Growing up, when it came to skin issues, I was relatively lucky. With the exception of dandruff, the skin on my body stayed in good condition — as long as I kept it moisturized, of course. But for a few of my siblings, eczema was a major issue. My older sister and brother dealt with intensely dry skin. Inevitably, the skin on their back and around their faces began to show up in severely discolored patches, different shades of brown.
I didn’t ask many questions about it or think much of their eczema issues until I became a mom and saw the way my son’s skin was affected by the condition (and noticed my own skin mildly starting to change colors and get patches). He started with a deep brown complexion, but after his skin went through a period of severe inflammation, it went from patches of different dull browns to a light brown. These days, he’s about three different shades of brown all over (darkest on his legs and the sides of his arms), but with the right products, we’ve been able to significantly lessen the irritation, restore the softness of his skin, and even out the skin on his face.
More and more brands have rolled out products to provide support to people of all ages who suffer with eczema. Aveeno has even gone as far as to launch a campaign, #Skinvisibility, to bring specific attention to skin health inequities for Black women, men and children. The aim is to help 100,000 eczema sufferers, including many who may not realize they have the skin condition, find some comfort over the next six months. This will be done by providing access to Aveeno’s educational tools, resources and more through their Eczema in Skin of Color digital hub.
This campaign was brought to life this month because October is Eczema Awareness Month. If you’re part of the 31 million Americans who have the condition, ESSENCE has rounded up a short list of products from brands like Aveeno that provide relief for the whole family.
