When I was a kid, I was told that I had eczema. All I knew was that meant that my skin was not like everybody else’s. It would get rough, inflamed, red and dry. So. Stinking. Dry. My little kid mindset was unphased though. This was something that set me apart from others and made me sort of different. Differences should be celebrated, after all!
As I got older, my eczema persisted and fluctuated in severity. It had mostly lived on my joints, face and hands, but I was able to manage it a little better as time went on.
However, a few years ago I decided to pick up a job as a server in a restaurant. At the time, I had no idea what my skin, especially on my hands, was about to go through.
Obviously, restaurants value cleanliness, and this meant a lot of different things. First, every shift I had to wash my hands in warm water for at least 20 times. Second, I needed to clean the place up with a sanitizer that I was allergic to, effectively ruining the skin on my hands. Third, since my hands were now covered in eczema and the skin was broken, I had to wear rubber gloves to hide them. My skin could not breathe, making it even worse. There was a point where I could barely bend my fingers without pain, and they were constantly swollen from the eczema.
Eventually, I quit the job, but the eczema was still full-time. I knew I needed to do something about it because it was affecting my functionality in everyday life.
Ironically, my cure was a semi happy accident. During this time, I was also struggling with acne scarring and dryness on my forehead and cheeks. I had read online that rose hip seed oil helps. I found one from The Ordinary that was under $10, and I was sold. I put it on my face every night after cleansing and moisturizing, and I would rub the excess oil on my hands.
After a week, I noticed my eczema started to fade on both my face and on my hands. My acne scarring was improving too. I was completely taken aback because not only did it work on my face, but on my seemingly hopeless hands as well. This stuff was magic!
Ever since then, I have been applying rose hip seed oil to any place on my skin where dryness or eczema is present, and it pretty much gets rid of it. I do not even have to use a lot. In fact, a small amount goes a very long way, especially due to its multiple functions. According to Town and Country, not only does its fatty acid and vitamin A content help with skin regeneration in scars and eczema, but rose hip seed oil has moisturizing effects, anti-aging properties and protects the skin from outside pollutants. It is perfect for me in every single way.
I never thought my hands would be soft again, and although they are not perfect, they are significantly better. My skin might be a little atypical, but I feel confident in it! That is all that matters anyway.