Eczema Expo 2024: A Treat for All

Eczema Expo is the largest gathering of the eczema community — including people with eczema, caregivers, healthcare experts and industry professionals. What began over two decades ago as a small patient conference is now a one-of-a-kind space for people with eczema and their families to feel seen and supported like never before.

This year, the National Eczema Association (NEA) hosted their annual Expo in Denver, Colorado from June 27–30, where over 400 attendees were invited to treat themselves to a weekend of education, connection and fun.

Living with eczema means more than just managing it. Expo ‘24 — where the theme was “Treat Yo’ self” — was all about learning how to expect more for ourselves, including better care and raising expectations of what it means to live well.

At the start of the weekend, excitement was palpable in the fragrance-free air. Eczema community members of all ages arrived — many of whom were about to experience the magic of Expo for the first time. T-shirts, tote bags and swag galore were available to all as the weekend got rolling with orientations and neighborhood rambles around downtown Denver. Later in the evening, attendees were invited to break the ice with their musical stylings at karaoke.

On Friday, Expo officially kicked off with a warm welcome and a keynote presentation by Dr. Katrina Abuabara, a dermatologist specializing in eczema at UCSF Health in San Francisco, on exciting new developments in eczema research and what increased quality of life can look like for people living with eczema. This set the tone for a weekend full of inspiring, educational, thought-provoking talks and support sessions led by world-class eczema experts and community members. We are truly living in the “era of eczema,” and Expo is a way for the community to shed light on new advances in treatment, identify areas of unmet need and walk through what’s next in the eczema world together.

Expo is also a family affair in more ways than one. Many attendees expressed how Expo is a homecoming for them, reuniting with fellow attendees from years past and welcoming newcomers into their circles where everyone there just “gets it.” There were games played, memories made, stories shared — and many, many skincare product samples to go around. 

Kids of all ages, whether they have eczema themselves or love someone who does, participated in Expo Camp activities tailored to their age groups, where they made new friends and shared new experiences. 

The fun culminated in the annual Ecz-travaganza on Saturday night, which was red carpet-themed this year. All attendees were invited to look and feel their best at a dinner (full of allergen-conscious menu items, of course) and dance gala where everyone walked the red carpet before grooving the night away. More than a few people compared the feeling to crashing the best wedding. Not to be forgotten are this year’s “Itchy Awards” winners, awards given during dinner to community members who went the extra mile to help make this year’s Expo the best yet.

Finally, when it was time to say goodbye at the closing session on Sunday, an overwhelming amount of powerful words were shared by individual attendees and their loved ones about what Expo means to them. For many people, Expo was the first place they felt completely understood yet not solely defined by their condition. For many parents and caregivers, they acknowledged how their children with eczema reached new levels of confidence and self-assurance they’d never seen before.

Expo at its core is the embodiment of the eczema community. It’s a place where people show up for each other and themselves, even when they’re not feeling their best, to create a community so vitally needed — especially one affected by a disease that makes it so easy to be susceptible to physical and emotional isolation. This year’s theme was all about stepping into a new reality, where “good enough” is no longer the baseline for everyday wellness. It was clear from day one of Expo ‘24 that this notion would become a permanent mantra for many to live by.

Eczema Expo 2025 dates and location are coming soon! In the meantime, find more resources, including eczema news, lifestyle tips and community stories here. You can also download the EczemaWise app to help track symptoms and make the most out of your next doctor appointment.