A CBS4 NEW SPECIAL REPORT WE
ARE CALLING MORE THAN SKIN DEEP.
FRANCES WANG TOOK TIME OFF
LAST MONTH TO HEAL FROM A SKIN
CONDITION THAT SHE DEVELOPED
EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
SHE JOINS US NOW TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT SHE HAS BEEN THROUGH AND
WHAT SHE HAS LEARNED.
Reporter: AS NEWS ANCHORS
IT'S NOT OFTEN WE END UP
BECOMING THE STORY.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN
I DECIDED TO SHARE WHAT WAS
HAPPENING BUT TO ME BEHIND-THE-
SCENES ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
I WANTED TO LET OTHER PEOPLE
DEALING WITH EMOTIONAL PHYSICAL
PAIN OF SKIN ISSUE KNOW THEY
ARE NOT ALONE.
A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE FACE
BOOK GROUP.
I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT IN PERSON
WITH THREE INCREDIBLE WOMEN
RIGHT HERE AND SOUTH FLORIDA.
A 28-YEAR-OLD KENDALL WOMAN WHO
WORKS IN INSURANCE.
A MOTHER OF THREE FROM PEMBROKE
PINES.
ANOTHER ONE THAT WORKS FOR THE
BROWARD COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND
HAS A 10-YEAR-OLD SON.
THESE THREE WOMEN DON'T KNOW
EACH OTHER BUT THEY'RE
CONNECTED TO A SKIN CONDITION
CALLED AERIAL DERMATITIS.
IT IS FRUSTRATING AND
FRUSTRATING FOR HIM.
Reporter: ONE DR. CALLS IT A
COUSIN OF ROSACEA.
BOARD-CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST.
HE SAID SHOULD BE ABLE TO
RECOGNIZE IT RIGHT AWAY.
YOU GET A RASH.
SOMETIMES IT'S RED BUMPS.
Reporter: EVERYTHING FROM
ALLERGIES TO HORMONES EVEN
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS LIKE FLUORIDE
TOOTHPASTE HAVE BEEN BLAMED AS
THE CULPRIT.
MOST PEOPLE LINK IT TO
STEROID USAGE.
IF YOU'RE USING TOPICAL
STEROIDS, WHICH INITIALLY HELP
BUT THEN PERPETUATE THE
CONDITION.
Reporter: THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED WITH ALONE IS 10-
YEAR-OLD SON.
TOPICAL STEROIDS PRESCRIBED FOR
HIS ECZEMA.
SHE BELIEVES HER CASE WAS
STRESS-INDUCED.
SHE WORRIES THAT A STERILE
STEROID NASAL SPRAY MAY HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM.
I WAS EXTREMELY SELF-
CONSCIOUS.
Reporter: DERMATOLOGIST WILL
PRESCRIPT PRESCRIBED A
ANABIOTIC AND A TOPICAL.
THAT WORKS FOR ANDY AND ABOUT
THREE WEEKS.
HOWEVER, FOR JENNY SANTIAGO
TREATMENT WASN'T AS EASY.
A LOT OF TRIAL AND ERROR.
IT CAME DURING HER PREGNANCY.
ANYTHING I THOUGHT I COULD
FIX IT WITH, HERE I WAS IN A
VERY HEALTHY PREGNANCY.
WITH THE BABY THAT WE WANTED.
I WAS CRYING BECAUSE I HAD
SPOTS ALL OVER MY FACE.
Reporter: MANY PEOPLE
ESTIMATE THEY SPEND THOUSANDS
ON TEST AND TREATMENTS.
A LOT WHICH MAY NOT BE COVERED
BY INSURANCE.
EVEN FINDING A DERMATOLOGIST
FOR HER SON IS HARD.
SHE IS ABOUT TO SEE HER SIXTH.
UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ARE
SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE MEDICAL
INDUSTRY.
AND ABOUT DERMATOLOGY AND SOUTH
FLORIDA.
Reporter: ONE DR. A BOARD-
CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST WITH
MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE IS EMPATHETIC TO
ALONE IS FRUSTRATIONS.
SKIN DISEASE TAKES A GREAT
EMOTIONAL IMPACT.
IT AFFECTS PEOPLE'S
APPEARANCE.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT
IT.
THEY WOULD RATHER HIDE AND PUT
MAKEUP ON.
THEY TRIED TO DO ONE DIFFERENT
TREATMENTS.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE LEARNED
ABOUT THIS CONDITION.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
EVERYONE WHO HAS REACHED OUT
WITH ADVICE.
OR OPEN UP TO ME ABOUT YOUR
STRUGGLES WITH SKIN AND
INSECURITIES.
SHARING MY STORY HAS BEEN
FREEING AND INSTRUMENTAL IN MY
HEALING.
I WANT TO BE A SOURCE OF
COMFORT FOR OTHERS SINCE READ
AWARENESS.
IT IS A BRAVE THING YOU HAVE
DONE.
I FELT A LOT OF GUILT FOR
BEING UPSET FROM MY SKIN.
AND SHARING MY STORY AND PEOPLE
REACHING OUT TO ME.
OTHER WOMEN AND MEN AND PARENTS
ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN.
THAT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WASN'T
ALONE.
I FEEL I AM THE SPIRIT LEADER
IN THIS FAN CLUB.
YOU RECOMMENDED YOUR ALLERGIST
AND I WENT TO AN
ENDOCRINOLOGIST AND SO MANY
DIFFERENT.THERE'S.
IT WAS SO HARD TO FIND WHAT WAS
CAUSING THE PROBLEMS.
MY CASE WAS TRIGGERED BY
TOPICAL STEROIDS.
FOR SOME PEOPLE IT TAKES UP TO
A YEAR TO HEAL.
OTHER PEOPLE IT TAKES LONGER.
IN MANY CASES IT COMES BACK AND
FLARES UP.
ANY MEDICAL CONDITION LIKE
THAT CAN FEEL SCARY AND ALONE.
WHEN YOU'RE IN THE SPOTLIGHT
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE PRESSURE.
THANK YOU FOR TELLING YOUR
STORY.
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.