The Day I Lost My Front Tooth

June 21, 2020, was the day when my life turned into a roller coaster. I suffered multiple injuries around my body and broke my teeth. It was that day that I thought life has somehow ended. I kept thinking it was all just a horrible dream. However, it was not. This terrible thing, unfortunately, did happen to me.

The blog you are about to read is about an incident that happened to me on June 21, 2020. This blog may contain pictures of my injuries, and they may scare you a little bit. If you are sensitive to seeing blood and wounds, then you should refrain from viewing the pictures. While I still would like people to know my story, I have made some adjustments. You have options to either view them or not. All you need to do is follow the steps when viewing the pictures. The choice is yours to make.

A SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED

I was out celebrating at night on June 21 in Lan Kwai Fong (Central) because I finally resigned from my job after a painful 17 months of bad management and almost zero employee benefits. I will be free in a month time so I decided to celebrate with my friends and Ryan that fateful night. It was a fun night overall and I’m just looking forward to finding my next work adventure. 

We called it a night at around 4 am, and Ryan and I wanted to grab something to eat before going home. We went to a Thai barbecue food stall. While we were queueing for our orders to arrive, we were happily discussing my plans. When our ticket number was called upon, Ryan went to pick up the food. As he was about to grab our order, a Caucasian man suddenly said to him, “Go get your f*cking order”, and he said it twice to Ryan. Ryan was furious because that man was being rude. They began to get into a heated argument. I’m not sure what that guy’s deal was or what was his purpose for being extremely rude and trying to initiate a fight with a stranger. One thing for sure was that he was drunk and aggressive. I believe they both threw punches at each other. I, on the other hand, tried to keep Ryan away. After all, we came here to have something to eat and not to fight with anyone. 

We left as I was hoping to avoid any more fights from happening. However, the Caucasian man tailed us and was screaming like a psycho while trying to get to us. I didn’t want Ryan to have anything to do with him anymore so I begged him to go away and so he did hesitantly. While I continued to walk, I heard that guy screaming again from behind and the next thing I know I felt a huge force at my back and I instantly fell to the ground. No, I should say I flew and fell on the ground very hard. I felt the adrenaline of falling and I thought that was it. I remembered screaming, “NOOOOO!” as I was falling. 

As soon as I fell, I felt like I was going to pass out but I fought it and I tried to get up. A female police officer lifted me, and I immediately pointed at the guy and told her that he was the one who pushed me down. I was thinking about my iWatch when I fell as it is new. However, I noticed something was wrong. I felt one of my front teeth on my lower lip, and my mouth wasn’t close as normally. Something wasn’t right so I asked the officer what was wrong with my teeth, and she said that I broke my teeth. I panicked, and I began to be frantic. I was crying, and I was wailing. I never wail like that in my life, at least not as an adult. The officer had to calm me down. A few people came to approach me to ask me what happen and to also comfort me. 

I was a bit numb when I fell, and I only started to feel the pain of my injuries after losing that adrenaline from the time when I fell. I couldn’t believe this happened to me. The only way for me to know the truth was to see it myself. When I was in the ambulance, I took my phone out and went to see myself from the camera. There, I saw everything. I started to cry, and I wailed again. I even took pictures of me to keep as my own evidence.

RYAN’S SIDE OF THE STORY

I learned from Ryan later on that when I asked him to go away, he did for a few seconds, and then he looked back, and he couldn’t see me anymore as I was already on the ground at the time. The Caucasian guy came near him and was trying to initiate another fight with him. Luckily, police officers were already there. 

He was looking for me, but he couldn’t see me, and the officer wouldn’t let him go and find me. He later knew that I fell because a man approached the Caucasian man and said to him, “Hey! Why did you do that to her? I saw what you did.”, and the Caucasian man answered, “The boyfriend punched me.” 

The boyfriend punched him, so he tried to get back at his girlfriend. Wow! What a coward! He initiated a problem with Ryan, and when he couldn’t do anything else, he decided to attack me instead. I didn’t do anything to him. What he did was utterly unnecessary, and only a mad person would do that. 

Ryan finally saw me while the medic was bringing me to the ambulance. He was deeply saddened and angry at what happened to me. 

Before things

went downhill

We looked so happy here. Little did we know that something bad was about to happen.

MY INJURIES

I sustained six injuries all over my body. It was definitely a hard fall. I felt that I literally plunge to the ground. because I felt the adrenaline of falling. I almost lost consciousness when I dropped. I still remember the feeling that I felt on that fateful night even up to this day.

Here are my injuries:

Dental Injuries - My right front tooth was badly damaged and needed to be extracted immediately. My left front tooth was chipped. Another tooth on the right was affected too.

Leg Injury - My right knee was badly scraped and the doctor said that will leave a big scar and may not go away very soon. I may have to do surgery should I wish to get rid of the scar one day.

Forearm - My left forearm had a scratch. Fortunately, it will only leave a temporary scar. 

Shoulder - My right shoulder had a huge scrape and It was stinging for the first two weeks. The doctor said this scar will go away eventually. It stings whenever I try to move my right shoulder.

Index Finger - My left index finger had a bruise due to the impact when I fell. Luckily, I didn’t break any bones. 

Face - I had a few abrasions on my face. A bit of scrape each on the upper edge of my nose, right forehead and under my right eye (the eye bag area). Luckily, I didn’t break any facial bones and the wounds will go away in a week or two. 

MY FIRST TOOTH EXTRACTION

Back when I was still a child, my teeth usually fall on their own. At 29 years old, I had my very first tooth extraction surgery. It was overwhelming and hard to accept because I tried so hard to maintain my teeth. I worked so hard to keep my teeth healthy. Because of this incident, I had no choice but to remove one original tooth. I can still do a tooth implant, but it won’t be genuine anymore and it’s extremely expensive. I had to let go and let the dentist do what was best for me. 

The whole surgery was painful and traumatizing. The gum area of my missing tooth was bleeding from time to time until the next day. I literally had to swallow the blood whenever I feel any pressure from my missing tooth. Tooth Extraction is no joke.

So I went to see the dentist right after I’ve given my statement from the police station. My sister, brother-in-law and Ryan were there to accompany me. I was so exhausted and was still in shock, but I had to get my teeth checked as it was hurting a lot. After the extraction, they dropped me off at my home. I was feeling okay when I was with them, but the moment I got home, I cried immediately. Tears were just dripping down my cheeks. I couldn’t believe I’m going through this horrible thing. I think I cried myself to sleep. I had a dream that we managed to avoid the fight without any of us getting hurt. I tried to feel my front teeth the minute I woke up and there it was, it was all real. This is the reality that I need to face. No more crying and feeling sorry for myself. I need to get back up, get better, find a way to cope with this traumatic experience and just merely focus on myself. I can’t do anything when I’m weak both physically and mentally.

BED REST FOR FIVE DAYS

I was struggling to move for the first 5 days. I called in sick and didn’t go to work after 5 days. My sick leaves were unpaid because my work didn’t provide any sick leave benefits and wouldn’t let me use my remaining annual leaves. I was expecting they would be more understanding and adjust to this unforeseen event of my life, given that I never called in sick to work. I can’t rely on any sympathy from my previous employer. My loyalty and hard work meant nothing to them. Unfortunately, I was working for people who don’t give a damn about their employees. It’s great to know that I made the right decision to resign.

I was in bed most of the time. I only get to leave my bed when I need to go to the bathroom. I was limping, and every time I move my wounded leg and shoulder, it was so painful. It was my worst week. I’m usually very active throughout the day. However, my injuries prevented me from moving too much. I spent most of the 5 days sleeping, watching Netflix and messaging my friends. I couldn’t even talk that much because of my teeth.

Eating was also very difficult. Since the dentist extracted my right front tooth and my left front tooth was still chipped, I can’t chew solid food that well. I mostly ate soup, vermicelli noodles (cut into thin slices), and indulged in the food through a bubble tea straw. I felt so helpless, but I’m still thinking positively during those painful days. 

BACK TO WORK SITUATION

I went back to work after 5 days because I can’t afford any more unpaid sick leaves. My dentist bills will be very expensive. I was still limping and wasn’t able to move normally like I used to. My work schedule was super hectic, even though my manager knew about my injuries. They just don’t care, and it was disappointing because the least they can do was be lenient with me after working so hard for them. However, seeing my students cheered me up a little bit as they showed their care and concerns.

DAY 6-15

The next 10 days were much better. I can chew solid food, but I need to cut them into thin slices or pieces with a pair of scissors. I used a pair of chopsticks to put the food into my mouth because I’m afraid the spoon may touch my broken teeth. I’m being very extra careful.

Fortunately, it’s face mask season, and I can hide my missing tooth. That made me feel less insecure. However, whenever I’m having dinner with my family or friends in the restaurant, I felt a little bit conscious. I am very observant, and I can see people around us looking at my teeth. That was uncomfortable, but I can’t control people's eyes and what they want to think. I also had to bring my eating tools - a pair of scissors, chopsticks and straws whenever I go out to eat. How humiliating is that? I felt like a baby who can’t chew.

MY FIRST IMPLANT AND FIRST DENTURE

I had my first tooth implant treatment on Day 16. The dentist had implanted the screw. It took over an hour to finish the treatment. It was not painful because I had anaesthesia. However, during the last 15 minutes, the numbness was starting to wear off and I can feel the stitches. My dentist asked if I wanted another shot of anaesthesia and I said no. It was raw but I can handle the pain. I didn't have a choice.

I also got my denture to cover my missing front tooth. It was uncomfortable to wear for the first few days. I had speech problems during those days. I couldn’t pronounce some words with /f/ and /th/ sounds. Eventually, I got used to the denture and began to speak a bit normally. Wearing a denture was a pain in the ass. There were several times I wanted to rip the denture off with my tongue because it was always blocking my tongue and eating with it was another struggle.

DAY 17-22

My injuries started to show some improvements. The abrasions on my face were almost gone. My right shoulder injury and my left forearm injury had been minimized. However, my left index finger was still quite swollen. My teeth remained the same. My left knee wound is healing, and I can notice a big scar coming along. This is going to be horrible - I said to myself at the time.

MY THIRD DENTAL TREATMENT - REMOVE STITCHES AND FILL IN CHIPPED TOOTH

On Day 23, I went back to the dentist to remove the stitches for my tooth implant. The dentist initially wanted to fix my left front tooth - root canal first and then put a crown later on. However, he recommended doing it at my next appointment as he wanted to double-check with the lab, and also to see if the roots in my left front tooth may heal at some point. Instead of doing any surgery, he covered and filled in some cement over to my chipped tooth. Now, I can smile as if my teeth were perfectly normal. However, I’m not supposed to smile too big as my denture may drop. It honestly almost did once when I laughed too wildly.

Here are some of the pictures of me wearing a denture. You can zoom in onto my side teeth and see those metal materials. It looks perfect and painless, eh? However perfect it may look, it was not easy to wear a denture.

Due to the COVID-19, and the sudden increase of positive cases in Hong Kong, my dentist cancelled my next appointment. I will have my treatment when it has settled down. So, the waiting game and frustration start now.

DAY 24-40

Most of my injuries had improved gradually over the next 17 days. By this time, I can walk much better. I am no longer limping. However, since I have been massaging my left index finger, one small part of the skin ripped off. My skin is sensitive. I should have massaged it more gently. The abrasions on my face became very light. I almost did not have to put any concealer on anymore. My knee injury remained the same. I feel like the wound was not progressing any better.

On day 35, I was finally able to workout again. I needed to wait for my knee wound to get a bit better. I started to do some simple exercises. I tried to avoid exercises that require bending my knees. Going back on track was definitely helpful as I normally would workout at least 3 times a week. Skipping a month was a total bummer!

Feeling myself

again

I lost a bit of weight since I couldn’t eat a lot of food. I mostly ate soup, noodles and very thin slices of meat.

DAY 41-59

On Day 41, I had some bed bites over my left knee very close to the wound. It was itchy, and I scratched it for a bit. I immediately put more cream frequently. The wound on my left knee has reached the maturation stage and was turning into a scar. However, the scar wasn’t developing well and didn’t look like any regular scar. My teeth remained the same. I’m still waiting for my next appointment once the third wave is over in Hong Kong. The rest of the injuries gradually improved.

DAY 60 ONWARDS

The following days had been slightly getting better. My injuries were slowly fading away. However, my knee injury was progressing very slowly. I went to see a doctor at some point to have it tested. The doctor said my knee scar has turned into a keloid scar. He gave me two options for treatment - steroid injection or silicone pads. Steroid injection has faster effects than silicone pads, so I choose to get the injection. Oh my God! It was very painful. That thing hurt a lot. I was trying to hold the pain because I want it to get better. Having that scar was quite humiliating. People often ask about it and it reminds me of what happened to me. It’s embarrassing and traumatizing at the same time. The horrible memories always come back to mind. I’m supposed to get 2 more steroid shots for my knee. However, I didn’t want to do it anymore as it truly traumatized me. I always put scar gel twice a day. I can see some slow improvement and I do believe that it will eventually go away.

My teeth injuries were getting better as I’ve been seeing my dentist regularly for check-ups and treatment. I spent many hours laying on that chair and enduring all the pressures and pains from the surgeries. I try to keep myself strong because all I want was to get my teeth fixed so I can eat properly, smile normally and talk accurately.

On day 183, I finally went for my last treatment. It was the day when my dentist completed all the treatments that needed to be done. My teeth look great! I can smile without feeling conscious. I was so excited and I took a picture of myself right when I left the clinic and sent it to Ryan, my family and friends.

I believe I also suffer from PTSD even up to this day. I feel terrified of walking down the stairs or walking down a steep path whenever someone is behind me. I’m scared that I may get push or trip over by the person behind me. I try to be as alert as I can. Every time someone tries to touch my back, I always jump. You see, that never use to happen until that incident. Moreover, whenever I’m out in a restaurant or a bar while sipping a glass, I always have this thought that I might break my teeth. I try to fight this negative feeling but sometimes it’s really hard not to think about what could happen. I’m the type of person who doesn’t like surprises. That incident was a total bombshell. PTSD is real and it is happening everywhere and to anyone.

Scar is slowly

fading away…

I still get people asking me about my scar and each time I tell them what happened, it is like I’m reliving the night when it all occurred. I learn to just let it go. Sometimes when I don’t feel like saying anything, I just tell people that I tripped myself, end of the story.

Dental Letter

HOSPITAL AND POLICE CASE

After a few moments when I fell, an ambulance arrived and the medics assisted me to go in the ambulance as I can barely walk on my own. When I get to the hospital, I had to do some x-rays to check if I have any broken bones, and thankfully there were none. I was injected with a Tetanus vaccine because I had many open wounds. That injection was painful as hell. A nurse also cleaned and applied medicine to the wounds around my body. It was stinging a lot and I screamed painfully. Unfortunately, the hospital can’t treat my teeth as I need to go to a private dentist for treatment. 

Some police officers approached me while I was in the hospital. They were all asking the same questions - What happen to you? Who attack you? Do you know him? Where were you? Who are you with? All the same questions and repeatedly asking me. I was getting very frustrated because I, for one, was already suffering. I did not appreciate them coming to me asking me the same questions. None of them offered me a wheelchair. They were all just watching me as I try to walk my way from one station to another for checking and treatment. 

I came face-to-face with the Caucasian guy who pushed me. How did that happen? Well, I was called to a nurse ward for another check-up and there he was. I couldn’t help but speak to him, and asked him questions like - Why did you push me? What have I done to you? He couldn't look at me as if no one was talking to him. His girlfriend or his female friend was being unpleasant to me and even had the audacity to say something to me. She said, “Honey, we can’t see.” meaning she can’t see what happened to me. I went ballistic and I had to say something back to her. I showed her my teeth, opened my mouth wide open (I regretted that, but it was worth it). Right after I showed her the horrifying condition of my teeth, she looked away feeling disgusted. Well, that shut her up! I had never had a verbal confrontation with any stranger like that before. The police had to stop us from having any altercation. That was so unnecessary for her to speak to me sarcastically. She was not the one who got hurt.

My friend, Yuko came to accompany me until I was released from the hospital. After that, I had to go to the police station to give my statement. The whole process took longer to finish. I was in pain and at the same time, I need to give my statement, trying to recollect everything that happened. The officer took pictures of my injuries as part of the evidence. At the time, I was contradicting on who to call. I didn’t want to call my mother because she would be worried sick. In the end, it was best to call my sister. I briefly told her everything and she quickly came to be with me as soon as she can with my brother-in-law. It was very nice of them to come and stayed with me until Ryan was finally released and given his statement.

There were a few things I didn’t like when I was being questioned by the officers. They kept asking me these questions - Who pushed you? Did you see him push you? How did you know it was him? Do you think it’s someone else who pushes you? Was there anything on the ground? Did you trip over?  I didn’t appreciate that they were all asking me the same questions over and over again. Were they trying to test me if I was going to say the same answers? I was badly injured and this questioning completely wasn’t helpful to me at all. Somehow, I sort of doubted myself. I started to question my mind and thinking maybe it was all just in my head or I’m making things up. However, I didn’t let them manipulate the situation and for what happened to me. I stayed strong mentally and I trusted myself. Also, the CCTV footage can prove everything. There are a lot of cameras everywhere where the incident happened. It happened in Pedder Street. My statement would match with no doubt. 

THE FRUSTRATION I FEEL ABOUT THE CASE

After giving my statement to the CID officer, the only thing she said to me was to wait for them to call me back for updates. They never did for months. I tried calling 3 times to follow up on the case but to no avail. I didn’t get the answer that I wanted. All they had to say to me was to wait, unfortunately.

I was feeling hopeless and helpless. I try to be patient as cases like mine may take a while to resolve. However, I wish I knew what was going on or if there was an actual case at all. I felt that I have already lost, and no one will be held accountable for what happened to me. This 'waiting for their call' tactic was absurd.

A CALL AFTER 6 MONTHS AND THE VERDICT

I finally received a call from the CID after 6 months, and I was thrilled. At the time, I was near to having my teeth fixed, and when I received that call, I was pleased to hear from them. I asked my sister to come along with Ryan and me to meet the CID officer as my sister can speak Cantonese and communication would be easier having her there with us.

It was a different officer this time as the previous one no longer handles our case, so he took over our case. He briefly went over the statement made by myself and confirmed some information about the assault. He also asked how were my injuries. He then explained the situation and their investigation.

According to their investigation, both Ryan and the Caucasian guy were involved in a heated argument. However, Ryan threw the first punch, which resulted in the guy reacting violently towards me. He pushed me because he had a dispute with Ryan. It was a chain reaction. It was a total no-brainer, and he was drunk at the same time too. He admitted to pushing me because he was drunk. He did not mention any heated argument with Ryan. The police learned about that from me, and they had to investigate. The officer gave me two options - settle or go to court. He also explained that if I pursue the assault case, the guy would potentially be put behind bars, and so does Ryan. I was the sole victim in this case. That is how the judge would see it. If I settle, I could claim the expenses for my injuries. The best way was to settle as going to court would be very expensive and would take a long time to end the case. Also, I don’t ever wish to ever to see that Caucasian man again. I’m afraid that seeing him may trigger my traumatic experience in violence.

Honestly, I don’t fully agree with the investigation and verdict concluded by the detectives. I don’t agree with the guy's chain reaction and his excuse of being drunk. I don’t think it was fair for me. I suffered multiple injuries and I had to leave with this experience and PTSD for the rest of my life. However, there was not much that I can do. I could get myself a lawyer, but that would cost lots of money. Even if I did get a lawyer and if I pursue the case, Ryan would be in trouble. Both of them could end up behind bars, and I certainly didn’t want that to happen. I wouldn’t want to send anyone to jail. I am alive, and even though I had many injuries and have to live with dental implants for the rest of my life, I still don’t want to put someone behind bars. I admit I was very angry when my injuries were still fresh. I remembered saying that I would do everything that I can to find justice. However, my wounds were slowly healing and getting my teeth fixed certainly helped me heal spiritually too. I have a change of heart towards the whole situation. I healed physically, and so did my mind. I will never forget what happened to me, but I believe in moving on.

I was pleased to hear from the officer that the guy admitted that he pushed me and would pay for the cost. Now, that for me was showing some remorse for what he did.

The officer asked whether I want to go to court or settle the case, and I choose to settle it once and for all. I want this to be over, and hopefully, I get the settlement before Christmas and my 30th birthday. He asked to see my medical receipt, and he was pretty shocked when he saw how much I spent on my dental treatment. I spent about HK$47,000. Dental treatments in Hong Kong are expensive!

I signed my final statement that day, and my sister will be the main person to be contacted regarding the settlement. She spoke with the guy’s lawyer, and we agreed to settle with half payment of my dental bills. However, I was hoping I could get the full amount, but I agreed to half to get it over and done with. I got my cheque in the next few days, and I signed a settlement letter. I can’t claim any more cost should I change my mind later on. It was a tough decision to make but I know what’s the right thing to do. I can’t believe I went through all these things. I am just glad that it was all over. It was uncomfortable to be put into that situation.

FORGIVENESS AND A PEACE OF MIND

Even though the man who assaulted me never asked for my forgiveness nor apologize personally for what he had done to me. However, I needed to move on and find peace. I realized that I should not stay angry or upset. I need to find peace.

Some people advise me not to forgive too quickly, and I should always hold him accountable. However, holding grudges and clinging to what happened would not do me any good. What he did to me was extremely wrong from many angles. However, given the situation, I would like to believe that it was not his sole intention to hurt me like that. He was drunk and he was not in his right mind. His anger got the best of him. I have thought about it hard and long. Moving on was the best way to handle the situation. However, I will never forget what happened, but at least I can try to live peacefully.

Whatever happened, in the end, was not exactly the perfect one. However, we do not always get what we want. The only way I could continue to deal with this is to stay strong and think positively that everything will be alright. What is more important is to keep going and don’t let any obstacle stop me from living.

SEEING THINGS WITH A SILVER LINING

“Always find the good things in every problem.”

That is what my mother always tells me whenever I face problems. I should always find the good things in whatever happens to me. She taught me the most meaningful thing I needed to know in life and that is to treat every obstacle with a silver lining. I have never once given up on my situation. I moved forward, and I tried my best to live life as normally as I could. Sure, there were times when I felt hopeless, but I just kept going.

I learned many things from this incident and I am thankful to everyone who helped me during my difficult times and gave everything they could to help me out. The simple gesture like asking how am I doing and listening to my struggles was already good enough for me. I am also thankful to my dentist for doing everything he can to preserve and fix my teeth. He made sure I got my denture as soon as possible so I didn’t have to feel insecure about my missing and chipped teeth. He tried his best to finish all my surgeries in 6 months. That was impressive!

I’m just happy to be alive and still able to do things I normally do. I finally got my 2 front teeth fixed. I always feel insecure about them because they were too forward and made me look like I have bunny teeth. It took me a long time to finally learn to cherish my imperfections. However, sometimes I still felt very insecure about my teeth and that is why I don’t have a lot of pictures with my teeth out. Because of this incident, I had to get them fixed. Now, this was probably the best thing that came out of that whole nightmare. My brand new front teeth were the silver lining.

My teeth before

I rarely smile with my teeth out because I’m quite conscious of how forward my 2 front teeth were. I got the bunny teeth!

Embracing our

teeth =D

My nephew and I were video chatting one time and he decided to show me his missing teeth. I was like if this kid is proud of his teeth, why should I be ashamed of my 1 missing tooth? So we both smiled with our missing teeth and took a screenshot!

VIOLA!

The outcome of my dental injuries to 6 months of treatments. I’m very pleased that I don’t have the gap in between my 2 front teeth. I can smile without feeling conscious now. Sometimes, I feel like that isn’t me in the picture or whenever I look at myself in the mirror. I guess I’m just not used to having no gaps. =D

Yours Truly,

Michelle Chan

My Bodyweight Story

Losing weight for me is easier than gaining weight. In 28 years, I’ve transformed from being thin to chubby to skinny again and finally to current me now. I’ve been body shamed and have been told that I’m too thin and weak or I got fat.

In this blog, I’m writing about my experience with my weight, body changes, humiliation and struggles to lose and gain weight.

I have to gain weight to save myself when I was in my teenage years. I was very underweight and almost too weak to do much physical stuff. Then, I gained weight and got chubby. I try to change my weight and body appearance due to body shaming and self-insecurities. I want to share my bodyweight journey and ways to cope with body shaming and loving the body that was created for us.

FIRST OF, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BODY SHAMING

I was a skinny child back then so a lot of my schoolmates used to teased me and even called me a 'broomstick'. I wasn't keen on food as a child. I love eating a lot of sugar, and I eat very little food, and I eat very slowly too. It's super hard for me to gain weight. I was just too thin for my size.

The skinny me before

When I moved to Hong Kong, that is when I started to gain weight. I gained about 15kg very quickly. I'm not sure why I gained so much weight, but I believe it's due to my excess consumption in junk food, and I was in my adolescent years. Anyways I became chubby after a year since moving to Hong Kong. I was told that I was too fat by my ex-boyfriend, so after some time, I started dieting and completely stopped eating rice. I grew up eating rice my whole life and getting rid of rice made me lose weight drastically. I became underweight in less than a year after I became chubby. The diet completely ruins my growth. I would've grown much taller if I didn't do dieting in such a young age.

I was again body-shamed for gaining a bit of weight when I was between 24-25 years old. I was merely happy, and I was in a very healthy relationship, but people don't approve of my size again. I started working out not because of what people say entirely. Although I was affected by people's words so, in a way, they were one of the reasons why I strive myself to get fit. It is also because I couldn't fit in my shorts and jeans anymore and I couldn't afford to buy new pairs so I workout instead of focusing on dieting.

Dieting doesn't go a hundred percent well with my body type. I am aware that dieting works for other people, but unfortunately, dieting does not work fully well with me. I would say dieting may only work for about 40% on me. When I do dieting, my body does reflect very quickly but very unhealthily too. My metabolism affects my body when I do dieting. I only do dieting when it is necessary; otherwise, I would continue to eatl the food I usually eat. I believe to be healthy, we all need greens, grains, proteins and even carbs and fats to make our body well-balanced.

I was body shamed more than a few occasions. I was hurt, and I took it personally. However, I learned to accept myself and not to let those judgemental words dictate me with my weight. As long as I am happy with my body, then no one should make me feel horrible. How did I do that? Well, the answer is simple, yet it took me a lot of effort to finally surpass it.

My chubby years

Whenever I look at myself in the mirror, I focus on the good deeds that I have done to myself and to others too. Then, I started to feel good about myself. Eventually, I learned to love my baby fats, and I accepted my flaws. I was not born with a nice pair of bums, pairs of long legs and balanced torso. You see my bums were flat, I got short legs, and I got two prominent ribs. These are not perfect, but I don't believe in perfection.

However, I do think that we can change that. I can't change the fact that I got short legs so; instead, I try to shape it up by doing some cardio exercises and legs workout such as lunges, squats and burpees. My bums were flat, so I do a lot of squats, lunges, pilates and yoga exercises. Unfortunately for my ribs, there is nothing much I can do, unless of course I remove them which is not very possible.

I have achieved so much since I started working out. I feel a lot healthier and stronger. I use all those criticisms as a way to redeem myself and to help myself love my body a lot better.

As of me in 2019

WHEN I STARTED GAINING WEIGHT

I have been skinny my whole life until I moved to Hong Kong when I was 13. I began to gain weight and eventually, I became chubby. From 44kg, I became 56kg in one year. How did that happen? For starters, I was more exposed to food when I move here as my parents allowed to hang out after school since I started high school. My go-to place is McDonald's. Imagine me eating every day in McDonald's, downing those junk food every day for a year. Of course, I would gain a lot of weight. Anybody would.

Since I gained weight, an ex-boyfriend of mine started body-shaming me, telling me that I've gone too fat so I need to go on a diet. He manipulated me to stop eating rice and to eat less instead of encouraging me to stop eating junk food. I was foolish enough to listen to that boy. Anyways, I lost about 18kg! I became 38kg. How did I know that? Well, we had this yearly check-up at school, and the nurse weighed me and told me that my BMI is too low and I am beyond underweight for my age, I was nearly 17 then. After learning, I started to quit dieting, and all I want to do is to gain more weight as I am already beginning to feel weak physically and mentally affecting me. It is so hard to get back on track in eating. My appetite had changed and was very low too. I can only consume a few spoonfuls of food. There were times that I would force myself to eat more, and I would feel like I need to vomit.

I will probably not let myself become very skinny again as it was a horrific experience and health should be on top of everyone's list. No one should tell us how we should handle our body or even change ourselves. We should be the one to know what is good for us.

STEPS I HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE YEARS

1. EXERCISE REGULARLY

   Exercising can benefit you in many things such as better lifestyle, healthier body and mind, being productive and feeling strong. I find exercising somehow a bit hard to follow at first as I work full time and most of the time, I would feel tired from work. In spite of that, I still managed to find some time to exercise at least three nights a week. I feel less stressful after releasing all the sweat and unwanted stress in my body. I feel like I am whole again and ready to conquer the world.

   However, as much as exercising is good, it is not for everyone. You must check with yourself or with your doctor about your body types and what exercises are a good fit for you.

   When I started going back to the gym, the gym offered me to have my body assessed. I did the 360 fitness test. It is a machine that scans your body and let you know your muscles, fats and core percentages. As it turned out, my core muscle and thighs muscles are my strengths, and my arms are my weakness. In that test, I was nearly going to be overweight, so immediately I knew what to focus on to get fit and healthy. Doing that test had helped me understand my body more and what exercises are suitable for me to do.

2. YOGA MEDITATION

   Spending some time doing some yoga movement is a very positive way to meditate. Not only it helps calm your nerves and any tensions in your body, but it also makes your body flexible and helps you to have a proper posture. For those who work in an office and have to sit all day will experience their neck feeling stiff and their back feeling uncomfortable. That is because we spend so much time sitting, and eventually, we forget to adjust our posture, hence adding to our stress.

   Yoga has been such a big help for me and my back problem. I was a sloucher since I was a kid. I have never really improved my posture, not since I started doing yoga. It has helped me to remind myself to straighten my back from time to time. I would go and walk around from time to time and do a bit of stretching while at work. Stretching is good as it allows our blood to circulate and to avoid having blood clots.

3. DRINKING MORE TEA

   Tea is an excellent way to start a healthier lifestyle. However, tea consisting of caffeine-free are healthy ones. Drinking excessive of teas are not good though as your body will rely on it daily. I only drink one tea bag a day for five days a week, for instance. I do not want to overdrink tea as I don’t want my body to rely on tea so much that would lead me to be immune to it that will no longer take any effect on a sleepy kind of day when I most need it.

   Tea such as ginger tea helps me with my respiratory and green tea helps me with bowel movements.

   I got my tea from 'Teapigs' as they use real leaves and the flavours are definitely there. When I dip my tea temple into my cup for a few seconds, I can already taste the delicious tea. Also, the tea temples are biodegradable. Check out their website to find out more.

   Teapigs - https://www.teapigs.com/

4. LESS ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

   I used to be an alcoholic before. I drink almost every day in my early adult years. I was stressed and depressed, and alcohol was my way to forget all my problems. That was bad. However, I was fortunate to be able to stop that. I feel a lot better, not drinking as much as I did.

   The reason why I stop my binge drinking was because of my job. When I went back to teaching, I was no able to drink as much as I used to. It has helped me change my lifestyle and to handle stress in a lot different way. I don't see alcohol as my way to de-stress.

   I still drink occasionally, and I find it more enjoyable now that I don't do it very often. However, I don't like having a hangover, who does anyways?

5. AT LEAST 7-8 HOURS OF SLEEP PER DAY

   Studies show that sleeping for 7-8 hours a day is the standard, and it will help us survive the day while at work. I try my best to follow that. Having enough sleep also helps our memory and be more attentive during the day.

   However, I sometimes find it hard to survive the day without yawning or falling asleep. I believe a lot of people suffers from that as well. The problems are usually what we do before we go to sleep. We should avoid any electronic devices such as using mobile phones or laptop while at bed may disrupt our sleeping mode. Some food and drinks such as caffeine and chocolate or even eating a full meal while getting to bed can affect our sleep mode too.

   To have a good sleep, make sure to make yourself relax, make your bedroom comfortable and no lights as much as possible. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea can also be of help with your sleep.

WORKING OUT IS NO EASY THING

When I see people working out in social media or when I watch tips from workout experts, it seems so easy, but it is not. When I went back to the gym in 2017, I struggled so much. My stamina was weak. My only source of exercise in the past was dancing, and pretty much that’s the only thing I did. I am not a sporty type of person, nor do I do any sports at all. Starting was not easy. I had to train myself and learn everything from the instructors.

Exercising needs a lot of self-motivation and commitments too. You have to make time to make yourself move around, and you can’t work out when you are too exhausted from work also because you will make yourself even tired and probably get sick from it. Eating and sleeping well are also another way to live healthily.

One thing I know for sure about working out is that it gets slightly better after some months of continuous workout. You will begin to feel that your tolerance for the intense workout will get higher and higher and the more you will be pushing yourself to do more laps and push up counts.

WATCHING WHAT YOU EAT

To live a healthy lifestyle, one must eat healthily too. Eating the wrong things can cause some deflation on the whole process. Excessive eating of junk food while working out, for instance, is not good as the calories that you lose from working out will go on waste in exchange of the amount of junk food that you consume.

I don't watch out what I eat in the past. I didn't care much about what I eat. I like to eat whatever I want at any time. It doesn't matter if I just finished working out. That was easy because I was younger, and my metabolism was fast back then, so I lose those fats quite quickly. However, the older I get, my metabolism is getting slower; hence, fats do stay in your system without proper care.

So what's so wrong about fats? It's nothing in general as long as you balance it off. We all need fats in or body system. There are two types of fats - the good and the bad ones. The good fats, for example, are avocados, dark chocolate, whole eggs, fatty fish, yoghurt, nuts and cheese. These are healthier to consume. Bad fats, on the other hand, are not so good to have, but we all need to have them from time to time to keep our nutrition well balance. The bad fats consist of junk food and processed food.

MY TRANSFORMATION

Over the years, my body weight has been shifting. From thin to chubby to thin again to chubby. It's like a cycle where it keeps changing depending on my lifestyle. I would say my lifestyle is a lot stable now. Although I am still stressed from work, I am more aware of my health and fitness. I take the time to detox and to exercise regularly.

As you can see, my transformation in the above image. It took me many years to finally settle into my current size and weight. Now I weigh 53kg, which is the right weight for my size and age.

I struggled to gain weight, and I have also experienced a hard time losing those weights and to finally decided to get fit.

My bodyweight journey will not stop here. I will continue to live a healthy lifestyle and discover myself more mentally and physically.

I have recently taken a DNA test for Diet and Fitness from 'Circle DNA'. I bought the vital package mainly focusing on diet and fitness. My result should be out soon. I will be sharing it as soon as I acquire my results.

I wish this blog has been of help. Just remember that you should change for yourself and not to for other people. You may treat other people's judgement as an inspiration to do and live better, but never do it for them entirely. Body shaming should be condemned, but in the world that we are living in is quite impossible. However, we can prevent that by not allowing ourselves to be affected by their words. We also shouldn't judge others.

If you have any questions or would like to share your experiences or thoughts, feel free to leave a comment below.

Yours Truly,

Michelle Chan

My Battle with Eczema and Hives

Eleven weeks ago, I was diagnosed with Eczema and Urticaria (Hives) possibly due to high stress, weather changes and anxiety. It was such a piece of distress news for me when I found out. I honestly don’t have any clue what Eczema and I only know a few things about Hives. It was devastating and yet I still need to fight it.

The purpose of creating this blog is to raise awareness. I notice that not many people are aware of this skin problem. Ever since I got Eczema and Hives, I have been researching and reading plenty of articles to know more about this skin problem. This condition that I have got me inspired to write a blog about my battle with Eczema and Hives.

FIRST OF, WHAT IS ECZEMA?

Eczema is also known as Atopic Dermatitis. It is a condition that makes your skin red, itchy, rough and inflamed.

Eczema is very common with young children. However, adults may get this skin problem too. Dermatitis can occur to anyone in any ages.

Believe it or not, Doctors don’t exactly know what causes Eczema. Chances are it is due to genetics, stress, abnormal function of the immune system, bacteria, weather, pollution and super dry and sensitive skin.

There is no known cure for Eczema. However, treatments are possible, and you may conduct them at home, you don’t have to stay in the hospital for treatment unless it is a severe skin condition.

Eczema is not contagious, and you will not pass it or get it from someone who has Eczema.

WHAT ARE HIVES?

Hives are also known as Urticaria. Hives appear anywhere in the body. Some hives are itchy, and some do not. Unlike Eczema, Hives does not usually stay on the skin for more than 24 hours. It usually goes away after some time and will not leave any scars, unless you scratch them too harshly.

Just like Eczema, children, adults and even the elderly can get Hives. Acute Hives usually last for more than six weeks. People who suffer Hives typically take the anti-histamine pills to prevent any Hives from growing any further. Be mindful that the tablets must be taken on a regular schedule. Another treatment could be avoiding some food and drinks that could trigger a flare-up such as, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, shellfish and many more.

WATCH OUT FOR SYMPTOMS

LOOK FOR SIGNS

Monitor your skin and what you consume on a day to day basis. If you see any red spots or bumps on your skin, check if it is either just a mosquito bite or if it is infected. When your skin is infected, that is where bacteria starts to come in so make sure not to scratch yourself too much. Avoid scratching until you bleed. Instead, you may tap them gently, soak in cold water, apply moisturising lotion or put on a pair of gloves when you sleep at night to avoid sleep-scratching yourself.

CONSULT A DERMATOLOGIST

When you think that the symptoms are getting worse, e.g. swollen spots, non-stop itchy feeling or skin infections due to scratching, you must go and see a dermatologist. Seeing a dermatologist is usually expensive so go only when you need it. A dermatologist will usually first look at your skin and the affected area to diagnose what you have. Some dermatologist will ask you to do a blood test for skin if you haven’t done it before. The purpose of this is to see if you are allergic to any food. However, a blood test is not cheap either.

A dermatologist will usually prescribe you a set of anti-histamine pills to calm and help ease your skin from the allergic reaction, lotion or cream for moisturising your skin and steroid cream for treatment. Steroid cream works very quickly. However, there are some disadvantages too. Applying steroid cream onto your skin affects your blood vessels, it thins your skin, and there is a high chance that your spots will come back after some time. I wouldn’t recommend steroid cream unless it’s mandatory.

Make sure to prepare what to ask your dermatologist and ask as much as you can.

WHAT CAUSES THESE SKIN BREAKOUTS

The causes of skin breakouts can be from many things. It can be from food or drinks that you consume, the weather, the pollution, the dust/ mites, stress and even your moods and feelings. Here are some of the leading causes of skin breakouts.

FOOD ALLERGY

If you are allergic to any food such as shellfish, nuts, beans, milk and many more, then you must avoid them. Not avoiding foods that trigger your skin to flare will only make it worse and you will suffer even more. If you have never done a blood test for skin or when your blood test said negative for any allergies, sometimes your skin is still sensitive to specific food or drink.

How will you know if you’re allergic to anything? Try monitoring what you eat and drink every day. Write them in a piece of paper and check if you start having flares, spots or itchiness. I know I can’t eat food with cow’s milk and cheese, raw beef, shellfish, chicken meat and nuts because I always feel extra itchy after taking a bite of these products, so I try to avoid them.

What you eat and what you drink daily may reflect your skin breakout so make sure that you know what you are eating and don’t overeat raw food.

STRESS

Stress portrays a big thing in our daily life. When you are stress and fatigue, your body is more likely going to fell ill. I was super stressed a few months before I got my breakouts. I was agitated, and I was mentally exhausted. My mental health has resulted in my skin breakouts. I seek advice from my dermatologist as I do not have any food allergy so he suggested that I should relax more often and not stress myself too much because stress can be one of the most cause of my skin outbreaks.

Being angry all the time is not healthy for our skin too. Our body reacts according to our moods and feelings.

CHANGE OF ENVIRONMENT/ WEATHER

Another possible reason for your skin breakouts would be the weather. Some people are extra sensitive during the cold, and dry weather while some are more sensitive to hot or humid weather. Try to avoid too much sun exposure as this may irritate your skin and cause your skin to be red and warm. Remember this, when your body is warm or hot, then that is when your skin will start to feel itchy that would make you want to scratch your skin which is completely not a good thing.

During cold and dry weather, your skin will be extra dry so you must hydrate and moisturise your skin by applying lotion at least two times daily - one in the morning and one in the evening. Some people use cream three times a day, depending on how your skin is.

IMMUNE SYSTEM IS DOWN

When your immune system is down, there is a high chance that your skin would be affected. When this happens, you feel extra vulnerable and sensitive. The best way to prevent this from getting it worse is to eat and drink more nutrients and foods with omega 3 and plenty of vegetables and fruits. Drinking antibiotic could help too but do not mix it with Antihistamine pills when you are also taking that.

HOW TO PREVENT THEM

There is no cure for eczema, but you can always prevent them from getting it worse by following the steps below.

FOOD AND DRINKS TO AVOID AND MAY CAUSE FURTHER TRIGGERS

Here is a list of food and drinks to avoid:

MEAT: Chicken (skin and fried), raw beef, marinated pork or any meat that are too saucy

DAIRY PRODUCTS: Cow products such as milk, ice-cream, cheese, butter and margarine, eggs, milk tea, salad dressing

GLUTEN: Pasta, noodles, bread, cereal, flour products, soup with cream, dumplings, ramen noodles, sandwich, wheat products

NUTS: Peanuts, almonds, walnuts, other types of nuts

FISH & SHELLFISH: Fish, shellfish such as clams, oyster, scallops, shrimp, crab, prawns, etc

DRINKS: Beer (except gluten-free beer), tea and coffee with high caffeine, sodas, smoothies with milk, alcoholic drinks

VEGETABLES: Beans, eggplant, celery, squash, peas, seaweed, broccoli, some mushrooms

FRUITS: Citrus fruits such as lemon, lime, and orange, kiwi, avocado, grapefruit, grapes, tomato, mango, strawberry, pineapple, watermelon

CONDIMENTS: Soy sauce, chilli sauce, ketchup (because of tomato)

SOY PRODUCTS: Soybean, edamame, tofu, soymilk

OTHERS: Fast food such as burger, French fries, fried food, junk food, chips/crisps, sausages, hotdog, cakes, candies, chocolates, biscuit, crackers, wheat

FOODS AND DRINKS TO HELP FIGHT ECZEMA AND HIVES

Here is a list of food and drinks to take:

MEAT: Pork, fat fish with high Omega-3 such as salmon, tilapia, sole, sea bass, halibut, cod, milkfish

NON-DAIRY PRODUCTS: Yak milk, non-cow milk, coconut milk, rice milk, yoghurt, oats

SOUP: Miso soup, chicken and beef broth soup base, pork bone soup, vegetable soup

CONDIMENTS: Vinegar, olive oil, sunflower oil, flaxseed oil, saffron, turmeric

NON-GLUTEN: Rice, rice noodles, buckwheat noodles, sourdough bread, soba noodles, vermicelli, pho noodles, rice cakes, grains, quinoa

DRINKS: Tea such as chamomile, ginger, peppermint, hibiscus, oolong tea, cranberry juice, honey, dates, herbal drink, watercress, mocktails

VEGETABLES: Spinach, okra, cabbage, morning glory (Kang kong), lettuce, bitter-melon, carrots, potatoes, green onions, onions, garlic, mung bean sprouts, bell peppers, shiitake mushroom, kale, beets

FRUITS: Papaya, apples, dragon fruit, blueberries, cranberries, banana, lychee, coconut, cherries, pears

DISHES: Baked potatoes, salad, fresh spring rolls (using rice flour), open-faced sandwiches and burger (bun on the side), sweet potatoes, many more

USE TOPICAL CREAMS, LOTION AND OILS

When your skin is dry, you must hydrate no matter what. You must apply topical lotions, creams and oils to your skin. Leaving your skin dehydrated and dry will make everything worse.

Here are some suggestions of what to use on your skin:

LOTION

• CETAPHIL ULTRA HYDRATING LOTION

• CERAVE LOTION

• AVEENO MOISTURIZING LOTION

• DOVE DERMASERIES LOTION

• BIODERMA

• MUSTELA STELATOPIA EMOLLIENT BALM

• ST IVES NATURALLY SOOTHING OATMEAL AND SHEA BUTTER BODY LOTION

CREAMS

• AVEENO ECZEMA THERAPY

• AVENE SKIN RECOVERY CREAM

• COCO DERMA CREAM

• CERAVE ECZEMA SOOTHING CREAMY OIL

• EUCERIN ECZEMA RELIEF BODY CREME

• VASELINE ORIGINAL PETROLEUM JELLY

• MANUKA HONEY MOISTURIZING CREAM

• LA ROCHE-POSAY LIPIKAR ECZEMA SOOTHING RELIEF CREAM

OILS/ GELS

• VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

• PRIMROSE OIL

• ROSE OIL

• MANUKA HONEY OIL

• ALOE VERA GEL

• CACTUS GEL

• JOJOBA OIL

• LAVENDER OIL

• CALENDULA OIL

• SUNFLOWER OIL

TAKE ANTI-HISTAMINE PILLS

Anti-histamine pills help calm your skin breakout. It does not make eczema nor any other skin allergies go away, but it helps to prevent it or make it worse. Most doctors recommend a 5mg or 10mg one dosage per day. Make sure you don’t overtake the pill. One pill for 24 hours is the standard. Make an alarm to help remind you when to take medicine and follow that routine at all times and for as long as you are required to take the pill. Always consult with your doctor first.

AVOID USING STEROIDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

Sure, steroids provide fast effects and can let your red spots go away in a matter of 1-2 days, but the chances of having your allergies come back are high especially when you’ve stopped applying the steroid cream or taking steroid injections.

Avoid having them in your body system as much as possible. I believe steroids are only necessary for a severe skin problem.

RELAX MORE, AVOID BEING STRESS

Highly avoid being stress out as this can worsen your eczema or hives. Try your best to always think positively and avoid overthinking too. You can get a stress ball to help you calm you down every time you feel like you are going to be stress about something.

Relax more by rewarding yourself more to the spa and get a pleasant and relaxing massage. Hot stone massage helped me a lot because it’d helped me released my toxins from inside. Just to let you know that you will fart a lot when doing hot stone massage. Think of it as a good thing.

Yoga also helps with relieving stress, and it calms your nerves as well. It is peaceful and makes your mind clear and refreshed.

STAY HYDRATED

Drink plenty of water at least eight glasses per day. When you are dehydrated, your body becomes warm, and you will start to feel itchy because your skin is dry.

DON’T SCRATCH

I know this may sound hard to do but scratching your itchy spot will not help your skin situation get any better, perhaps it might get worse. Every time you scratch, you are allowing the bacteria or the infected area to spread around your body. The reason why you feel itchy is that your skin is becoming dry. So every time you feel itchy, compress your skin with a cold, wet towel and apply lotion, cream or oil.

GO FOR SAUNA

Sauna works for some people while some people find it not so compelling. I tried the sauna, and so far it helped me relax, and I feel somehow refreshed especially after working out at the gym.

Sauna is a good detox therapy for your skin, and it brings out the toxins out from your system. However, some people cannot handle the heat and humid temperature in a sauna room. It is essential to test this a few times and see the results.

AVOID DRINKING TOO MANY ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

When having eczema, avoiding alcoholic drinks is probably the best. However, a glass of wine or beer per day or occasionally wouldn’t hurt if you are suffering from mild eczema. Just make sure that you have water on the side.

I love drinking, and for me, it was hard to stop for some time. When I started introducing alcoholic drinks again, I give myself a limit up to two bottles or glasses on a night out, and I drink water every sip of an alcoholic beverage.

Drinking alcoholic drinks make our body warm. Hydrating yourself with water is probably the best to avoid any bad flare up.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

HOW DID I FIND OUT I HAVE ECZEMA AND HIVES

Finding out what I was having was probably the most crucial matter. It all started with a frequent sore throat, runny nose and coughing followed by a high fever which resulted in my first sick-leave from work in 3 years. My body was feeling very weak, and on top of that, I was super stress as well mainly with work. I started having red spots around my legs, thighs, arms, wrists, tummy and soon on my neck and chest area. The red spots spread quite quickly, and the itchiness went worse in a few days, so I decided to see a dermatologist.

I’ve done some research before seeing the dermatologist. I was expecting Hives due to my symptoms, and the spots appearance. I was shocked to hear that I got eczema as well. I never knew I could get eczema at this age. I was 27 years old at the time by the way. I was dismayed but at the same time relieved because at least I found out what was wrong with me and it is not something super serious. The dermatologist told me that my eczema was just a mild one, so I still got plenty of chance to improve my skin problem.

THE STRUGGLES ARE REAL

The first three weeks after I was diagnosed with eczema and hives, I was devastated and agitated.

I avoided several food and drinks that may cause even more triggers. I was on a strict diet. Eating out was very hard. I stopped going to the gym because sweating is not ideal at that moment while the red spots were still around my skin. I quit drinking while taking anti-histamine pills. I have to apply lotion and creams onto my skin now and then throughout the day for as many as I needed. I cannot wear anything too tight, and I avoided any fabrics that will make my skin itchy. I have to stay out of sunlight as much as possible and avoid making my body warm. I got rid of most of my beauty products that didn’t imply “hypo-allergenic”. I got rid of my old beauty products, and I spend so much money buying new beauty products that have hypo-allergenic. I switch to Cetaphil, Aveeno and so on.

Lastly and probably the hardest to handle was having to avoid feeling stressed, unhappy, angry and restless. Dealing with emotional feelings was not easy because we cannot control what we think. We may be able to control it, but it’s harder to control your emotions when you are dealing with something else. In my case, it was a struggle, but I am glad I got through my nightmares. After two months, I have begun to see some improvements.

HOW DID I HANDLE IT

So right after I found out what was wrong with me, I immediately started researching about eczema. I read so many different articles, and I wrote that information down and started making a list of things I have to avoid and food and drinks to avoid. It was crazy. I felt even worse. However, I did not let myself lose hope just yet. I tried to follow whatever tips that I think are reasonable and comfortable for me.

It was complicated at first, especially in the first three weeks. I struggle a lot. There were many nights where I couldn’t sleep and would cry myself to sleep. I suffered from insomnia as well. It affected my daily life. You can say I had a mild-depression at the time.

THINGS I DID PERSONALLY TO PREVENT IT

I did so many things, tried so many things, spend plenty of money buying treatment creams, oil, lotion, nutrition drinks and many more others. Below are the steps I did to prevent my eczema and hives.

Step 1 - I avoid many food and drinks that could trigger a flare-up for at least six weeks, and I started re-introducing some food and drinks again slowly after eight weeks.

Step 2 - I started taking nutrition drink from EXCEL daily.

Step 3 - Daily topical treatments. I apply Cetaphil Ultra Hydrating Lotion every day right after a shower. I use Aveeno Eczema Therapy at least three times a day. I apply Coco cream at least twice a day to the itchy and scars area. I apply Evening Primrose Oil before I go to sleep at night.

Step 4 - I take one Aerius anti-histamine pill at 11:30 pm daily

Step 5 - I ditch intense working at the gym and stick to Yoga classes for six weeks

Step 6 - I go for the steam sauna at least twice a week for 10 minutes

Step 7 - I avoid wearing tight clothing for six weeks

Step 8 - I make sure I drink 7-8 glasses of water a day every day.

Step 9 - I relax more and avoid being stress and angry. I try to be sane and confident about my situation.

Step 10 - I go for hot stone spa once every month which I personally think is very effective.

I still have eczema and hives up until this moment. However, I felt a lot better. My eczema and hives have improved rapidly because of the steps I did. Many people told me that there is no cure and it is a long-term sickness. However, I did not let that stop me from getting better. I don’t believe I will have eczema and hives forever. In time, they will fade away slowly.

For those who are suffering from eczema, hives or any other skin disease, always remember that there is always a solution to your problem. Don’t lose hope and don’t give up. Try and try everything until you see the result. Being patient is also very important.

I hope this blog is helpful. If you need any help or advice, feel free to leave a comment below. I will be more than happy to help.

Yours Truly,

Michelle Chan