hourHave you ever stumbled across (er, scrolled through) an Instagram post and *completely* looked at it? Tell us what you think about our always-on digital world. At its core, social media is designed to connect people and help them feel less alone. Sometimes they do really solid work.
That's certainly true for eczema advocate Alexis Smith, who is no stranger to the loneliness, secrecy and anxiety that come with living with a chronic skin condition. “Being constantly aware of what I looked like and what other people thought of me consumed my mind, and all that added stress certainly didn’t make my eczema any better,” she says. Until she started using social media, she secretly let it consume her life. “When I was 19, I started an Instagram account to normalize skin conditions and make them more visible to people who didn’t know what they were,” she said. [eczema] am.”
Over the years (via crowded social networks, magazine covers, countless eczema expos, online businesses, etc.), the self-proclaimed “skin influencer” has been spreading light and love about the skin condition, one Instagram post at a time. I am conveying this. . If you suffer from eczema or have skin issues that make you feel different, reading Smith's story might inspire you to start your own social media movement.
How did Smith’s social story begin?
While struggling with eczema, Smith found solidarity in all of her favorite apps. But no matter how much he scrolled, he couldn't find anyone he could relate to on his feed. “There was no representation on social media,” she says. So she decided to create her own social media.
Her intention was simply to normalize eczema a bit. “Starting an Instagram account didn’t make me feel heroic. I never expected it to make a difference,” she says. “I wanted to reach out to people who have it and make them feel less alone. [don’t] So they need more education and people with eczema… “Hopefully it will reduce the likelihood of feeling ‘different.’”
What are the unintended effects of creating a platform that empowers others? You experience the same sense of empowerment for yourself. “At first, I felt imposter syndrome. “I was telling people to be confident and show off their skin, but I still wasn’t completely confident in myself,” she says.[But] I've seen things as simple as posting an unfiltered photo of myself. [an] My eczema flare-ups helped people encourage me to keep trying, which in turn helped my self-esteem.”
How are you
These days, Smith spends her time speaking at expos, designing eczema-inspired clothing, occasionally gracing a Times Square billboard (yes, seriously), and always uplifting her community with honesty and authenticity. “For a long time, the only representation of eczema was basically medical photography. [of] It’s just a picture of someone’s arm or leg or the eczema itself,” she says. “It was important to me to post my photo so others with eczema could see it.”
Instagram has also taught Smith a lot about advocacy. “At the beginning of my eczema journey, I thought: [that]…Go to your doctor and do what they tell you.” Over her years she has seen how important it is to do her own research and learn from others in her eczema community. And “social media is great for this,” she says. Now she comes to her appointment armed with knowledge that will help her. Make shared decisions, build a collaborative relationship with your doctor, and develop more long-term comfort.
How she celebrates her skin
One way Smith celebrates her skin is through her growing body art gallery. “I’ve always been an artistic girl, and tattoos were a way to express that,” she says. The pause symbol on her wrist is especially meaningful to her. When she looks down she remembers to stop and look back at all the beautiful moments she has had throughout her life.
What are her top tips for eczema sufferers interested in ink? Focus on areas where eczema flare-ups are less common and always have coconut oil on hand for moisturizing. (For more on eczema and tattoos, check out her story highlights).
She also found joy in starting Lazy Babe Co., a clothing and accessories brand with a mission to make eczema lighter. It all started when she designed a few silly eczema slogan shirts (such as “Yes, I Tried Coconut Oil” and “Itching Isn't Easy”), wore them at an eczema expo, and caught the attention of other attendees. . Since then, they have become conversation starters that encourage people to ask questions. “[Wearing] My eczema shirt is a way for me to say, ‘Yes, I know I have red spots on my skin and that’s ok!’”
In the end, Smith's slogan is simple: “Having eczema doesn’t make you ugly,” she says. “A lot of people said they didn’t know how much they wanted to hear that.” She credits Instagram with amplifying her message. What about her quiet struggle with eczema, which she turned into her social media crusade? “Words cannot express how grateful I am to have found this community and how much they have helped me on my journey,” she said.