“Is it Contagious?”: Paris Olympics Hope Ryan Murphy And Suni Lee’s Heroic Stance On Health Issue

Beauty lies skin deep- goes the adage. But for athletes perpetually thrust into the spotlight, facing them head on and putting on a brave face is what calls for public attention. Athletes Ryan Murphy and Suni Lee seem to share a common thread with chinks in their armor. For Murphy, his early-onset skin condition posed a significant obstacle, particularly given his immersion in chlorine-laden swimming pools. Despite setbacks, Murphy showed great courage in navigating his skin-flare ups in the turquoise waters.

Suni Lee has had to vanquish quite a lot of foes as well, starting from her two incurable skin diseases to eczema. Similarly, Lee’s battle with eczema emerged later in her career, disrupting her plans for athletic domination. Yet, like Murphy, Lee refused to let her condition define her. Despite these hurdles, both athletes have demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination. Murphy’s stance on his debilitating skin condition was divulged in an interview, mirroring Suni Lee’s strife with the same plight.

Ryan Murphy and Suni Lee are cut from the same cloth

As reported by Pixstory, they discussed swimmer Ryan Murphy’s battle with eczema that affects 9.6M people in the US. The Olympian who suffers from Atopic Dermatitis or AD and has often had to answer some uncomfortable questions. Like, “What’s on your skin? Is it contagious?” Murphy has been dealing with the skin problem since a child. It’s more aggravating since he’s a swimmer and his skin is exposed to the constant stressors and tussles with the environs around him for prolonged periods of time. Murphy said, “It’s kind of a unique sport to have eczema. I’m in a sport where I’m walking around in a Speedo, so people are seeing a lot of my skin and [I’m] learning how to be comfortable.”

The condition causes flare-ups and rashes, as well as dry skin, which can get infected or burn underwater. It affects all parts of the body, including feet, legs, knees, armpits and neck. Murphy is planning to stay strong mentally and physically to compensate for this unavoidable problem. He intends to use towels made of non-irritative materials and take an immediate shower after being exposed to salt water or chlorine to combat the issue. Murphy isn’t the only prominent athlete to face serious skin troubles. Eczema has affected even star gymnast Suni Lee. Lee shared to a panel in partnership with Eli Lilly and Company, how she was diagnosed at an early age. She said, “My skin was always super dry, super flaky. It was really uncomfortable because it was really itchy.”

When her mom took her to the dermatologist, that’s when she received an official prognosis. This helped her get the appropriate treatment. Though she was embarrassed about her condition growing up, she learned to embrace it. She emphatically addressed everyone looking up at her saying, “It can be kind of isolating when you deal with eczema and having an eczema flare-up, so I just want people to know that you are not alone and it does not define you.”. However, according to CBS News, she’s reportedly doing a lot better and is happy. Though she has had to deal with a lot over the last two years, she is ready to give her best at the Olympic trials after her stunning performances in the qualifying rounds. We’d be remiss if we didn’t cherry pick a couple more athletes dealing with the same, now, wouldn’t we?

Championing health: Athletes overcoming chronic conditions

Athletes facing chronic conditions often navigate a unique set of challenges, both on and off the field. Another athlete who has had to deal with AD since her 20s is Coco Ho. She is a professional surfer and often experiences itching and burning behind her ears, amongst other places. Unfortunately, sun, stress, sand, salt water and many more could trigger the condition, which is especially inconvenient for a surfer. Though Ho had initially thought the flare-ups and rashes were being caused by stress, she was disheartened to realize it was something greater. She told Fansided that, “I first discovered atopic dermatitis in my early twenties, which I feel like is a little lucky and later than some. I just realized it was a rash and I thought it go away, maybe stress-related, did all the Googling that everyone does.”

Even WWE superstar Raquel Rodriguez had been diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome. It’s a rather severe and rare one to boot as well. Her eczema turned out to be MCAS and set her back from professional competition. She often became red and swollen, and her face was breaking out. It often got in the way of her traveling for competitions and training in the gym or wrestling even. She even took some time away from the spotlight to recover. However, she was able to return for the Elimination Chamber and subsequently qualified to battle royal.

Venus Williams also thrived in tennis despite battling autoimmune disorders (Sjogren’s syndrome), or Chris Draft, who played professional football while supporting his wife through lung cancer. These athletes not only defy the limitations of their conditions, but also inspire others with their tenacity and courage. Consistent athletes like Rodrigez, Murphy, Lee and Ho, are making it obvious that if we try hard enough, we can overcome anything stacked against us. How will Ryan Murphy prove his mettle come Paris?