Suni Lee was the individual all-around champion in women’s gymnastics at the 2020 Tokyo games. As she battles for another title at the 2024 Olympics in France, she’s opened up about health struggles she’s faced leading up to these games, including an incurable kidney disease and a lifelong battle with eczema.
“My skin was always super dry, super flaky. It was really uncomfortable because it was really itchy,” Lee said about her eczema at a panel in partnership with Eli Lilly and Company, per CBS News. “But my mom ended up taking me to the doctor and my doctor sent me to a dermatologist, and that’s when we got my diagnosis and we found the right treatment plan.”
Lee revealed she’d been dealing with a flare-up shortly before the Tokyo games began. “I get the worst stress eczema flare-ups,” the 21-year-old told PS. “At the 2021 Olympics, I was having a flare-up on my neck that I thankfully got handled right before the competition. But it happens a lot when I’m stressed and I can’t sleep.” (Stress is a top trigger for eczema flare-ups, according to the National Eczema Association).
Now, Lee wants to help others with a similar diagnosis. “I’ve had my fair share of insecurities with eczema, but it’s not something to be ashamed or embarrassed about,” she told PS. “And now, I want to share my story to help inspire younger generations to be comfortable in their own skin.”
Her advice: “It can be kind of isolating when you deal with eczema and having an eczema flare-up, so I just want people to know that you are not alone and it does not define you,” according to CBS News.