8 Women On How They're No Longer Letting Their Atopic Dermatitis Dictate Their Style Choices

Fashion and the art of personal style are among the most integral and exciting parts of the human experience. But for people living with eczema, it can feel like their skin is a constant roadblock on the road to full, authentic self-expression. Whether it’s the discomfort of certain fabrics rubbing against atopic dermatitis hot spots or the fear of judgment that comes with exposing irritated skin, atopic dermatitis patients feel restricted in their daily style choices for dozens of reasons.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. From curating your wardrobe pieces to work with your skin to nurturing the self-confidence needed to show up as yourself through every phase of a flare-up, these eight women have gone through the trials and tribulations that come with eczema and style, and they’ve come out the other side. Ahead, these fashion-forward ladies share their eczema stories and give their best advice for finding your style and dressing confidently no matter the state of your skin.

Stephani Sosa

You best know her for her fast footwork on the Dancing With the Stars ballroom floor. Still, professional ballroom dancer Stephani Sosa is also a passionate advocate for helping women with eczema love the skin they’re in. “I've had eczema on and off since I was a little girl, but when I moved to Los Angeles about three years ago to pursue my dreams, I started experiencing really big flare-ups,” Sosa reveals. “During my first year in LA, I had such dry skin around my elbows, face, knees, thighs, arms, and sometimes even my hands.” Sosa struggled to find relief from her symptoms, experimenting with countless topicals, but only found real relief when she took a whole-body approach. “I started eating a little cleaner, cut back on gluten, and really focused on living a more holistic lifestyle.”

While she has her symptoms mostly under control, Sosa still experiences flare-ups to this day, and with a public-facing job like hers, she’s no stranger to the stress of tackling the day with confidence when itching strikes. “I love to show my body and feel sexy and confident in what I'm wearing. When I'm experiencing a flare-up, I sometimes find myself wanting to cover up so people don't see my rashes. But I've found that taking care of my body and managing my stress levels has made the biggest difference for me.”

“Having eczema isn't something that's out of the ordinary,” Sosa says. “It's actually very common, and none of us are perfect. I feel like when we try to hide what we struggle with, it creates a block between us and the real world. I encourage young girls to embrace those parts of themselves and connect with other girls who might be going through the same thing. No one is supposed to be perfect, and I think there's something so beautiful about imperfection.”

Elise Loubatieres-Phan Ngoc

With more than 185K followers across Instagram and TikTok, Elise Loubatieres-Phan Ngoc is a lifestyle influencer proudly documenting her journey with eczema and hyperthyroidism. Still, her radiant self-assurance wasn’t born overnight. “Eczema dictated how I dressed for the majority of my teens and early twenties,” she begins. “I lived in loose long sleeves all year round, no matter the weather, to hide my itchy, flaking arm crease rashes, and I often wore a cotton scarf around my neck to hide the redness. For so long, my goal was to disappear into the background. To not draw attention to myself, keep people from staring at my rashes, and avoid the dreaded ‘what happened to your skin?’ and ‘is it contagious?’ questions.”

“Fast forward to now, I’m 37 years old, and I wear my rashes with pride,” the influencer reveals. “Living with a skin condition like eczema is mentally and physically exhausting, but I see the rashes and scars as a sign of resilience now. It’s actually nice seeing others with their rashes out and giving them the nod of ‘I know what it feels like.’”

While Loubatières-Phan Ngoc no longer feels the need to cover up, she still leans into fabrics like loose-fitting cotton or linen on particularly irritated days to keep her skin comfortable, but her style goals have shifted dramatically. “I no longer aim to hide away. In fact, it’s quite the opposite; I love a standout piece that invites questions and compliments.”

“I love a good co-ord set,” she adds. “I feel like it makes me look more put together even if it’s a baggy ensemble. It also takes the thinking out of getting dressed, as I often have to dedicate so much time to getting my skin ready to leave the house. That’s something that people don’t always consider. People with eczema can’t just get up and go. It’s a tedious process of applying layers and layers of creams and ointments before even putting on clothes! We have to choose pieces that won’t grip onto our freshly oiled-up skin or highlight greasy finger marks.”

“I lift my mood with my outfit, often choosing bright colors and interesting textures,” she says. “If I’m not feeling particularly confident or I’m self-conscious about my rashes, a bright outfit can help draw my attention away from the discomfort.”

​Kayla Curtis-Evans

For senior editor at Highsnobiety and NYC-based writer and content creator Kayla Curtis-Evans, eczema is a fairly new struggle, but its impact on her day-to-day life has been real. “I started experiencing eczema symptoms when I was about 20, noticing flare-ups in the colder months and when I’m stressed,” she says. “Since my eczema is primarily on my face, which is usually the most visible part of our bodies, there are times when I’ve definitely felt self-conscious about it. I’ve always been a loud dresser, so if anything, continuing to wear my bold outfits through flare-ups has helped to distract from anything else I’ve got going on.”

“My eczema fashion advice is to wear what makes you comfortable — even through flare-ups,” Curtis-Evans says. “If you want to show a little skin, go for it. But if your flare-up is making you feel a little uncomfortable, wear whatever will make you feel safe in your skin that day. Eczema can be irritating and painful, as we all know, so don’t shy away from something softer or knit if that’s what will feel the most natural on your body on that particular day.”

Ally Oshiyama

“I’ve struggled with eczema for most of my life, particularly around my lips and face, and it’s definitely played a role in how I present myself to the world,” says content creator Ally Oshiyama. “Most of my flare-ups happened on my upper lip, and having eczema in such a visible area is tough because you can’t really hide it, even with clothing, makeup, or skin care.”

“Something I’ve learned throughout my journey with eczema is how important it is not to let my skin determine how I view myself,” Oshiyama says. “I think for a while I had this idea that eczema was something I had to hide, or I had to have clear skin for me to feel confident. But I’ve really learned that having eczema is so normal, and I can still feel beautiful and put together even when I’m having a flare-up.”

Oshiyama also credits her content-creation journey with playing a big role in shifting the narrative around her eczema and self-expression through style and visibility. “I shifted from being someone who tried to hide their flare-ups on camera to actively showing them and telling people, ‘Hey, I’m struggling with this. Here are some things that have helped me and here are some products that have not broken me out.’” Sharing her eczema struggles with followers has helped Oshiyama push past the desire to hide her symptoms, and she hopes her experience will help others with eczema realize they can be who they are, dress how they want, and live life to the fullest, even with skin struggles.

Devika Bhandari

For makeup artist Devika Bhandari, eczema has been a lifelong struggle, but becoming a beauty aficionado has drastically changed her relationship to the condition. Bhandari has tried endless over-the-counter and prescription treatments for eczema throughout her life, but luckily outgrew the bulk of her symptoms by adulthood. “When I was younger, my style choices revolved much more around comfort, relying on breathable fabrics that prevented irritation,” she says. “A lot of my clothing is 100% cotton, and that’s a prerequisite for my undergarments as well to this day. When I was younger, anything with lace or polyester used to flare the itchiness, but in adulthood, I’ve been lucky enough to grow out of that and expand my wardrobe.”

When it comes to navigating insecurities and style choices on bad skin days, Bhandari takes a more zoomed-out approach. “I try to remember that truly, nobody is looking at your blemishes, patches of eczema, or acne,” she begins. “You will never be as young and hot as you are now, and you should take full advantage of that! Find whatever articles of clothing make you feel like your hottest self and wear them with pride.”

Jennifer Conlon-Pavelchak

New Yorker and PR manager Jennifer Conlon-Pavelchak has been dealing with eczema for more than 20 years, and the journey hasn’t always been a smooth one. “I have seen a lot of dermatologists,” she says. But noticing the correlation between her skin flare-ups and her overall autoimmune health made the biggest difference. “That realization led to me working with a specialized M.D. to help navigate my gut health and avoid setting off more autoimmune risks due to how long my flares are lasting.”

While she’s come a long way in understanding her eczema, Conlon-Pavelchak is refreshingly honest that navigating style and flares in her 40s hasn’t been easy. This past summer I had the worst long-term flare of my life — it literally was all over the trunk of my left side,” she reveals. “It looked as painful as it felt. I’ve worked really hard to feel confident in what I wear in my early 40s, but when this flare-up came, it felt like it was game over. There were no two-piece bathing suits in sight.”

Now, while the urge to cover up when flare-ups occur still rears its head, Conlon-Pavelchak is focusing more on comfort than anything else. “As it stands now, and still on the heels of chronic inflammation on my left side, my style is much more comfy and a lot less restricting. It's hard to find something you feel confident wearing, but when eczema acts up, comfort sometimes matters more than looks. My flares were often accelerated due to tight waistlines and constrictions, and I learned during active breakouts to swap pieces for those with more movement or more flexible waistbands.”

Marin Smith

“I would love to sit here and say I never let my eczema control my life, or my style for that matter, but that would be a lie,” begins NYC PR professional and fashion and beauty expert, Marin Smith. “Just the other night I decided to wear a hat in an attempt to cover my face, because makeup and eczema flare-ups don’t mix. I, of course, made a moment of it with a sporty jacket, baggy jeans, and some pointed-toe heels. However, the majority of the time I try to embrace my skin as it is and acknowledge that it’s a part of my life and never something to be ashamed of. I love to dress up and wear as many fun outfits as possible because life is way too short, so in that regard I’ve never let my eczema stop me.”

“If you’re struggling with eczema, always know that you are far from alone and it’s never something that you should have to hide,” Smith assures. “I always say that you should do what makes you most comfortable and the confidence will radiate on its own. Whether it’s a matching sweat set, an old t-shirt and jeans, or some stilettos and an oversized blazer, wear it and your eczema with confidence.”

Lowri Hawkins

“Day to day, even when I'm not flaring, having eczema means there is always a lot of consideration for what I wear textile-wise,” says lifestyle influencer and eczema and endometriosis advocate Lowri Hawkins. “Fabrics like wool and thicker, jumper materials can cause me to itch even when my skin is stable. When I am actively flaring, my style choices are dictated by my skin, and there often isn't much room for actual 'style,' so to speak,” she admits. “Comfort is the number one consideration when I’m flaring.”

For Hawkins, layering soft long sleeves under otherwise irritating pieces has let her keep wearing what she wants while still layering on creams that treat flares and keep symptoms at bay. “Knowing my skin is protected and comfortable with the first layer of clothing allows me to own my style a little easier with what I layer on top,” she explains. “This has always given me more freedom when choosing my outfits. When it comes to summer style, I’m not afraid to get my skin out, and I often find dressing during this season easier because I prefer having my skin out in the air.”

Presented by BDG Studios

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