Anyone living with eczema wants it to go away….forever! But what if what you are treating your skin with is actually prolonging or worsening the condition? What if it is leading to something far worse?
Dealing with eczema is frustrating, even exasperating. In a world where conflicting advice abounds and an overwhelming amount of treatments are touted as cure-alls, how does one know what will work for them or their child without going broke or losing their minds?
As a life-long eczema patient and topical steroid withdrawal survivor, Author Kelly Barta tells her own honest and painful personal story, guiding readers to discover a hands-on understanding of eczema, topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) and their treatments. With the knowledge she acquired in seven years of non-profit work with eczema stakeholders, Kelly will help you navigate through the noise and find clarity in your own eczema journey.
In her book, To Eczema, with Love, you will find invaluable information on:
- Tips and tricks for managing eczema
- The science and driving factors of the disease
- Current eczema treatments – the good, the bad and the ugly
- Advice for caregivers
- Addressing mental health and chronic pain that accompany eczema and TSW
- How to live a life free from being controlled by skin!
Gaining knowledge about eczema is half the battle, and with it you are well on your way to taking back control of your health and living the life you were meant to; strong and healthy in mind and body.
Walk along with Kelly in her journey through eczema and topical steroid withdrawal, and join her in reaching the other side; living comfortably in the skin you are in.
Kelly Barta
After experiencing a health crisis from an adverse response to medication used to treat eczema, Kelly was propelled into the world of advocacy. Her passion to support those suffering as she had, led her to serve on several national and international dermatology non-profits, bringing awareness to the great needs of the eczema and TSW communities in academic, regulatory and political arenas.
This incredibly amazing, insightful and inspiring book is a must read for anyone dealing with eczema and TSW. It is written in detail, professionally and comprehensively, with great respect for the reader. It is an indispensable handbook for patients and caregivers and covers all the issues, including the failure to recognize the severity of atopic eczema, adverse effects of topical corticosteroids, devastating effects on family and mental health. Kelly’s story is emotional, difficult, shocking, and should never have happened. And yet, it is one story of many. Out of Kelly’s suffering has emerged a strong, wise advocate whose inspiring story will show many the light at the end of the tunnel. A true survivor.
Kelly Barta writes from the heart. She takes us along on her journey, and there is a lot of learning along the way. She captures the frustrations and the tribulations that are paradoxically common in this community, despite the fact that so many people feel utterly alone facing them. I enjoyed the incredibly wide-ranging explorations she describes: from dietary changes, to juice fasts and natural supplements, to stress-relief, she perfectly captures the complexity of eczema and why it can be so difficult to find a root cause. There are some dark, dark moments, to be sure, but ultimately I feel that this is a book filled with hope and support that will be useful to anyone suffering from eczema or TSW.
What an amazing resource for the eczema community! Kelly takes your hand and walks you through her intimate experiences and struggles as a lifelong patient with eczema. She offers solace, guidance, and strategies from her own journey along with nuances often lost in clinical translation to help you persevere and thrive. Kelly reminds us that we are not defined by our skin or disease. By taking an integrative approach to our care, we can incorporate ancient wisdom with modern science to more holistically address the causes of disease and optimize our health. Practical and purposeful, this book is a must read for patients or caregivers navigating eczema with tips you can use in everyday life. Better health begins with better education.
To Eczema, With Love not only provides a comprehensive guide to help patients navigate all aspects of eczema, but author Kelly Barta also shares her own account of living with Eczema to Topical Steroid Withdrawal and then, recovery with such honesty and depth that individuals suffering from these conditions will come away feeling less alone and feeling seen. Additionally, Ms. Barta provides a focused lens on the impact these conditions have on families, communities and the world at large. But most importantly, Ms. Barta’s book offers hope and inspires us all as she embraces her lived experience as a catapult for bringing much needed awareness and change to our legislative and medical system. This is a book that should be read by patients, caregivers, family members, legislators and all the practitioners who treat these conditions.
I really enjoyed reading “To Eczema, with Love” by Kelly Barta. Her understanding and comprehension through personal research gathering of the multi-faceted complications of this skin disease called atopic eczema is awe-inspiring.
She makes all the features that combine to cause this disease more easily understood in the context of their progression and really encapsulates the diversity and range of symptoms experienced by people – knowing that no two people experience the exact same progression of their disease.
Kelly’s personal story makes for fascinating, upsetting and at times downright uncomfortable reading. Everything she has experienced has contributed to her greater understanding of living with eczema, experiencing and dealing with TSW and coming out on the other side triumphant but at some personal loss.
As a lifelong eczema sufferer myself, this book really hit a chord with my emotional understanding of how this disease has such an impact on the life you are trying to live.
Heartwarming and Informative. A clear window into the life of eczema and how it feels to struggle with the disease. The author has opened up a world that is so rarely shared.
As a caretaker of a boy who has struggled with eczema since birth, and as a person who has lived with eczema my whole life, Kelly put words to the things I never knew how to explain to others. This book validated my mother’s intuition in regards to my son’s health and provided strength to continue to pursue answers for his skin. I wish I had this book when my son was covered head to toe in eczema; It is both a lifeline and a beacon of hope. There is no other book out there quite like it- From the latest scientific findings, to practical tips to avoid flares, this book covers it all!
To Eczema, With Love has something to offer everyone: patients, doctors, anyone struggling with a mentally and physically challenging health condition. It will help you find a path for your own health wherever you are in life. If something like this had been available years ago before my son went through Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome, I would have felt seen. It is a book you keep close, reference often and hold on tight to the message of hope.”
This book by Kelly Barta, past president of ITSAN, is a real eye opener for many: patients suffering from Atopic Dermatitis, dermatologists, paramedical staff, nurses, care- givers and on a broader perspective,the society in general. Every positive thought is a silent prayer which will change your life! This book depicts the real life story of Kelly fighting with all strength and succour the brutal sting of Atopic Dermatitis and the menace of topical steroid withdrawal syndrome (TWS). Ultimately she came out triumphant.
Then she decided to take it up as a challenge to create awareness amongst health care workers, patients and the public through various organizations dedicated to the cause so that no one else suffers like her. The story telling is enchanting and highlights her chequered path through ups and downs of her skin condition and the treatment related complications. But she never gave up and that is the most important message her writing conveys. This book symbolizes human grit, determination to fight all odds and to come out victorious. I am sure it will serve as a beacon of positivity to its readers across the globe.
This treatise aims to bring a better understanding of eczema and its treatments and raise awareness to the general public of the potential side effects of overexposure to topical corticosteroid medications, topical steroid dependency and the plight of topical steroid withdrawal. I congratulate the author, Kelly Barta, for her passion and commitment and sincerely hope that this book would make everyone aware of the uses and misuses of topical corticosteroids.
What a powerful story of discovery, despair, healing and hope that will inspire many. Kelly is like a phoenix rising from the ashes ready to help educate the world on the dangers of the misuse of topical steroids.
To Eczema with Love is a marvel. It combines misery and despair with courage and action, taking on a disease that is painful, disruptive, and disfiguring. Patients, their families, and their physicians will find this a useful primer on eczema and therapies. But the crux of the book is Ms. Barta’s account of her own experience with topical steroid withdrawal. This is a dark story, but it has an uplifting ending and should inspire patients by the thousands.
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