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Is It Time To Face Your Eczema?

Suni Lee on bars

Suni Faces Her Eczema

Suni remembers struggling with dry, discolored, and itchy skin at a young age. When she was younger and her disease was more severe, her mom would lather her skin in creams and ointments to keep it moisturized, but she was still uncomfortable. Since she is the only person in her family to suffer from severe eczema, Suni knew something was off, but her family struggled to understand her disease and ultimately didn’t know how to help her.

How many days per month does your eczema impact you?

1-7 days
Icon of a clock and calendar on red circle1-7 days

Topical treatments like creams and ointments may offer short-term relief, but eczema is a long-term condition.

Have you spoken to your doctor about the impact eczema has on you? Receive resources to advance the conversation at your next visit, plus interesting eczema facts, and more.

8-14 days
Icon of a clock and calendar on red circle8-14 days

Topical treatments like creams and ointments may offer short-term relief, but eczema is a long-term condition.

Have you spoken to your doctor about the impact eczema has on you? Receive resources to advance the conversation at your next visit, plus interesting eczema facts, and more.

15-22 days
Icon of a clock and calendar on red circle15-22 days

Topical treatments like creams and ointments may offer short-term relief, but eczema is a long-term condition.

Have you spoken to your doctor about the impact eczema has on you? Receive resources to advance the conversation at your next visit, plus interesting eczema facts, and more.

23+ days
Icon of a clock and calendar on red circle23+ days

Topical treatments like creams and ointments may offer short-term relief, but eczema is a long-term condition.

Have you spoken to your doctor about the impact eczema has on you? Receive resources to advance the conversation at your next visit, plus interesting eczema facts, and more.

Under the treatment of a dermatologist, Suni's eczema has gotten less severe with age, but she still fights against flareups. Most notably, her face and neck break out when she is stressed—like during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Suni also recognizes that allergies can cause her eczema to flare, but she feels like almost anything can trigger it. As her gymnastics career began to take off and she spent more time on camera in a leotard, Suni recalls feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable in her skin—her eczema wasn't afraid of the spotlight. Even when her skin was clear, topical creams and ointments sometimes led to skin discoloration that weighed on Suni’s mind when she should have been focusing on her gymnastics.

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When I step onto the competition floor, the last thing I want to be thinking about is people looking at my eczema. I want to be thinking about my routine and nothing more.

Suni describes her eczema as annoying when her skin just feels really dry, and she struggles to explain what appears to be flakiness of her skin and the constant need to scratch her arms. Throughout her struggle to control her eczema, Suni has developed a close relationship with her dermatologist — he has known her since she was young and has seen her best and worst skin days.

Suni still finds it hard to put herself out there sometimes, especially in hugely public settings and on red carpets. Even though she brings her eczema creams with her everywhere and applies them every night, she is still uncertain if her skin will be clear for the big—and small—moments. Over the years, Suni has made conscious efforts to face her eczema, because she has already overcome bigger obstacles. And as she deals with her own eczema challenges, she knows that sharing her story may help others face their eczema.

Face Your Eczema

Get the Resources to Face Your Eczema

Want to advance the conversation with your doctor? Get resources, learn interesting eczema facts, and more.