Simone Biles Thought Her Itchy, Flaky Scalp Was Dandruff. It Was Eczema

Simone Biles. Photo: Arcutis Biotherapeutics Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles is opening up about living with eczema. After experiencing itching and flaking on her skin and scalp, Biles saw a dermatologist who diagnosed her with atopic dermatitis and seborrheic dermatitis. Biles hopes that sharing her experience will help others with eczema feel less ashamed and encourage them to seek care. Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history. But the beloved icon is taking a break from talking about the balance beam and vault to discuss a personal health condition that she lives with alongside 31 million fellow Americans: eczema. “A couple years ago, I started noticing flaking and itching on my scalp, especially on the crown of my head. And at first, I thought it was a lot of dandruff, and then I was worried it could be something contagious,” Biles told Healthline. “I’ve also dealt with patches of dry skin on my arm, but it comes and goes.” Recently, she noticed her symptoms getting worse, especially when stressed from training. “I would definitely be in the gym, finding myself waiting for bars or for beam and just scratching and scratching and [people] w…

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