Nara Smith recently opened up about her ongoing health struggles, shedding light on her journey with severe eczema and an eventual Lupus diagnosis.
The 23-year-old social media influencer shared her story in an emotional Instagram post, revealing how these challenges have shaped her life over the past three years.
Nara Smith explained that her eczema began to escalate significantly after the birth of her second child. “It’s been about three years since my eczema started flaring up severely,” she began, describing how it initially presented as a small, cracked patch of dry skin. At first, she moisturized the area and paid it little attention, but the condition soon worsened.
Her Instagram post included a series of photos illustrating the extent of her condition. The first image showed redness on her arms, while others depicted her lying in bed, an inflamed eye, and a dry scalp. Smith used these visuals to detail the progression of her eczema, which spread from her palms to her back, arms, scalp, and eventually her face. The severity of her symptoms left her physically exhausted and often unable to care for her children.
As a mother to three—Rumble Honey, Slim Easy, and Whimsy Lou—Smith’s health struggles took a toll on her family life. Her husband, Lucky Blue Smith, whom she married in February 2020, supported her during these challenging times. She recounted how her condition worsened over time, with her hair falling out in clumps and her body perpetually feeling cold.
Desperate for relief, Smith dedicated countless hours to researching eczema.
She radically altered her diet, eliminating grains, dairy, and sugar while preparing food from scratch. This approach eventually became a hallmark of her TikTok content, where she shares recipes in a calming ASMR style. She also replaced all her personal care products with natural alternatives, hoping these changes would alleviate her symptoms.
Despite these efforts, Smith’s condition continued to fluctuate. Dermatologists diagnosed her with severe eczema, prescribing steroid creams that offered little long-term relief. Frustrated and defeated, she endured two years of relentless flare-ups and overanalyzed everything she consumed. Her struggle culminated in a severe infection during her “biggest flare-up,” which left her entire body inflamed, itchy, and oozing.
Smith’s symptoms reached a critical point when she woke up with swollen eyes and immobilized hands.
Overwhelmed by fear and despair, she stopped eating and fell into a deep depression. Determined to find answers, she traveled to Germany to consult naturopaths, doctors, and specialists. It was there that she finally received a diagnosis: Lupus.
The diagnosis provided clarity for her myriad symptoms, including purple, frozen-feeling hands, extreme fatigue, hair loss, and sores. Smith likened the discovery to solving a puzzle, with all the pieces suddenly fitting together. While relieved to have answers, she also felt apprehensive about how this diagnosis would impact her life and her children.
Adjusting to life with Lupus has been a significant learning curve for Smith. She continues to navigate her condition, sharing her story to inspire hope and resilience in others facing similar challenges. Her candid Instagram post aimed to provide comfort and encouragement to those enduring difficult and isolating experiences.
Amid her health journey, Smith recently shared a glimpse of a new chapter for her family: their picturesque home on the East Coast.
After moving from Texas to Connecticut, she expressed gratitude for the blessings in her life, including convincing her husband to get her chickens in exchange for agreeing on a lakeside property.
In a previous interview with GQ, Lucky Blue Smith mentioned the couple’s desire to move to the East Coast due to the challenges of making friends in the city. Reflecting on their decision, he noted the difficulty of connecting with people who aren’t in the same phase of life. The move represents a fresh start for the family, marking a hopeful turn in their journey.