mentioned before, eczema is unique to everyone who has it, so they may find that other emollients work best or that some cause their skin to react. Keeping a diary of how your symptoms are day-to-day while trialling creams or diet changes can help you discover your ‘right’ way.

If you’re concerned about using topical steroids or want more help with your skin issues, visit your GP.

Do you have a story you’d like to share?

Get in touch at [email protected].

Source: Read Full Article