Glasgow woman suffering from eczema inspires thousands to open up about their skin conditions
Nicole Mackenzie has gathered thousands of followers online after speaking up about her skin condition
A GLASGOW woman has gone viral after inspiring thousands to open up about eczema.
Nicole Mackenzie, 21, has had the skin condition her whole life but decided to reach out to others after she "couldn't hide anymore".
She said: "I only really started properly posting about it two or three weeks ago.
"I had posted on Facebook before but nothing had really come from it. But I started posting properly on Instagram at the end of January because I just got to that point where I couldn't hide myself anymore."
The 21-year-old has now gathered more than 3,800 followers on Instagram and speaks to people from around the world about her condition.
Nicole said: "I was really surprised by the reaction.
"I didn't start posting for the reaction, I just got to the point where I was felling embarrassed about going out and I thought that if I started sharing it with the world, it would stop people from looking at me differently."
Nicole posts online once or twice a day, sharing inspirational quotes and updates on how her condition has flared up. She's hoping to raise awareness of the difficulties of the condition.
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She said: "Eczema is never really spoke about online.
"A lot of people don't realise how severe it is and how low it makes you feel."
Nicole added: "It's not just a skin condition. I never realised how many people were affected by it, I felt like the only person and it was like the world was coming to an end.
"Thousands of people have it and it's so bad how low they can feel.
"I just want to change that."
As Nicole's following has grown, so has her confidence.
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Nicole said: "People come to me for advice, and not just about eczema but for other things too.
"Some messages just come from people who tell me how brave I am and how amazing it is that I'm doing - it's given me so much confidence.
"People usually post what they want other people to see, like fancy cars and nice meals. It's not everyday somebody puts their struggles out there on social media.
"Some followers have told me they have been enlightened by it and it shows that social media can actually be good."
NHS SAYS
Atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis) is the most common form of eczema, a condition that causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked.
Atopic eczema causes the skin to become itchy, dry, cracked, sore and red. Some people only have small patches of dry skin, but others may experience widespread red, inflamed skin all over the body.
Although atopic eczema can affect any part of the body, it most often affects the hands, insides of the elbows, backs of the knees and the face and scalp in children.
People with atopic eczema usually have periods when symptoms are less noticeable, as well as periods when symptoms become more severe (flare-ups).
Read more about the symptoms of atopic eczema.
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