| Many people mistakenly dismiss eczema as a | | | | slightly as they aged, carried their problems into |
| minor inconvenience or irritation. After all, eczema | | | | their adulthood. Many people interviewed for the |
| can hardly be said to be a life threatening disease | | | | study felt that the skin condition affected their |
| or illness. These people do not fully understand | | | | quality of life greatly. |
| that eczema can affect the normal functioning of | | | | For example many people described workplace |
| a person. It is not just the physical appearance | | | | related problems whereby they had to endure |
| and mere discomfort of itchy skin. Eczema can | | | | cruel comments openly or behind their backs. |
| cause pain due to bleeding and intense irritation. If | | | | They had to suffer from constant stares and a |
| you are one of those that suffer from moderate | | | | lack of understanding about the disorder. Many |
| to severe eczema, you may feel depressed by | | | | co-workers of these individuals mistakenly |
| reactions of the people around and by your own | | | | believed that the eczema disease is contagious |
| feelings of insecurity. | | | | and therefore, seek to ostracize the eczema |
| In 2004 the National Eczema Society as well as a | | | | sufferer. |
| series of global patient support groups backed a | | | | Besides the blatant discrimination at their place of |
| study. This study was the most comprehensive | | | | work, one out of every seven patients |
| study of its kind ever conducted anywhere in the | | | | interviewed firmly believed that their careers got |
| world. The study, called ISOLATE (International | | | | compromised by their skin condition. Many cited |
| Study Of Life with Atopic Eczema), examined the | | | | problems of getting jobs not because of lack of |
| emotional and psychological cost of living with | | | | experience, education or knowledge but because |
| atopic eczema. Atopic Eczema is the most | | | | of their eczema skin conditions. |
| widespread type of eczema. | | | | Eczema can also affect the personal life of a |
| Two thousand people from eight different | | | | sufferer. Many sufferers reported that dating and |
| countries (France, Germany, Mexico, the | | | | even the choice not to marry came about as a |
| Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the United States and | | | | result of their skin disorder. They reported feeling |
| the UK) participated in the study. The participants | | | | of insecurity and awkwardness when finding a |
| had moderate to severe eczema skin type. | | | | mate and especially during times of the worst |
| The study showed that an astounding one | | | | flare-ups. |
| quarter of the people interviewed had at one | | | | Without a doubt, eczema can affect your |
| point or other been teased or bullied by others | | | | productivity. You should take measures to |
| because of their skin condition. Those whose | | | | address your skin disorder and seek to reduce |
| eczema started in childhood and improved only | | | | your stress and depression levels. |