Nyah's Magic Skin

For many families, eczema is more than a skin condition – it’s sleepless nights, school worries, and feeling different.

Brandi, and her twins, Nyah, and Zyon have been on their eczema journey for the past two years and it has affected every part of their lives. ‘There have been sleepless nights filled with constant itching’ she says. Nights that don’t just end in the morning. ‘The exhaustion rolls into the next day, and there are moments where you feel completely helpless as a parent.’

Behind the day-to-day routine, there is a much deeper impact, affecting Nyah’s mood and confidence. Being seen as different because of something you can’t control can be incredibly difficult for a child to navigate. This is especially true in environments such as school where children face challenges like how other children respond. ‘Eczema isn’t just skin deep’ Brandi describes, ‘One of the hardest parts has been the misunderstanding’ including ‘unkind comments and moments that no child should have to face.’

For many families, the lack of understanding extends outside of school. ‘So many people think there’s a “magic cure” that one cream or one change will make it disappear. But for us, that hasn’t been the reality.’ Brandi and Nyah are not alone in this and in the case for many ‘eczema is something to learn to manage, not fix. It’s ongoing, unpredictable, and at times overwhelming.’

They describe how through these difficult times, one thing brought them back to peace as a family – reading together. Seeing yourself in a story matters – especially when you’re a child trying to understand your own skin. ‘And that’s exactly why representation became so important to me.’ she says. This is where difficult experiences led to something powerful. Brandi decided to turn their journey into a story – one that other young people with eczema could finally see themselves in.

‘That’s how Nyah’s Magic Skin was born.’

At the heart of the story is something deeply personal, self-acceptance – Brandi wanted Nyah to ‘see herself in a positive light! To love her skin, not hide it.’ This is an empowering story about eczema, visible difference and learning to love yourself as you are. ‘The different shapes, patterns, and colours of her eczema are part of her story, and I needed her to know she is beautiful inside and out, exactly as she is. Not “when it clears up,” not “when it’s better” but right now.’

She hopes that this story will help shift beliefs, explaining that she wants ‘other children to grow up seeing eczema differently, to understand it and to accept it’ and that positive exposure to visible differences ‘creates kindness, not curiosity or cruelty’.

‘This book is more than just a story, it’s representation for the eczema community and for every child with visible differences.’ Increasing representation using ‘real experiences, real emotions, and a deep desire to turn something painful into something powerful’ will help ensure families managing eczema never have to feel alone.

For Brandi, Nyah and Zyon, their eczema journey doesn’t end here. ‘We’re still on this journey. We’re still learning, adapting, and navigating the ups and downs. But through it all, one thing remains at the heart of everything I do.’ Their mission is to make sure ‘every other child on the same journey knows they are enough just the way they are. They are confident, seen, and truly beautiful in every version of their skin.’