Kelly Rowland, 45, Reveals the Surprising Way She Discovered She Had Eczema—and What Helps
The singer shares what she's learned—including her advice for other women with the condition
Key Takeaways
- Kelly Rowland initially mistook her eczema symptoms for an ordinary rash.
- Stress may trigger eczema flare-ups, which Rowland experienced while touring.
- Cool compresses, oatmeal baths and moisturizer may help soothe eczema symptoms.
Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Rowland, 45, has gotten generations of fans on their feet with her solo hits and Destiny’s Child classics, brought powerful stories to the screen through her work in film and television and is now raising awareness about chronic skin conditions like eczema through her partnership with Eli Lilly and Company’s Ebglyss. In an exclusive interview with Woman’s World, Rowland opened up about her eczema diagnosis journey and shared her advice for women living with the condition.
The unexpected way Kelly Rowland found out she had eczema
“Eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, and it can be super unpredictable,” explains Camille Howard-Verovic, DO, a board-certified dermatologist. Dr. Howard-Verovic says you think you have a rash not realizing it’s eczema.
That was the case for Rowland, who told Woman’s World she didn’t initially realize her symptoms were eczema when they flared up a little before she had her first son. “I just thought it was rash,” said Rowland. “I remember going to get a facial, and my esthetician…I told her what was going on. I had a flare-up just behind my nose, like all of my head, my neck, the folds of my elbows, behind my elbow, just crazy.”
“She said, ‘Kelly, that’s eczema,’” Rowland added. “I said, ‘Well, I just thought it was a rash.’ So I told her how I was treating it. She said, ‘No, you need to go see a doctor immediately.’ And I was just happy she said that because that one thing just changed everything.”
Rowland shared that she appreciates when doctors do their “due diligence” by thoroughly evaluating patients’ symptoms and asking questions. “That’s exactly what my doctor did, and turns out I had eczema,” Rowland continued.
Dr. Howard-Verovic says medical professionals are still understanding what exactly causes eczema. “I think it’s important for us to understand that even if you gather thousands of dermatologists in a room, we’re kind of still arguing amongst ourselves about the actual cause. The cause is unknown, but we know that genetics may play an important role.”
Kelly Rowland’s eczema flared up on tour
The tricky thing about eczema flare-ups is that they can strike when you least expect it. Rowland shared that she actually had an eczema flare-up while on tour. “This time last year, I remember going on tour with Brandy and Monica, and you know when you’re putting together a tour, it’s so many things that are involved from the staging, travel, lights, people, food and children,” Rowland told Woman’s World. “[There’s] so many moving parts. So my body went into a whole stress situation, which actually made it flare-up.”
“Next thing I knew, it just started sprouting just everywhere. I remember calling my dermatologist, and we calmed the flare down, but you can feel it when you’re moving and on stage and everything,” Rowland continued.
“[Eczema] can appear at any time,” adds Dr. Howard-Verovic. “Some people mention that it may be induced by stress. It can be induced by environmental triggers. It’s just a super unpredictable disease process.”
How to treat an eczema flare-up at home
Through her partnership with Eli Lilly, Rowland is shining a light on newer treatment options like Ebglyss. The injectable medication that has been FDA approved to help manage eczema, per Eli Lilly. “It’s approved for moderate to severe eczema; that’s the indication,” says Dr. Howard-Verovic. “It’s to treat adults and children who are 12 years and older, and they weigh at least 88 pounds.”
Your doctor can help determine if a prescription medication like Ebyglyss may be right for you. In the meantime, there are still things you can do to combat an eczema flare-up right from home. We asked Carol Eisenstat, MD, a board-certified physician and founder of Line Eraser MD, for three tips to help manage eczema.
Try a colloidal oatmeal bath
Colloidal oatmeal is ground into an extremely fine powder, which makes it easy to add to water, explains Dr. Eisenstat. “It’s one of my favorite simple recommendations for soothing itchy, irritated skin because it’s gentle and has natural anti-inflammatory properties,” she adds.
“Add a colloidal oatmeal bath product to lukewarm water according to the package directions and soak for about 10 to 15 minutes,” suggests Dr. Eisenstat. Skip hot water, which can strip moisture from the skin and make eczema worse, she adds.
Try a cool compress
Dr. Eisenstat says a cool compress can help with itching. “When eczema starts itching, the natural instinct is to scratch,” says Dr. Eisenstat. “Unfortunately, scratching damages the skin barrier even further, which can create a frustrating cycle of more inflammation and more itching.”
“Soak a clean, soft washcloth in cool water, wring it out and gently place it over the irritated area for about 10 to 15 minutes,” she recommends.
Repair your skin’s moisture barrier
“One of the most effective things you can do for eczema is also one of the simplest: Keep the skin consistently moisturized,” adds Dr. Eisenstat. “I recommend taking short, lukewarm showers or baths, ideally no longer than five to 10 minutes, and applying a thick, fragrance-free moisturizing cream or ointment within three minutes of getting out.”
She recommends looking for moisturizers that are simple and don’t have fragrance or essential oils. “Petroleum jelly is a particularly good option because it creates a protective layer over the skin that helps prevent moisture from escaping,” says Dr. Eisenstat.
Kelly Rowland’s message to women struggling with eczema
Dealing with a chronic skin condition like eczema can be uncomfortable and take a knock at your confidence. IRowland’s words of advice.
“For one, take a breather,” says Rowland. “I think that we’re already so hard on ourselves, and so you can just calm yourself down, but also go talk to your doctor. That’s the best thing my esthetician told me, was to make sure that I spoke to a doctor. She was like, ‘I’m not a derm. But I would go and talk to a doctor,’ which is the best advice because you do want to talk to somebody who knows what they’re talking about.”
Rowland also encourages advocating for yourself at your doctor’s appointments. “The best way of advocating for yourself is to remember all the information: how it flared up, when it flared up, when’s the time it flares up the most? That information can really help them. So I’d say go in there with information and have a clear communication with your doctor, and they’re gonna help.”
Ready for more inspiration? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video podcasts, health tips and uplifting stories designed for women 40, 50, 60 and beyond.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
