The stigma of eczema

Today I thought I'd share with you some of my experiences of people's attitude to me and my eczema.

It started from when I was at infant school. I remember when we would play games that involved holding hands. I remember the teacher telling the other children to hold me by the wrist so that they didn't "catch" my eczema. This would have been early 80's.

Only yesterday I dealt with someones ignorance. I was in a shop and the checkout girl hadn't noticed my eczema. As she put the change in my hand she noticed it. She quickly snatched her hand away, wiped it on her top and said "eugh!".

I confess I dashed out of the shop crying.

That was the worst. I've lost count of how many times shop staff have gone to put change in my hand but then suddenly dropped it on the counter instead.

HOWEVER, this is where I shock you. I totally understand.

I think my hands are gross too. I didn't realise until I published the photos on this blog. Up until then I hated peoples attitude. I guess living with my hands means I don't see them objectively.

Seeing them like that made me see how gross and repulsive they are.

I remember watching The Food Hospital and it was the episode with the lad with hand eczema. (He inspired me but more of that another day)

My first thought was "yuck!". Then I looked down at my own hands and realised they were much, much worse.

So there you go. I may moan about people's attitude but really it's no big deal. It's not that they think it's catching. Would I want somebody else's blood, pus and dry skin on my hands? If i'm honest...no.