Tia Mowry, star of the popular 90s sitcom "Sister, Sister," dealt with undiagnosed eczema for decades because of the lack of educational tools and resources to describe what it looks like on Black skin. The actress hopes to increase awareness, visibility, and representation of this condition and how it presents in Black people. Mowry has been open about her struggles in figuring out what was making her skin itch, peel, and flake.
Surprisingly, it was Mowry's gynecologist who helped her realize she had eczema. After consulting her gynecologist about her endometriosis during a flare-up of her eczema, she was told the cause was eczema and referred to a dermatologist. Following her diagnosis, Mowry saw an allergist, which she recommends for people with eczema. The allergist showed her what she was allergic to that could trigger inflammation and eczema. Once she had a diagnosis and allergy tests, Mowry was able to identify her triggers, such as stress and certain foods, so that she could avoid them.
For Mowry, alcohol is a trigger, so she avoids it. Cheese is also a trigger for Mowry, which has been hard for her. She loves cheese, but eating too much of it can cause her eczema to flare up. Mowry copes by finding alternatives that are just as delicious. She says eczema has made her more aware of what she eats and puts in her body.
Mowry feels strongly about representation for Black people. In addition to her struggles with eczema, Mowry has always had difficulty accepting her natural hair. With the advent of social media, Mowry has seen so many positive representations of natural Black curly hair that she's learned to embrace her own. Mowry hopes she can bring the same type of representation to Black people with eczema. She'd like to save others from the years of painful struggles she endured.
