We hope that Harri’s story not only helps you connect and feel less alone but also educates you about the disparities in research when it comes to POC with dermatitis.
Upon researching, I was shocked to learn that “Black people experience greater atopic dermatitis (AD) prevalence, severity, and persistence when compared with White people” – Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2021.
So despite more POC suffering from AD, there is less research…??? 🤨
I encourage you to read up on this yourself, this is not okay and something that NEEDS to change.
OVER TO HARRI 🥁⬇️
𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙀𝙘𝙯𝙚𝙢𝙖 & or TSW?
I’ve been withdrawing from topical steroids for 29 Months. I used them for over 20 years and have had eczema throughout that time!
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩? I was 14 years old and my skin was really bad; I was really self-conscious at the time.
When my mum and I rocked up at my routine hospital dermatology appointment we were asked if a student could sit in. I understand this being asked is genuinely not unusual, no matter your race. I had similar experiences when I was pregnant. However, at this particular appointment when they said ‘a student’ i was expecting one student, not a class of about six white student doctors!
The whole experience was mortifying and it felt so intrusive. It was as if the doctor and the students had all planned it out before my visit. During this process, I was told to roll up my trousers and show my legs to the students while I faced the wall like a naughty schoolgirl and the students took photos for their thesis.
Don’t get me wrong I was obviously fully clothed. It all happened too quick; it was just all pretty weird and honestly.. if medical schools had more black skin references black patients wouldn’t need to be selected for their point of reference.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬?
There are still discriminations within the skin community. Research into skin diseases in black people has not been extensively studied. The severity, incidence, and persistence of eczema are greater in non-white people compared to white people so the skin disease itself does not have the same challenges despite race and ethnicity. Stating that “skin conditions are challenging for anyone DESPITE race” is a problematic perception to have and I’ll explain why.
1). Disparities in dermatology are magnified because people don’t have dermatologists who look like them.
2). Non-black dermatologists tend not to see the differences in the skin. Which goes back to my point on “treating people the same and being race-neutral” when in fact many skin diseases present differently in black and brown skin tones (Refinery29, Aug 19).
3). Ethnic minorities have been historically underrepresented in medical research; hence research into skin diseases of non-white people is generally insufficient (NCBI, Aug 13).
I challenge you, as a person with a skin condition to listen more to the experiences of black people living with a skin condition. And along with saying “me too”, also try and ask “how come, tell me more”...
You can’t be taught if you’ve never wanted to be challenged.
𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲/𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲?
Flaking and faking myself through it day by day and flare by flare🧚🏿♀️
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙘𝙯𝙚𝙢𝙖 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬?
Saying “you don’t look like you have eczema” is not a compliment.
Having a skin condition is a debilitating condition that can cause not only physical effects on the skin but can reduce mobility and affect a person’s mental health. Living chronically with eczema is a disability and as such there are good and bad days with living in my skin. Some days “I don’t look like I have eczema” because I’ve spent many years perfecting the act of hiding my skin with clothes, accessories, make-up, and filters to fit society’s standard of beauty.
I’m not beautiful for someone with eczema.
I’m beautiful.
Period.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?
@Derma_deep , @Sensitiveshimmer, @Tsw_ beezeebuzz, @Sineadnels0n, @Parislily7, @Myatopicskin, @Twerkinthemoshpit
& @Ezapenaturals. Have either supported me throughout, tremendously in the beginning when I started this journey with words of encouragement or continuous content engagement.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙣? 𝙊𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡-𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚-𝙤𝙧-𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙣…
• Faith in nature
• Childs farm
• Westlabs
• Bare minerals
• Triology cleansing cream
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY Harriet,
love always,
Katie
Itch N Bitch 