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

Social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifewithadifferencepodcast/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithadifference
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-collinson/

Please get in touch if I can help in any way

Blog:
https://www.lifewithadifference.info/

buymeacoffee.com/lifewithadifference

Gary Parsons (as seen on Channel 4’s Love My Face) talks candidly about Bell’s palsy, facial paralysis, mental health, and what it really takes to live uninhibited.

We dig into the show’s mission, representation in the media, the gaps in NHS support (especially psychological care), practical roadmaps for patients and carers, and how advocacy and community can lighten the mental load of a long-term condition.

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:50 Gary’s story & Bell’s palsy
03:20 Inside Love My Face (Channel 4)
08:05 The show’s mission & impact
14:20 Causes, bilateral paralysis & anxiety of recurrence
19:15 Treatments, surgery, physio & Botox
24:10 Self-acceptance vs. the search for a “cure”
31:00 Advocacy, mental health & speaking from the “scar”
40:30 NHS experiences & the case for psychological support
48:20 A practical roadmap for patients & carers
52:05 Living uninhibited & owning your identity
1:05:00 Gary’s projects, Changing Faces, and where to find him

Resources mentioned
• Changing Faces UK (support & representation)
• Facial Palsy UK (guidance, clinics, rehab tips)

Connect with Gary
Website: garyparsons.uk
Social: @GaryParsonsUK

If this helped you, please like 👍, subscribe, and share with anyone navigating visible difference, facial palsy, or long-term skin conditions. Your support helps more people find these conversations.

#BellsPalsy #FacialParalysis #VisibleDifference #LoveMyFace #ChangingFaces #MentalHealth #SelfAcceptance #Dermatology #Advocacy #Channel4 #PatientVoice #ChronicIllness #UKNHS

Social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifewithadifferencepodcast/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithadifference
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-collinson/

Please get in touch if I can help in any way

Blog:
https://www.lifewithadifference.info/

buymeacoffee.com/lifewithadifference

I am a huge believer in A Life in a Day's ability to create a world with more empathy, understanding and ultimately concession for patients. Our missions completely align and I very much look forward to supporting Mark and the team in any way I can.

In this sponsored episode of Life With a Difference, I’m joined by Mark Doyle, founder of A Life in a Day, an immersive learning experience designed to help people working in healthcare walk in the shoes of someone living with a health condition for 24 hours.

We talk about how the concept began, how the experience is built using a combination of an interactive app, live phone calls with actors, and a physical kit, and why it can create a level of empathy and understanding that is hard to achieve through conversation alone.

Mark also shares how A Life in a Day developed its first therapy areas, from Crohn’s disease to heart failure and oncology, and what the team has learned about doing this work ethically by starting with patient stories first. We discuss the balance between realism and sensitivity, how they validate experiences with lived experience and medical professionals, and what meaningful outcomes can look like, from shifts in mindset to practical changes in trial design, communication, and patient support.

If you work in healthcare, pharma, medical education, research delivery or simply want your team to have a higher level of empathy and you’re curious about building deeper patient understanding that leads to better outcomes, this conversation is for you.

Sponsor disclosure
This episode is sponsored by A Life in a Day. Sponsorship supports the production of Life With a Difference, but does not influence editorial content or guest perspectives.

Learn more about A Life in a Day
Website: https://alifeinaday.co.uk
You can also find Mark and the team on LinkedIn. A Life in a Day run regular virtual taster sessions to give a short interactive introduction to how the experience works.

00:00 Intro
00:09 Mark Doyle introduces himself and A Life in a Day
00:48 How Andy and Mark connected at Patients as Partners
01:37 What A Life in a Day is, mission and purpose
02:25 Andy’s experience, why it isn’t gimmicky, emotional impact
03:33 Where the idea came from, how it started (2016)
04:56 First conditions, Crohn’s disease, then heart failure and oncology
06:30 Capturing the real grit, ethics, starting with patient stories
09:18 How the experience works, app, calls, kit, wearables, sensations
13:40 Why 24 hours matters, challenges across work, home, relationships
14:08 Challenges growing a unique product, access and funding for HCPs
16:21 Measuring success, learning, actions, and ROI for organisations
18:13 What changes after the experience, workshops and implementation
20:28 If funding was unlimited, reaching clinicians and students globally
32:53 Conditions that surprise people most, asthma, obesity, diabetes
35:09 Severity spectrum and why names can mislead public understanding
36:23 Empathy as a driver for action and change
37:32 Why patients often don’t have space to tell the full story
39:01 Why living it beats hearing it, the next step in advocacy
40:31 Five-year vision, making it part of healthcare education
42:14 How to get involved, taster sessions, website and LinkedIn
43:12 Closing thanks


Social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifewithadifferencepodcast/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithadifference
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-collinson/

Please get in touch if I can help in any way

Blog:
https://www.lifewithadifference.info/

buymeacoffee.com/lifewithadifference

In this episode of Life With a Difference, I speak with Amy (@Journey_of_Amy), who lives with severe eczema and is currently going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW).

Amy shares openly about the physical pain, the mental health struggles, and the stigma of living with a visible difference. From being compared to a burns victim at her worst flare, to teaching children that “different is normal,” Amy’s honesty shines a light on what it’s really like to live with eczema on the extreme side of the spectrum.

We discuss:
• What TSW (Topical Steroid Withdrawal) actually is
• The devastating physical symptoms: swelling, redness, bone-deep itch, flaking & peeling
• The mental toll of eczema and suicidal thoughts that many never talk about
• Her journey through treatments: methotrexate, dupilumab, Rinvoq, cyclosporine & more
• Why self-advocacy at dermatology appointments is essential
• How children and students respond to visible difference in the classroom
• The role of community and connection in coping with chronic illness
• Hope for the future with new treatments like lebrikizumab and nemolizumab

Amy also talks about her work as a teacher, her growing advocacy on Instagram, and why she feels it’s her mission to raise awareness and help others feel less alone.

💬 Have you experienced eczema or TSW? Share your story in the comments — your voice matters.

👉 Subscribe to Life With a Difference for more honest conversations with patients, carers, and advocates.

#Eczema #TopicalSteroidWithdrawal #VisibleDifference #TSW #LifeWithADifference #SkinConditions

Social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifewithadifferencepodcast/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithadifference
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-collinson/

Please get in touch if I can help in any way

Blog:
https://www.lifewithadifference.info/

buymeacoffee.com/lifewithadifference

In this very special episode of Life With a Difference, I sit down with my wife, Donna Collinson, to talk openly about what it means to love and care for someone living with a chronic skin condition and visible difference.

Donna shares her perspective as both my partner and my carer, the moments of joy, the exhaustion, the unseen emotional weight, and the resilience it takes to navigate life together when atopic dermatitis (AD) dominates so much of our daily reality.

We cover:
• How we first met and when Donna noticed my skin condition
• The hardest flare-ups and their impact on both of us
• The balance between “cracking on” vs giving in to bad days
• The hidden mental health toll of atopic dermatitis
• What carers and partners of people with chronic illness need too
• The lack of support for carers in the NHS
• Why open communication and empathy matter in relationships
• The importance of celebrating the good days


💬 Have you supported a loved one through chronic illness or visible difference? Share your story in the comments.

👉 Subscribe to Life With a Difference for more conversations with patients, carers, and advocates.

#LifeWithADifference #VisibleDifference #AtopicDermatitis #ChronicIllness #Carers #SkinConditions

Social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifewithadifferencepodcast/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithadifference
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-collinson/

Please get in touch if I can help in any way

Blog:
https://www.lifewithadifference.info/

buymeacoffee.com/lifewithadifference

n this episode of Life With a Difference, I sit down with Lisa Bickerstaffe, Head of Communications at the British Skin Foundation (BSF). Lisa has been with BSF for over a decade, leading campaigns that raise awareness of skin health, skin disease, and skin cancer while supporting vital dermatology research.

We cover:
• The mission of the British Skin Foundation and why skin research matters
• How skin health campaigns have evolved with social media & TikTok trends
• The impact of sun safety and the award-winning “Burnable Billboard” campaign
• Psychological effects of living with a skin condition
• Stigma and discrimination faced by people with visible differences
• The importance of diverse skin images in healthcare and inclusive dermatology
• How the public can support BSF’s work and get involved

⸻

Show links:
https://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/
https://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/which-sunscreen-is-right-for-me

🕒 Timestamps / Chapters

00:00 – Introduction
00:11 – Who is Lisa Bickerstaffe?
01:00 – How communications at BSF has evolved
02:20 – TikTok skin trends and social media challenges
03:43 – The British Skin Foundation’s mission
06:12 – Covering 2,000+ skin conditions with a small team
07:16 – Working as a team of eight at BSF
08:44 – Collaboration with other skin charities
10:17 – Psychological effects of skin conditions
12:01 – Sun safety & the importance of SPF from childhood
13:33 – Misconceptions about skin cancer
14:37 – Why skin conditions aren’t taken seriously enough
16:21 – Mineral vs chemical sunscreens explained
20:11 – The Burnable Billboard campaign
24:26 – Stigma and discrimination around skin conditions
27:16 – Teaching children about visible difference & kindness
30:52 – Reframe Project: inclusive medical images across skin tones
33:27 – The challenge of diagnosing conditions on darker skin
35:20 – Advocacy and the importance of pushing for referrals
36:28 – How patients can support BSF’s work
37:58 – Services BSF offers to patients & the A–Z of skin
40:26 – Educating children about equality and skin health in schools
43:40 – Upcoming BSF 30th anniversary projects (2026)
44:58 – Building community with patients & advocates
46:08 – Final thoughts: “We’re all united by skin”

⸻

👉 Subscribe to Life With a Difference for more conversations with patients, clinicians, and advocates.

#BritishSkinFoundation #Dermatology #SkinHealth #Eczema #SkinCancer #VisibleDifference

Social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifewithadifferencepodcast/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithadifference
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-collinson/

Please get in touch if I can help in any way

Blog:
https://www.lifewithadifference.info/

buymeacoffee.com/lifewithadifference

In this episode of Life With a Difference, I sit down with Jade Arthur to talk about her life growing up with a facial hemangioma which shaped her childhood, confidence, and the way the world saw her.

Jade shares what it was like navigating school, friendships, and those awkward stares from strangers. We talk about the moments that knocked her confidence, the people who lifted her up, and how she’s learned to own her difference as an adult.

#LifeWithADifference #VisibleDifference #Hemangioma #Birthmark #Inspiration #Podcast

Social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifewithadifferencepodcast/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithadifference
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-collinson/

Please get in touch if I can help in any way

Blog:
https://www.lifewithadifference.info/

buymeacoffee.com/lifewithadifference

In this episode of Life With a Difference, I speak with Professor Sara Brown, Grant Chair of Dermatology at the University of Edinburgh and Honorary Consultant Dermatologist with NHS Lothian. Professor Brown is one of the UK’s leading voices in dermatology research, specialising in eczema, skin genetics, and visible difference.

We discuss:
• Why skin conditions like eczema are so complex
• The challenges dermatologists face in treatment
• New biologics and JAK inhibitors for eczema care
• The role of genetics, including the filaggrin (FLG) gene
• The stigma patients experience around visible difference
• How dermatology research is changing patient care

💬 What’s your experience with eczema or visible difference? Share in the comments, I’d love to hear your story.

👉 Subscribe to Life With a Difference for more conversations with patients, clinicians, and advocates.

#Dermatology #Eczema #VisibleDifference #SkinHealth #LifeWithADifference

Social media:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifewithadifferencepodcast/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithadifference
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-collinson/

Please get in touch if I can help in any way

Blog:
https://www.lifewithadifference.info/

buymeacoffee.com/lifewithadifference

00:00 – Introduction
02:05 – Who is Professor Sara Brown?
04:59 – Why dermatology matters
07:46 – Is dermatology taken seriously enough?
10:44 – Why is eczema so difficult to treat?
15:19 – The FLG gene and skin barrier research
20:11 – New eczema treatments: biologics & JAK inhibitors
26:30 – The future of eczema treatment
33:17 – How doctors and patients make decisions together
43:01 – Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) explained
50:19 – GP referrals and long waiting times
53:32 – Final thoughts & closing