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Eczema: NHS GP explains symptoms of skin condition

A woman with a skin condition that causes bruises like rashes all over her face is embracing her natural look and going make-up free.

Nancy Morel, 19, first noticed something was wrong with her skin when she was shopping with her mother, Jackie, 50.

Her lips appeared swollen – as if she had been stung by an insect – and when she arrived at A&E at Milton Keynes University Hospital, Buckinghamshire, they suspected it was an allergic reaction to ibuprofen.

She was transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, for a diagnosis but doctors struggled to pinpoint what was causing her unusual symptoms.

Over the years she has had countless tests but medics have been unable to say what has been causing her bruise like rashes.

 Nancy hit rock bottom when she had the worst breakout she’d ever experienced on her face, leading her to feel self-conscious and embarrassed in October 2021.

Her late father, Rick Morel, 64, battled bowel cancer and sadly passed away in July 2021 – but his courage gave her the confidence to “keep going” and help others as “he never let his disease get him down”.

Nancy, a content creator, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, said: “My whole skin flares up in what looks like rashes and bruises.

“It constantly feels like hundreds of needles poking in and out – it’s very sore.

“I used to cover my skin up with make-up they use on film-sets to cover tattoos, but now I choose to not cover it up and embrace it.

“The doctors and the hospital still don’t know what it is and the day before my 16th birthday I decided to stop trying new treatments as it was affecting my day-to-day life.”

At first, medical staff suspected Nancy had urticarial vasculitis – a rare disease where blood vessels swell up.

Nancy has tried countless treatments and spent years looking for a diagnosis, but nothing helped.

Nancy – who is the youngest of eight siblings and twin to sister Tilly – added: “It started interfering with my everyday life – I felt tired and sick.

“It affected my behaviour and there were periods I couldn’t go to school.

“Luckily everyone at my school was amazing and no one had a bad word to say about my condition.

“They grew up learning about my condition with me.”

Last year Nancy had the worst flare up she had ever had but remembering her dad’s kind words of encouragement and positivity got her through.

“I was really upset about it but then I remembered my dad always used to say PMA – positive mental attitude – and I decided to change my mindset,” she said.

“He never let his illness control his life.” Nancy can only use paracetamol to relieve the pain due to her allergies and has yet to try an ointment or cream that works.

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People often stare at her but she doesn’t mind and sometimes uses it as an opportunity to explain her condition to them.

Now the teenager embraces self-love and uses her platform to help others with insecurities and skin conditions.

Nancy added: “I’m embracing and loving myself – I have thousands of girls and boys, men and women who message me to say I’ve helped them overcome their body confidence issues.

“I’m hoping to make social media a more inclusive space for everyone and that looking unique is a very special thing.

“I am beautiful even if I don’t fit the prescribed beauty standard and I want to help others to not let their conditions define them.”

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