In this episode of Life With a Difference, I’m joined by Holly Lloyd, who has lived with eczema since infancy and, over the last year, experienced a level of severity that most people simply don’t understand.
Holly’s story is hard, but it’s also incredibly practical, because she shares an emergency pathway that helped her access specialist dermatology care when things became unsafe.
00:00 Intro, why Holly’s story matters
00:09 Meet Holly, lifelong eczema and how 2025 escalated
01:03 Childhood eczema, bandages, then “growing out of it”
02:05 Eczema returns in her 20s, spread, and moving beyond topicals
03:22 The last 6 months, full body decline, rapid overnight flares
04:38 No sleep, severe inflammation, repeated infections
05:14 Why “eczema” gets minimised, the extreme end people don’t see
08:03 When Holly knew it wasn’t normal anymore
09:27 Complex case clinic, advocating hard, still no proper escalation
11:17 Moving back with her mum, surviving becomes “normal”
13:14 Private vs NHS routes, and how to push for specialist care
14:23 Holly researches Guy’s and St Thomas’, planning to self refer
15:56 The difference at Guy’s and St Thomas’, “human” and thorough
16:14 The emergency pathway, walking into A and E
16:33 Local hospital admissions, why it felt unsafe and insufficient
17:48 What went wrong in general hospital care
20:39 Discharged because blood markers looked “okay”
21:33 Why severe skin needs a real emergency pathway
23:19 Holly’s decision, taxi to St Thomas’ A and E
25:07 Rapid decline in the waiting room, admitted by 3am
27:04 The scary part, tick box medicine and missed urgency
29:31 Guy’s vs St Thomas’, how the hospitals work together
31:49 What happened after admission, being properly supported
32:17 Consultants travel over, “show us more”, thorough investigations
33:44 Patient lodge + dermatology day care clinic
35:24 The key takeaway, if you’re severe, this pathway exists
36:43 Being a mum, weighing risks, needing a break to survive
39:01 The mental health reality, severe eczema can be life threatening
40:32 Treatments tried and what’s next
46:10 Ongoing weekly follow ups, proper monitoring
47:24 Why care and practical support changes everything
49:42 If Holly ran the NHS, what needs to change
54:18 Sharing pathways, reach out, community support
55:08 Where to find Holly, and her offer to help others
56:47 Message to carers and supporters
57:17 Closing thoughts
We talk about:
• What severe, full body eczema can actually look and feel like
• Repeated infections, loss of mobility, and the mental toll of living in constant fear of the next flare
• Why “eczema” is often minimised, even when someone is genuinely in crisis
• The difference between standard hospital care and specialist dermatology teams
• The emergency route Holly used to access Guy’s and St Thomas’ care
• The value of dermatology day care and what real support looks like when you are too unwell to care for yourself
• Treatment decision making when you have tried everything and you are just trying to get your life back
If you are living with severe eczema and feel stuck, please know you are not alone, and you deserve proper care.
Holly on Instagram: @HollyLloydskin
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Please get in touch if I can help in any way
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https://www.lifewithadifference.info/
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