25 Years with Chronic Eczema: What I Wish I’d Known Sooner

Living with eczema for over two decades has been one of the most challenging, frustrating, draining, and deeply personal experiences of my life. It wasn’t just the constant itching or the raw, bleeding patches of skin, it was the constant worry, the exhaustion, and the emotional weight of managing it every single day.

I adapted to it in so many ways without even realising. For years, I believed eczema was just part of who I was. I’d tell myself, “When I sort out my skin, everything else will get better.” I lived in that holding pattern for 25 years, and in hindsight, I realise how much presence and joy I missed out on in the meantime.

When It All Started

My eczema began around puberty, and it worsened dramatically after a serious asthma attack landed me in hospital with a semi-collapsed lung, followed by a heavy course of steroids. From then, the eczema started spreading and never really stopped. Over the years, it has shown up on nearly every part of my body: from my scalp to the soles of my feet.

At its worst, it was infected and incredibly painful. I tried everything: steroid creams, Chinese herbs, natural ointments and endless antibiotics for when it got infected. Some things helped briefly, but nothing offered lasting relief. Each flare-up chipped away at my confidence and left me more anxious and panicky about the next.

How It Affected Me Day to Day

Despite being naturally outgoing, I became hyper-aware and focussed on my appearance. I wore clothes that covered as much as possible as I was so disgusted by my own skin and felt deeply uncomfortable anytime someone looked too closely or asked me about my skin even if they were trying to help. A lot of the time I just wanted to be completely invisible. I didn’t fully grasp how much the condition controlled my life until it began to improve. That’s when I realised just how many of my decisions were shaped by discomfort, fear, and constant overthinking.

Looking back, I was also completely depleted - physically, mentally and emotionally. I wasn’t sleeping properly, and the ongoing stress of constant flare-ups and panicking about waking up with the sheets covered in blood again, left me exhausted. My eating habits weren’t supportive, and I was drinking too much, partying a lot, and doing whatever I could to get through the days. During this period, I was also significantly overweight, which brought its own challenges in terms of inflammation and overall health (I’ll share more on that in another blog). My body was trying to tell me something, but I didn’t yet have the tools or understanding to listen and respond.

What Helped Me Shift Gears

What finally helped was admitting to myself that I had reached my absolute limit and was exhausted by my own suffering. The real turning point came when I stopped asking, “What can I put on my skin?” and started asking, “What’s going on underneath it?” Moving abroad in 2012 gave me more space and perspective and then about six years ago, my acupuncturist referred me to a brilliant nutritional therapist. That’s when things really started to change.

Using an evidence-based nutrition approach as well as functional testing, we uncovered four big contributors to my eczema:

• Nutrient deficiencies – my body wasn’t getting what it needed to repair

• Chronic stress and inflammation – my system was constantly in overdrive

• Gut imbalances – more common with skin conditions than people realise

• Emotional trauma and grief – especially unprocessed experiences from childhood and the loss of my mum at age 25

  
  

What Actually Made a Difference

I started eating to truly nourish myself, rather than just for the sake of it. Acupuncture and nutrition supported my body to repair and regulate. I also began therapy to process the grief and emotional build-up I had been carrying for years. Eventually though, I started to feel like I was just going round in circles talking about the same things. That’s when I discovered Internal Family Systems (IFS), and later explored more somatic and energetic approaches to release what felt stuck in my body. This was alongside a deepening of my yoga practice and building a more consistent relationship with meditation and mindfulness. Bit by bit, things began to shift - not just on my skin, but within myself.

What Life Looks Like Now

These changes didn’t happen overnight. The progress was slow, but in comparison to how long I had eczema, the last six years have flown by! Now, I very rarely experience eczema flare-ups. When I do, I know how to listen to my body and respond accordingly without panicking. My life looks very different now (to me anyway!) because I eat, move and live in a way that supports me.

If You’re Struggling, You’re Not Alone

If you’re navigating eczema or another chronic condition, I see you. I know how tiring and isolating it can feel, especially when nothing seems to work yet you are trying all the things. It's also not normal and you do not have to just live with it as we are so often told.

As a qualified nutritional therapist, I use an evidence-based nutrition approach to help people look deeper - beyond the symptoms - to understand what their body is really asking for. That might include food and gut health, but it might also mean exploring your emotional patterns, your stress levels, and your lifestyle. 

If this resonates, I offer a free 30 minute health check call so you can share your story, ask questions, and see if working together feels like the right next step for you.

Book your free call here – I’d love to support you.

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading!

Sonal x