Feeling uncomfortable or dissatisfied with the condition of your skin is not uncommon. Research shows that one in 10 men and nine in 10 women will face dimply thighs at some point in their lives. For CBS Miami reporter Frances Wang, though, the dissatisfaction with her skin has become a heavy burden, eventually reaching a breaking point.
“I felt emotionally exhausted trying to hide it,” Wang, 27, says.
Wang was hoping that Florida’s humidity might help the mild case of eczema she’s had on and off over the years. Unfortunately, the itchy patches of skin persisted. Wang would cover them up with makeup before going on air, but would be back to itching once home and would even wake up bleeding.
Wang sought out a dermatologist for help and got a prescription for a topical steroid cream, which made things even worse. Eczema continued to plague her and, due to the steroids, her skin broke out in painful acne.
“My face blew up,” Wang tells PEOPLE. “It looked like a giant rash like I had a crazy allergic reaction with acne on top of it.”
Wang suffered in silence for months, attempting to hide her skin problems from her colleagues and viewers and feeling ashamed of her problem.
Doctors soon told her that she had perioral dermatitis, a rash that forms around the mouth typically after a patient starts using topical steroid creams. It hurt her to talk or eat, which, she jokes, are “my two favorite things.”
Unable to bear it on her own after four months, Wang decided to open up and shared her story on Instagram.
“I really hope this will prevent someone else from going through the same physical, emotional, and psychological pain,” says Wang.
Wang’s condition has since cleared up a bit, but she continues to struggle with her skin. Having gotten more than 10 different types of skin medication the young anchor is now trying a more natural approach. She’s eliminated certain foods from her diet, like fatty and dairy items, and stopped using makeup as much as possible.
She’s now taking some time off and is doing fine.
“My boss was very supportive of me taking time off for me, to not wear makeup, to not stress, to heal.”
