Amy, one of our Pai team members, shares her experience with eczema and the surprising discovery that helped her finally get it under control.
I work at Pai helping customers understand their sensitive skin. But when eczema recently flared across both my hands, I learned there's still so much I didn't know. Not just about the physical triggers, but about how overwhelming it can feel when your skin won't cooperate.
I've had eczema since childhood. It comes and goes in waves. Just when I think I haven't had a flare for months, I'll wake up scratching at the inside of my index finger. I went through most of my adult years clear. Then one spring, it showed up somewhere particularly maddening: my eyelids.
That's actually how I discovered Pai. After weeks of shop assistants shrugging and products that did nothing, I started researching ingredients myself. I needed to understand what my sensitive, reactive skin could actually handle.
I found this post about unexpected skin triggers that described exactly what I was experiencing. Seasonal changes. Hidden allergies. Finally, I felt equipped to take control.
Fast forward a couple of years. I'd joined Pai's marketing team, so when my next flare hit my hands, I thought I had it covered. I was wrong.
A problem shared is a problem halved
Trying to solve it alone (asking for help isn't my strong suit), I let it get severe. By the time I showed Sarah, our founder, my hands were raw. Typing hurt. Shaking hands was unthinkable. Sleep was impossible.
Sarah was horrified that I hadn't come to her sooner.
After a marketing meeting, I finally showed her. Sarah took one look, then surprised me. She didn't ask about my skincare routine. She asked how I was feeling.
I almost cried. I felt awful. Beyond the physical pain, I couldn't wear my wedding rings. For someone who talks with their hands and touches people when they speak, hiding my hands was isolating.
Then she asked about lifestyle factors. I thought I knew this part. Eating well, drinking water, exercising, managing stress. Check, check, check.
But what came next was something I had never heard of before.
"Have you been eating oats?" Sarah asked.
"Oats?!" I replied.
"Yes, they're terrible for eczema."
I'd been eating granola every morning. My supposed healthy breakfast was my biggest trigger.
Sarah explained that while oats can soothe skin topically, eating them triggers inflammation in many people with eczema. I cut them out immediately. My hands started healing within days.
No matter who you are or what you do (even if you're supposed to know this stuff like me) it's ok to ask for help.
Next came the extreme dryness phase. Better than raw skin, but still uncomfortable. My hands needed serious moisture, applied constantly. I used our Rapid Rescue Hand Cream every couple of hours for about five days. It's the only hand cream I've found that absorbs instantly. No ten-minute wait before getting back to emails.
Within a week, the eczema was practically gone. I could wear my rings again. Shake hands without wincing. Touch people when I talked without feeling self-conscious.
This experience taught me what our customers feel when their skin won't cooperate. That helplessness when nothing works. The frustration when you think you're doing everything right.
It reminded me that expertise doesn't make you immune to needing help. Sarah's knowledge saved me weeks of suffering. Our Customer Experience team has that same depth of understanding.
If any of this sounds familiar, don't struggle alone. Eczema on your face or hands doesn't have to control your life. Sometimes the trigger is something you'd never suspect. Sometimes the solution is simpler than you think.
Talk to someone who understands sensitive skin. A problem shared really is a problem halved. Or in my case, completely solved.
