Tia Mowry Opens up About Her Medical Condition Not Being Diagnosed for Years
Tia Mowry is talking about a skin condition that's plagued her entire life. As a brand ambassador for Aveeno, she revealed her battle with eczema. "Skin sensitivities are often seen as a weakness or an imperfection, the 44-year-old Family Reunion star told Us Weekly. "And it's something that we don't necessarily talk about." it's a condition that Mowry and her mother, Darlene, battled with for years. She remembers getting "circle patches" on her arms as a child. "[My mom would tell me] 'Oh, that's just from the sun,' or 'those are sunspots," she added, noting them being unfamiliar with how the condition develops on melanated skin. It wasn't until she became an adult and sought treatment that she learned what she was dealing with.
"Finally, as I got older, I remember going into [another] doctor's office and my hands were literally peeling. I showed them to her and was like, 'What is going on?' She was like, 'Oh, honey, that's eczema.' And this was a Black doctor — it took a Black doctor to properly diagnose what was going on," Mowry explained.
The Sister,Sister star says her experience with eczema is perfect for the brand's new campaign, which promotes the hashtag #ProudlySensitiveSkin. She hopes it promotes conversation about eczema in the Black community.
She's also learned about what triggers her eczema flares. "When I'm stressed, I'll have some sort of flare up, or when I'm going into a hot room into a cold room and the temperature fluctuates rather quickly," she explained.
It's not the first time Mowry has opened up about a health condition. She revealed that endometriosis has been an issue on and off in her life and impacted her ability to conceive at times. According to Mayo Clinic, endometriosis is a condition in which cells similar to the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, grow outside the uterus. Endometriosis often involves the pelvic tissue and can envelop the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It can affect nearby organs, including the bowel and bladder.