Monkeypox has exacerbated the stigma of skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis

People with chronic skin conditions say they’ve grown accustomed to being stared at and questioned about their appearance, but harassment and stigma have worsened amid the monkeypox pandemic.

As a result, some people with skin differences say they wear sweatshirts and gloves even in warmer months, or go out less often.

This summer, 21-year-old Jacqueline Nguyen, who has eczema, boarded a Spirit Airlines flight in Los Angeles and was asked about her skin shortly before takeoff when she was asked to exit the plane.

After Nguyen explained that he had eczema, the airline asked for proof. Nguyen was allowed back on his plane after making a bottle of eczema cream, calling the experience “embarrassing” and a “nightmare.” Videos on TikTok about the incident. Spirit Airlines did not respond to a request for comment.

“I was treated like a problem just by existing in the skin that I have, that I wear every day,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen has now parted her hair to hide the eczema on her scalp and face, and wears long sleeves when she leaves the house, or avoids going out altogether while the inflammation worsens.

Estimate 84 million According to the American Academy of Dermatology, people live with certain skin conditions.Eczema is an inflammatory skin disease that can cause itchy, red, flaky, and sometimes oozing skin that is about 30 million people in the United States.Effects of psoriasis, an autoimmune disease about 3 percent One of the adult population of the United States capable of producing silvery or scaly raised red patches The edges of the elbows, knees and scalp are particularly pronounced.

In contrast, monkeypox tends to present as an often painful, pus- or fluid-filled bump, says a dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a member of the Ad Hoc Monkeypox Task Force of the American Academy of Dermatology. Esther Freeman said.

Psychologists say the pandemic has generally increased medical anxiety. A recent national survey by the Annenberg Center for Public Policy found that Nearly 1 in 5 Americans They were worried about contracting monkeypox, but they understood very little about it.

Health anxiety can exacerbate prejudice against people who look different, says Mark Schaller, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. In his research, the higher the awareness of the threat of infection, the more more prejudiced attitude For immigrants, obese people and the elderly.He also found that when people felt more susceptible to disease, they reported less contact. with people with disabilities.

“Over the past three years, the disease has been in the news so often that it has had a huge impact on people’s minds,” said Schaller. “The more people worry about illness, the more they express prejudice against disabled people.”

41-year-old Kate Riggle has psoriasis and started receiving daily complaints from customers at work after a monkeypox outbreak. She works at a deli in her hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota, where she helps prepare food and works as a cashier.

“Some people complained that they didn’t want their money touched,” she said. “Even if my psoriasis was on my elbows.”

Brooklyn resident Lily Simon, 33, said she understood people’s uncertainty when she saw the bumps caused by her neurofibromatosis.But she said it’s not Justify disrespectful behavior or abuse.

This summer, Simon was unknowingly photographed by a stranger on his way to work. The video was then posted by him on TikTok with a monkey emoji and a question mark. The video went viral, with many comments accusing Simon of contracting monkeypox and spreading it.

Simon was horrified when he saw the post a few days later. “My heart kind of stopped,” she said. “All the old feelings came out. Old feelings that I had to cover up.”

Simon just posted response video To raise awareness about her condition, she explained that she has been bullied in the past because of her skin and has sought therapy to cope.

It’s unclear whether people with skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema are at increased risk of contracting monkeypox if they come in contact. The chances of catching smallpox remain low.

Freeman advises patients to follow the same precautions as the general population. Get vaccinated if you are in a high-risk group, avoid skin-to-skin contact with strangers, and avoid contact with monkeypox patients.

What you need to know about monkeypox symptoms, treatment and prevention

Freeman belongs to a group at high risk for monkeypox, Conditions that compromise the skin barrier Gineos vaccine, specifically approved by the FDA for monkeypox. ACAM2000, an older generation smallpox vaccine, poses a risk of serious side effects in people with certain skin conditions.

People with monkeypox and eczema are more likely to spread the disease from one area of ​​the body to another, according to Erica Domash, a dermatologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. You run the risk of getting a more serious illness.

With or without chronic skin disease She noticed something wrong with her skin and recommended that she see a dermatologist.

As for those scrutinizing and harassing people with skin conditions? Leave the diagnosis to the experts, she said.

“There are many other skin diseases in the world, so don’t assume everyone has monkeypox just because they look different.