Tia Mowry Opens up About Years-Long Eczema Misdiagnosis, ‘My Self-Confidence Was Tested’
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Tia Mowry shares that it took her years to get her eczema properly diagnosed.
The 43-year-old opened up about her disappointment in the lack of visibility for Black skin health, education, and resources.
Mowry partnered with Aveeno’s Skin Visibility campaign to raise awareness of the underdiagnosis of eczema for African Americans.
While you may recognize Tia Mowry as the happy and energetic twin from Sister, Sister, things were not always as cheerful as they seemed.
The 43-year-old actress, wife, mother of two, and wellness entrepreneur recently revealed that she had been misdiagnosed for years with “sunspots” until finally learning she had eczema in her 20s.
“Eczema is definitely a chronic condition that’s very prominent within the African American community but unfortunately, there’s a huge percentage of people suffering [from] eczema, and it actually goes underdiagnosed,” Mowry said in a recent interview with People. “And that happens to be a part of my story. I’m definitely a part of that percentage,” she said.
Eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is a condition that causes your skin to become dry, red, itchy, and bumpy, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It’s not contagious and it comes in different forms. In many cases, the exact causes or triggers of eczema aren’t well understood. In a previous eczema report for Prevention.com, medical experts explained that eczema sometimes results from a specific gene mutation that causes a lack of protective proteins in the outer layer of a person’s skin.
Mowry shared that her journey with the skin condition started long before her 20s, recalling doctors telling her that her symptoms were just sunspots.
“When I was young, I had these round spots on my back, on my arms, and they were raised and itchy,” said Mowry. “When my mother would take me to the pediatrician, the doctor told us they were sunspots…and that was definitely not what I had.”
After finally receiving the proper diagnosis of eczema, Mowry said she felt alone. She felt she didn’t have enough education on the topic or know anyone else going through the same thing.
“It was overwhelming, especially being in the public eye, like how do you deal with this?” she said.
The lack of education and feeling of loneliness inspired her to partner with Aveeno’s Skin Visibility campaign, which is dedicated to raising awareness about the underdiagnosis of eczema in the Black community (which affects about 10% of African Americans in the United States).
“Black skin health has long gone underreported, undiagnosed, and unseen by the masses. As a result, my self-confidence was tested when I first began to suffer with eczema, with little information to turn to,” Mowry said in a statement for Aveeno. “That’s why I am thrilled to be partnering with Aveeno to drive visibility to eczema and diagnosis on Black skin, so that others who may be struggling can finally find relief.”
The brand has also partnered with the Center for Black Women’s Wellness, an Atlanta-based organization working to ensure local Black women and families have access to quality healthcare through intimate, interactive experiences amongst the community, including digital workshops and health expos.
If you've been diagnosed with eczema and are looking for some relief, we’ve included a few customer-loved and derm-approved creams and moisturizers for treating the pesky condition below.
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