Issue Nine: Sep/Oct '22

LF LOCKER ROOM C ontent creator and presenter James Atkinson is no stranger to the world of beauty, celebrated for his authentic skincare and makeup videos that he shares on social media. It’s almost hard to believe he’s spent the past decade navigating a chronic skin condition – eczema. Now aged 25, James reflects on his journey... Board-certified dermatologist Luke Maxfield explains the reality of eczema. “It’s the prototypical condition driven by inflammation and a damaged skin barrier. If you think of sensitive skin, it has to be eczema first.” “It started just on the folds of my arms,” James explains. He was convinced the patches would fade on their own, but as he got older, his symptoms progressed. “I got a patch on my cheek and jawline when I was 18,” he tells us. “It felt like my face was on fire. I had to go to A&E because I just couldn’t deal with the heat.” The doctors finally diagnosed James’ symptoms as eczema, which Dr Luke describes as “one of the most disabling skin conditions”. “First and foremost, it’s itch, itch,