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Are You Living with Eczema? It's Time to Get the Care
You Deserve
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Understanding eczema
For her entire life, April has lived with dry, itchy skin, experiencing frequent thinning and scarring of her skin due to insistent itching. Atopic dermatitis, also called eczema, is much more than just a rash. April is one of nearly 16.5 million people in the U.S. who lives with eczema.1
The often-uncomfortable symptoms of eczema can cause severe itchiness, which can lead to more scratching causing skin to crack and bleed, contributing to self-isolation, anxiety and depression.2-4 While the disease can affect anyone, it often appears differently on varying skin tones,5 and on darker skin tones, the signs can be masked due to skin pigmentation and result in delayed diagnosis and care.6
"I wasn't aware of research on skin conditions like eczema in my community, and I spent most of my childhood
treating my condition with home remedies, uneducated on the various treatments available to help manage my skin," shared April.
According to research, Black Americans are more likely to develop more severe cases of eczema,7 and more generally, people with skin of color may have a disproportionately higher prevalence of skin conditions.8 Yet people with skin of color, like April, are often underrepresented in care and research. This can unfortunately lead to the people who need care most being less likely to pursue or receive appropriate treatment for their disease.
"There is a lack of knowledge," said April. "I tried working with dermatologists, but it wasn't helpful; I felt judged and observed, instead of helped. We need doctors to have more education on how this disease can affect a patient's mental health...someone that is understanding of the condition and