Simone Biles recently opened up about her skin condition in a candid conversation. The Olympic gymnast recalled how she had been struggling and even bled due to the condition before she was diagnosed. And now, she is not holding back and sharing everything she experienced in a very heart-to-heart conversation.
Simone Biles reflects on the skin condition that left her bleeding and miserable
In a conversation with PEOPLE, Simone recalled her battle with seborrheic dermatitis and eczema. The gymnast shared how she managed the two skin conditions for years before seeing a dermatologist for a diagnosis. She has now partnered with Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. to launch the Skin to Believe In campaign to raise awareness around these inflammatory skin conditions and inspire others to find a solution.
During the conversation, she recalled “itching all the time” and revealed the symptoms actually began when she was still training for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Simone revealed she noticed she was flaking around the crown of her head and said:
“I was itching and flaking. I would itch so hard and use a comb that I would bleed. I was just like, ‘I can’t live like this. I’m itching. I’m miserable. I feel uncomfortable. I need to see someone who can give me relief. I was kind of in denial, so I did a lot of over-the-counter stuff. Then I had some spots on my arms…I thought it was going to let up, and then some of my symptoms got a lot worse.”
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Angela J. Lamb also joined Simone during the conversation and told the media outlet how imperative it was to talk about these skin conditions because those dealing with them often seek professional help too late. She said Simone should never have had her scalp bleed and was lucky she didn’t develop an infection. She further added:
“You really want to get on top of your skin conditions. If left untreated, these conditions can have some long-term consequences. People who are not managing their seborrheic dermatitis can have hair loss… so you really want to go relatively quickly.”
Simone also talked about why it took her so long to seek help. She revealed that she had been putting off seeing a dermatologist because of her schedule. However, as her condition worsened, it pushed her to finally see a doctor because it had also begun to affect her mentally at the biggest events of her career. She recalled being afraid of people seeing the flaking on camera or in person during the Olympics.
What is Simone Biles’ objective behind her Skin to Believe In campaign
Since opening up about her diagnoses on TikTok and through this campaign, Simone and Dr. Lamb have worked to raise awareness about the conditions and debunk misconceptions. They have also battled misconceptions that seborrheic dermatitis is contagious. Simone also notes that her husband, Jonathan Owens, cited contagion as a concern before they educated themselves about the chronic inflammatory skin condition.
Simone also shared that, through the Skin to Believe In campaign, she chose to share her story so others facing the same health challenges know they don’t have to suffer in silence. She was quoted as saying:
“Once we know that we can’t fix every problem on our own, it’s okay to get help. Once we raise awareness, then they can get the relief that they deserve. That’s really what it’s about, not silently suffering. There is help out there for you. We just have to take that first step to see a dermatologist and get that relief, because they deserve it. These are trusted professionals… they’ve spent their whole lives treating people for these causes. It’s just incredible that we have these resources.”
Simone Biles also admitted that while she is an accomplished gymnast, she is also a regular person. For those who don’t know, Simone has won 41 major international medals, including 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals. She said that while other people who struggle with the condition might not relate to everything she does, they can relate to some of it.
Simone added that in the last couple of years of her career, she had really just owned who she was and what she was going through. She revealed that once a person accepts who they are, the rest becomes easier. She concluded the conversation by saying, “You just have to make the appointment.”
What are your thoughts on Simone Biles’ revelations? Let us know.
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