Since I was a wee little toddler, eczema has riddled my hands, knees, face, and elbows. Much to my parents’ surprise, dipping me into the ocean got rid of a lot of the flaky, red patches, but not all of it. I’ve tried steroid creams, special tape, excessive amounts of lotion/Aquaphor, and even this weird German stuff, but I’ve never been able to slay my dermal enemy.
You’d think survival of the fittest would have eliminated this pesky skin condition. After all, how can you hunt and gather when you have to stop and itch the backs of your knees every 10 seconds? What’s worse, the weather conditions never provide respite, however fleeting, from the scaly swelling of my skin. The dry winter months suck the moisture from my hands, leaving them rough and cracked. As the temperature rises, the heat (creating pockets of moisture between every joint) leads to chafing and irritation! Can’t a girl catch a break for once? I’ve seen people bedridden (RIP Joana Ceddia) because of steroid withdrawal from the topical creams prescribed to them for their eczema!
Heading into the New Year, I’ll wish on every 11:11, every eyelash, every dandelion that a higher power will smite this condition that continues to plague innocent people. In the meantime, I guess I’ll just have to stay consistent with my heavy-duty German salve and pray I make it through the dry winter months…