The evidenced guide to life with eczema - bringing comfort and clarity by combining accessible literature reviews with practical advice from lived experience.
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Hey, my name is Oscar and much like 10% of the population [1], I have eczema: a skin condition which causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin. Affecting 30% of eczema sufferers, the moderate and severe symptoms can physically and mentally dominate an individual's life [2]. While recent innovations in pharmaceutics have revolutionised eczema treatment, the modern medical model is failing eczema sufferers - so many are still suffering severely and others also have to suffer the side effects of potent medication. This guide aims to empower the reader to make the changes which are in their control, to get on the road to recovery. Coaching packages are available for 1-on-1 support. I've also launched my own supplement, MushMunity, which is a combination of my favourite anti-inflammatory ingredients. Follow @itchhikers_guide on instagram for regular insights :)
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My Story and Motivations
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In 2019, my eczema symptoms escalated and my life as I knew it began to fall apart. I struggled to get the support I needed from my doctor and felt overwhelmed by the volume and variety of information available online. The severity of my eczema got worse and it spread all over my body until I was covered head to toe.
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Over the next months, I discovered how the modern medical model is failing eczema, for a variety of reasons: General Practitioners have little knowledge of the condition; the waiting lists are in excess of half a year for a Dermatologist through public healthcare; private healthcare is prohibitively expensive; the focus of any appointment with a specialist was focussed on medication escalations to address immediate symptoms with no time to explore the potential causes or lifestyle changes which can be implemented.
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Searching online, I found a lot of conflicting claims lacking any real evidence and shared by well-meaning, passionate but misinformed individuals. Taking ownership of my own health, I started to approach my eczema as if it was a science project: it started with literature review to understand the most current knowledge and led to various experiments to isolate variables and test hypothesises.
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In 2020, I collated my research and 'The Itchhiker's Guided to the Galaxy' was born: a free, evidenced and impartial resource to support eczema sufferers and their loved ones to understand the condition, identify the triggers and nurture their skin back to health. Through personalised eczema coaching, I'd like to use my knowledge and experience to help others on their healing journey.
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Over the years, eczema has brought me to lowest points in my life, enduring months of overwhelming pain and discomfort. I've learnt a lot along the way and my mission is to help others who are affected by eczema to regain control of their condition. This work depends on the time I can afford to give and the support from partners and donors. You can help by sharing this resource, providing feedback through the contact form or using the 'Donate' button to support the cause :)
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Disclaimer: I am not medically trained and this resource should be used to inform lifestyle changes and to support discussions with your doctor.
Summary of Contents
Eczema |
Step 1 on the road to recovery is to identify what the problem is. In this section, the different types of eczema are outlined and the most common types of eczema, Atopic and Contact, are explained.
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Trigger Identification |
Step 2 is to identify the root cause of the problem and to manage ones exposure to it. This section explores how to approach this, focussing on Atopic and Contact Eczema.
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Skin Maintenance |
Step 3 is to give your skin the best chance of recovery. This section goes over how to maintain healthy skin and explores the tools and techniques which can be used to manage eczema symptoms.
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Coaching |
Expedite your recovery with 1-on-1 coaching and direct support from myself. Register interest in a free 30 minute consultation here.
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MushMunity |
Learn about a powdered functional food with ingredients that have anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties.
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References |
References are highlighted throughout the site, here they're all listed together.
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Index |
Find a table which maps each technique against each of the symptoms of eczema, with links to the relevant pages.
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Contact Me
If you have any suggestions, additions, questions, collaborations or success stories, I'd love to hear!
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Alternatively, get in touch through my Instagram page: @itchhikers_guide.
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How can you support me? |
Please consider sharing this resource with anyone who may find it useful. If you value my work and want to support the cause, you can donate by clicking HERE :)
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