Never tell Ms Tan Boon Soo (top) 'to itch is human, to scratch is divine'.
The architect and interior designer, 39, learnt about four years ago that she has eczema although she has had the condition for longer than that.
'It was discovered by accident,' she said. 'I went to a doctor for an allergy and he said that the red patches on my skin were actually caused by eczema.'
That was when she realised that her lifelong struggle with skin problems - that had spanned more than 20 years - could well be linked to eczema.
Eczema is a persistent inflammation of the skin's outer layer. It usually appears during childhood and can be a lifelong problem. Affected areas are often itchy and appear as tiny scales that are red and shiny.
Sure enough, Ms Tan, who is single, has had such patches since her teenage years, especially on her face, although she previously thought they were due to acne.
'My face was always as red as a baboon's backside, especially around the nose,' she said. 'Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was my nickname.'
There is more. A few years ago, her right leg turned a frightening shade of dark brown when she scratched it.
'It felt very itchy and I was so frustrated - I just kept scratching and scratching,' said MsTan. 'I was very scared when I saw that my leg had turned almost black,' she said. 'I thought I was disfigured. I didn't know what to do besides wearing long skirts every day.' Fortunately, the discolouration faded after one month.
Her skin is so sensitive that even a few drops of dirty water can cause her eczema to flare up.
'Once, I was in a public toilet when someone at the sink accidentally splashed dirty water on me,' recalled Ms Tan. 'Moments later, my skin started to itch.'
Even so, she did not know that she was suffering from eczema. This is because she is allergic to numerous foods and her skin would erupt in unsightly hives and rashes at times. The mix of skin inflammation clouded the appearance of eczema.
It was uncovered only when she visited the doctor for an allergy.
Ms Tan was given a steroid-based cream, which she applies once a day. She felt 'very excited' when the redness cleared up for the first time, she said.
She also uses a mild facial wash, moisturiser and sunscreen daily to prevent her rashes from worsening.
However, she has not been cured of eczema. The cream only keeps the condition under control. She still experiences itchy patches occasionally, and these annoying episodes cause a significant amount of frustration in her.
There is the constant dread of not knowing when her skin will start itching again.
'I'm always worried that I won't look good on certain days, especially when I have to meet people for business or attend an event,' she said, adding that her mood dampens considerably if her eczema flares up.
'I won't feel like meeting people, so I'll just go home,' she said.
At work, she uses lots of make-up to cover the rashes when they occur.
'I'm used to it now, so I don't feel particularly distressed.'
Instead, she views her chronic skin problem with light-hearted pragmatism.
'There's no point in getting upset,' she said cheerfully. 'When I was a teenager, I did feel a little resentful but, after a while, I didn't think about it any more.'
