Although Michelle Hong had been dealing with eczema since childhood, she began experiencing more severe flares a few years ago in the midst of the Covid pandemic—and the severe skin issues led to a hard pivot in many ways, including how she dressed. As a figure skater and athlete used to wearing tight-fitting outfits, tank tops, and leggings, she found herself draped in oversize jackets and big sweatpants. She shoved her dresses to the back of the closet, and even dreaded looking for a wedding gown, knowing she wouldn’t be able to have the kind of pretty, string-strap design she craved.

“I wanted to look good and feel good every day, but that just wasn’t the case with eczema,” she recalls. “Everything felt tight and itchy, I didn’t feel confident, and it just got worse. At one point, I felt ashamed showing my skin at all. Considering that I’m in a very aesthetic sport, that was devastating.” And it wasn’t just the potential judgments from others; Hong’s condition caused old emotional-health difficulties to flare as well, which made her want to hide even more.

But with highly effective treatment and some solid lifestyle changes over the past couple of years, she’s now embracing summer in a whole new way. “I feel like I can finally express myself, and that includes wearing what I want,” she says. “This is about much more than what I wear. It’s about finding my sense of joy again.”

For someone with eczema like Hong, clothing is far more than a fashion choice; based on fabric type and fit, it can be a source of irritation or relief—but it can also reflect the emotional difficulties of living with the condition. For example, when Hong’s flares were particularly intense, covering her body in red and irritated splotches, it brought up past issues she’d had with her mental health, triggering body-image struggles she had thought were behind her.

“During a big flare-up, the same feelings would come up as I had with my eating disorder,” she says. “I was numbed out and stopped caring for myself. I focused on bringing joy to others but didn’t have any for myself, because I was battling my own health mentally and physically. It felt so limiting.”

Summers, in particular, were tough. In San Francisco, where she lived, her oversize clothing made her hot and sweaty—which made the already difficult flares more challenging on every level. She yearned to throw on the kind of cute halter tops, bikinis, sleeveless dresses, and short skirts that made her feel fashionable and fun. And the more she left those in the closet and the dresser, the harder it felt to truly be herself. That was when Hong realized that she needed to take meaningful steps toward improving her condition—and that it had to start on the inside.

Once she felt ready to take charge of her eczema, she began at her doctor’s office. But because she’d heard about others who had experienced negative side effects from using steroids and then weaning off them, Hong wanted a different option. Her dermatologist recommended a treatment option approved specifically for eczema, but it was just one part of a larger approach, she says.

“I realized that stress was a major factor causing my flare-ups, so I took time away from work in order to mentally remove myself,” she recalls. “I’d been focusing on productivity and pushing myself, and I had to confront what that had been doing to me. Acknowledging the role of stress was a huge step forward toward slow and steady progression.”

Hong also began to experiment with Korean skincare and a routine that nurtured her skin rather than working against it. In the past, she’d just splash water on her face, apply a heavy ointment, and then avoid looking in the mirror. Trying different skincare products didn’t just allow her to discover what worked; the effort made her feel more appreciative of her skin and of herself—that she was worth the time, investment, and self-respect.

Another tactic was becoming more aware of when and how her body reacted to different foods and environmental factors. For example, soon after being diagnosed with eczema, she had an allergy test that tipped her off that mold is a major trigger, and she subsequently discovered that a piece of luggage under her bed was filled with the stuff. In terms of food, she was leery of elimination diets, since that felt too triggering around her eating disorder, but she did pay attention to how foods affected her skin and her emotional health in general.

As she managed her stress more effectively and focused on her self-care with more diligence, these multilayered efforts began to pay off. Her flares became less frequent and less intense. Those dresses, tank tops, and bikinis got their time in the sun, and with every outfit change that included what she hadn’t wanted to wear before, Hong felt a little freer.

In 2024, she got married in a gown complete with string straps, plunging back, and fitted bodice. In her wedding videos—including as she walks down the aisle—Hong is dancing, laughing, and doing what she’s come to do best: Embrace the moment while being completely comfortable in her own skin.

“Being able to truly express yourself in every way, including fashion, carries such freedom,” she says. “When you’re an eczema warrior like me, you don’t take that for granted—you embrace that transformation with gratitude.”