How Do You Feel About Your Partner Touching You When Your Eczema is Flaring?

We asked our community how they felt about physical connection, touching, hugging, with their partners during a period of flaring eczema. The responses are outlined below:

I feel safe. My partner has always been so unconditionally loving and sees me beyond my flare ups. It’s been 4 years and he still holds my eczema hands 😂❤️

– @_clarissab__

I feel embarrassed . . . even though he sees it and supports me to look for help. I would like to wear a dress or bathing suits, but I don’t feel confident enough

– @nieto_michelle

Scared

– @crisukawaii

I’ve only ever been this close with one person in my life but idk what this partner did to make me feel comfortable. I could casually just show off my skin no matter what state it was in to them, this is still one of the best feelings in the world. It’s a level of intimacy that I don’t think many people can understand. I hope to get there again someday

– @j.melendeasy

My husband is very supportive and is not bothered by the appearance. My eczema has changed the older I get and a flare is often inflammed, red and super sensitive instead of an actual rash. During this time he understands touch is not an option so we just switch up our “love language.”

– @dlmarinnie

Do not want

– @_holistic.heaven_

I am afraid of this moment. It’s been a while since the last time I was with someone so intimately. My skin got worse since March so it’s constantly red and inflamed. I think that I won’t stop wondering about the thoughts of the other, about me, when they meet me. I don’t know. Sometimes I think that it’s better if I don’t try to get someone’s interest in me. Not everyone has the patience and love like the lucky ones above.

– @sasimene

I’ve lived with these flare ups the last 40 years of my marriage. He’s seen the flares during and after pregnancies, stress, and menopause and he’s been terrific. He’s gone on special gut and immune boosting meal plans/diets right along with me and never complained. I’m blessed. That said, when I’m flaring, I feel ugly/uncomfortable/in pain/itchy/irritable and who wants to be intimate like that lol. Not me!

– @rebeccaontheranch

I am very insecure when I am flared up, and it makes me extremely nervous to be touched in any manner let alone intimate during flares.

– @abigail_loolen

I have dyshidrotic on the palms of my hands. It has gotten better since I started my treatment. But prior to, I loss sensation on my finger tips and the palms or my hands were very inflamed. I was so uncomfortable for the longest time. I was afraid of holding my boyfriend’s hand or rubbing his back like I love to. I was afraid he wouldn’t want to hold my hands. But I’ve been blessed with such a loving and caring man. He would gently hold my hand anyways, he wrapped them for me at night, and cared for me the best way he could so that I could heal. This made me comfortable and allowed me to feel his love and our intimacy on another level🥰❤️ @derickhoopz

– @jasmineanne316

When my eczema flares, any touch by anyone is extremely, physically uncomfortable and often painful. My husband and I have been together for quite sometime and my flares have never bothered him nor do I ever feel embarrassed of something I’ve always had and can’t often control.

– @akbvalancius

It’s calming and reassuring for me when my boyfriend holds my hands so I don’t scratch or kisses my arm because he can’t kiss my hands

– @breath.of.fresh.art

My boyfriend looked up ways to make me feel more comfortable and understand how I feel with eczema, I used to try and hide my skin with him but he tells me how beautiful I am and not to worry. The man sits with me when I’m covered in creams 😍 so thankful! – @sndrake_r2d2