relentless and unbearable: toronto woman recalls the itchy torment of eczema
after talking to her dermatologist, charlene thompson finally found relief
3 minute read
“if you don't scratch it, it just keeps coming and coming, and the urge to scratch becomes unbearable,” says thompson. supplied
this story is sponsored by
abbvie canada
this story was created by content works, postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of a client.
charlene thompson wants you to know the itch triggered by eczema is persistent and distressing – it’s the most bothersome symptom of this condition. “it’s very intense,” says the 43-year-old toronto woman. “if you don’t scratch it, it just keeps coming and coming, and the urge to scratch becomes unbearable.” when thompson was an infant, her parents used to put mittens on her to protect her skin from constant scratching while she slept. “my mom would always find them tossed to the side because i had figured out how to take them off to get at my skin. even then, the itch was relentless.”
as a baby, thompson was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema. a chronic, inflammatory skin condition, atopic dermatitis affects up to 17 per cent of canadians. it almost always emerges before age five and is characterized by itchy, inflamed skin, usually behind the knees, on the inside of the elbows, and on the face, neck and hands.
those hot spots or target areas align with thompson’s experience. she falls into the category of people with severe atopic dermatitis, who experience thickened skin and lesions that ooze and bleed during flare-ups. “one year it attacked my face,” she recalls. “but it’s always been constant along my arms and the back of my legs.”
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another constant? the itch. thompson describes it as an incessant, nagging sensation she would try to “bury” in the back of her mind. “but when it came to the forefront — which it always did — it was like an attack, and the need to scratch always got worse.”
a chronic, inflammatory skin condition, atopic dermatitis affects up to 17 per cent of canadians.
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thompson says eczema didn’t just affect her physically, but also mentally and emotionally. the persistent itch took a toll on her quality of life. she stopped sleeping. she covered her hands and forearms with socks before going to bed, much like how her mother had tried to protect her when she was a baby, and still, she scratched herself awake.
“i never got a full night’s sleep because i always woke up clawing at my skin,” she says.
what’s more, thompson’s eczema symptoms took a toll on her social life. “i didn’t want to go anywhere,” she says. “i literally went from work to home, and home to work. that was it. i became something of a recluse because i didn’t want anyone to see my skin. the eczema was always on my arms and face, and there’s only so much makeup can do to hide things.”
not only was thompson self-conscious about her skin, but she always worried she would have an “itch attack.” she could be scratching without realizing it until friends or coworkers would point out that she was bleeding, or that her skin was oozing.
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things came to a head recently when she found herself in the shower at 1 a.m. under a stream of cold water, screaming. “my skin was blowing up and i felt like a flame, like a human torch,” she says. “my husband said, ‘we’re going to the er.’”
that trip to the emergency department led to a meeting with a dermatologist. “i told her i wasn’t leaving her office,” says thompson. “i said, ‘i don’t care what you have to do, but i can’t live like this anymore.’”
that meeting signalled a turning point for thompson, who says once the dermatologist saw the condition of thompson’s skin, she was determined to find a solution.
“i didn’t cover up at all. i had on a tank top, and i wasn’t wearing any makeup,” she says. “so, the doctor got to see the full extent of the damage.”
today, thompson says her life is different. “the summer of 2024 was one of the best summers i’ve ever had,” she says. “it was the first year i freely wore t-shirts, went to the beach and didn’t worry about my skin. i had so much fun hanging out with my children.”
most importantly, thompson says she is no longer in pain and the itch is under control.
november is eczema awareness month in canada, and thompson says she wants to share a message of hope with other people living with eczema. she suggests you talk to your doctor about treatment options.
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“it’s important to advocate for yourself, and be a strong voice,” says thompson. self-advocacy can support improved health outcomes.
talk to your dermatologist about how you can manage your eczema symptoms. patient resources are available here.
for more information about eczema, readers can visit the eczema society of canada (esc) and canadian skin patient alliance (cspa).
this story was created by content works, postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of abbvie canada.
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