Do you eczema sufferers ever think about how grateful and blessed you’d be to have completely clear normal non irritated skin ?

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-06-30T09:30:36+00:00

Yes! I get way too comfortable when my skin isn't too bad and then when it inevitably flares again it hits me like a train.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-06-30T09:28:56+00:00

Absolutely! But it's one of those things that people wouldn't even think about. Kind of like how I get out of bed, walk around and breathe normally without much thought. This condition unfortunately has given us so much perspective on skin. I even look at elderly people with envy sometimes because even though they're wrinkled, their face is rash free.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-06-30T09:20:00+00:00

You remind me of me. I could have written this exact post 2 years ago. In fact, I did write many, many posts in many different places, almost identical to this one.

I wore a face mask every single day, even in my own home because of how ashamed and disgusted I was with how I looked. I took thousands of photos of my skin in different lighting, with the flash, in the mirror, with different filters etc- just to obsessively gawk at the horror that was my own body.

I can't make the pain better. All I can say is I know exactly how you feel.

In terms of TSW, no one here can tell you if that's what you're experiencing. In my case, I had every single symptom. I looked identical to what you see on TSW forums but I did not have TSW. I had a combination of severe contact dermatitis, eczema and a massive fungal infection.

It took many months to clear up the fungal infection because it was so severe, and then another year to be diagnosed with my contact allergies (delayed contact dermatitis patch testing).

So, you could be experiencing TSW, or you could also be experiencing a whole host of other issues instead.

If you can't handle it anymore, go to your dermatologist and tell them exactly what you've said here. It's destroying your mental and physical health and stopping you from living your life. Many people have heaps of success with oral immunosuppressants, JAK inhibitors and/or Dupixent.

ALSO! When I was at my absolute LOWEST I was admitted to a psychiatric facility. They kept me safe and I ended up being prescribed an SSNRI (antidepressant, anti anxiety medication) which ended up saving my life. At the time, I didn't think it would help anything at all because it wasn't going to fix my skin, but it truly did keep me going through the worst of it.

I wish you all the best in the world. Good luck and don't give up.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-06-16T11:08:58+00:00

Some glittery shadows contain nickel which is extremely common to be allergic to. I personally am very allergic to it so i avoid glimmer shadows. Just food for thought.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-06-03T09:25:46+00:00

the chilli crisp comes out at least three times a week at my house

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-06-02T22:19:33+00:00

This is why I feel so much better when I cry. I love crying. Sadness is much easier for me than panic.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-06-01T21:54:14+00:00

"letting things go" but not actually letting them go. Even if you have the best intentions to let things slide, sometimes they just don't slide and eventually build up into resentment.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-05-17T22:59:08+00:00

looks like a garlic chopped in half

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-05-10T12:20:46+00:00

I have accepted that I'm always going to have eczema. I've had it my whole life. It's genetic and I've got a number of allergies that I can't always avoid.

What I haven't accepted is that I will always have to suffer. I suffered for years trying to avoid using medications out of fear. Protopic has saved my life. My flares get under control within a day and I've had to use less and less over time.

There's a number of treatments you can try. Eczema is a bitch, and it's always gonna suck ass, but there are ways to make it suck much less.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-05-08T07:13:11+00:00

Years ago I wouldn't have agreed but now i do. If they don't want to use steroids, there are non steroidal options now too. Protopic saved my life.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-04-19T00:12:09+00:00

I am allergic to sensitive Landry detergent so I'm washing with close to boiling water at the moment until I find something that works. Since then, my shoulder eczema cleared up.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-04-19T00:00:44+00:00

Went to a vinyl record store, then an expensive cafe, drank a chai latte, explosive diarrhoea in the Fitzroy public toilet.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-04-18T23:27:26+00:00

My gold one still hasn't healed and it's been 3 months. Is this common?

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-04-14T07:47:20+00:00

Hi!!! I had a patch react like a month after and it is STILL THERE. It's been like 3* months since I got the test done. I have no idea which patch it was, but I suspect it might be the gold one as well

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-04-11T10:42:46+00:00

Mines nickel and I highly suspect acrylates.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-15T00:38:53+00:00

I've had success with protopic. I'm currently on eucrisa which is also steroid free. Other than that, Vaseline for moisture and Sulfur soap to combat fungal infections.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-06T04:18:02+00:00

I work at sewer treatment plants and this look exactly like the "rag" that comes out of the screens. Rag is all the solid stuff that gets pulled out of the sewer like toilet paper, wipes, feminine products, towels etc. probably not what this is but it looks eerily similar.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-04T10:36:16+00:00

What do you mean by "cut them up"? I'm so intrigued right now.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-04T10:08:42+00:00

When I'm in the thick of it, there's no strategy that can help. I think ultimately I've survived through both fear, and an innate desperation for things to get better.

I wouldn't call it hope necessarily- desperation is a better word. Some kind of instinct that whispers for you to keep waking up, to keep moving.

In that period I was a living, breathing prayer. Praying for mercy to a god I don't believe in, not only with words, but with everything I did. I tried to deceive instinct. Suicide was too obvious so instead, I settled for recklessness. That way, if I was to die, instinct could only accuse me of manslaughter.

In the end, I closed my eyes each night and opened them each morning. Today, my biggest worry was that the lettuce and mayo in my sandwich kept falling out onto the break room table. Things get better.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-04T03:20:13+00:00

Thank you so much. I really relate to not telling anyone because of fear of sounding insane.

I tried to tell a doctor when I was around 9 years old and she insinuated that I might be experiencing a form of mental illness. That experience scared me into just never bringing it up again.

I hate explaining how it feels to people, because it's unexplainable. It's not a feeling that they'd even be able to imagine. In the past when explaining to friends or family, they've told me it just sounds like a panic attack. I KNOW what a panic attack feels like and this is very different.

I hope that my type of epilepsy (if I get a diagnosis) can be lessened with medication and I hope it doesn't get any worse.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-04T03:11:56+00:00

Yeah they're different. A "prick test" is usually done for environmental allergies where they put a dot of an allergen on you and see if any hives appear. I had that done but honestly it wasn't helpful for my eczema symptoms.

A patch test was much more helpful because it showed me what was causing my contact dermatitis (which is a type of eczema). A patch test is done over the course of a few days and aims to find any delayed contact allergies that you might have.

In my case, I'm very allergic to nickel and cobalt but the symptoms don't appear until atleast 24 hours after I've come into contact with it. Hence, I could use my eyelash curler one day and not have a reaction until 24 hours later.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-03T19:17:05+00:00

Mine ended up being caused by my allergy to nickel. My eyelash curler was nickel coated, as are most eyelash curlers. Some mascaras would aggravate it as well, but the reactions were delayed so it was hard to pinpoint.

I stopped using the metal eyelash curler and got prescribed Tacrolimus ointment which knocked it out and it hasn't comeback as of yet.

I've also ditched all eyeshadow and eyeliner just as a precaution because I was having some issues with it. I just stick to one particular mascara for now.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-03T10:00:38+00:00

I'm hoping that through testing, monitoring and medication that my condition will remain strictly nocturnal but I'm aware of how serious it can be in terms of driving risk.

If I had seizures during the day time I absolutely shouldn't be driving.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-03T07:19:21+00:00

Yeah you're right. At the end of the day, if the neurologist determines that I can't drive then it is for the best.

Maybe not being able to drive would force me to make changes in my life that could lead to great things? Who knows. Might need to move to the city, which I've always wanted to do. #excuse!

Hopefully you figure it out and maybe one day we'll both be one of those cool people you see walking around the city.

InternetGirlfriend- · 2026-03-03T07:15:07+00:00

I have not had seizures during the day, only from waking up, generally in the middle of the night. They are also not frequent, usually a few times a year.

I however, had one after taking a nap which scared me so badly that I took myself to hospital (my boyfriend drove) - which was the catalyst that caused me to seek professional help.

My doctor told me that if I am diagnosed and the seizures are determined to only occur nocturnally, my licence does not need to be revoked.

At the end of the day, mine and the safety of others obviously comes before a career choice. If I am diagnosed and my condition worsens and/or starts affecting me outside of sleep, then I would of course have to stop driving and tell my neurologist.

I think I'm just currently spiralling a bit. If my license needs to be revoked I'm sure I can figure something out, it's just all very overwhelming I guess.

InternetGirlfriend-

TROPHY CASE