i was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema. it’s an immunological disease, which means that my immune system is overly sensitive to even the slightest triggers. what usually results is red, scaly skin, itchiness – and i use that in a very broad sense, because when people say red, itchy, scaly skin, they usually [mean something] pretty benign that doesn’t affect their lives. on the contrary, ad can have massive repercussions on all aspects of someone’s life, anywhere from personal, professional, family… everything. it can affect every decision you make.
what was it like have ad growing up?
i didn’t really notice when i was younger, but as i progressed into high school and university, it became more evident and more impactful on the decisions i made. i guess for me, before i started the treatment that i’m on now, it’s always just been my way of life. for someone who’s struggled with atopic dermatitis all their life, they don’t know what’s out there, they don’t know what kind of hope they can look for and how much better their quality of life can be until they actually do the research and look for different treatment options.
how did ad impact your day-to-day life when you were a teenager, and in your 20s?
in university i lived alone, i was taking care of myself. but, when i am stressed, i’ll have a pretty extreme flare-up. it complicated my need to study for exams, it made walking to class all the more difficult. when i would interview for a job, i had to be mindful not to scratch myself so often during that 30 to 45 minute interview, because people might see that as unsightly. i had to make sure my face wasn’t all scabbed or scaly and that the skin wasn’t falling off my face while i was talking to them.
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