U.S. Olympian Suni Lee Challenges People Living with Eczema to Take Control
Posted: March 20, 2025 | Word Count: 1,419

Sponsored by Lilly USA, LLC
If you had asked Suni Lee a year ago about her chances of winning a medal for Team USA at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, she might have hesitated. After all, making the team was no small feat with the caliber of competition she faced. But in Paris, she exceeded her own expectations, taking home two medals, including a team gold. However, Suni knows all too well the importance that health plays in her preparation to compete on gymnastics' biggest stage. Behind her stunning performance lies a story of how Suni's competitive spirit has prepared her to persevere—not just in gymnastics, but in managing a challenge to which millions of people can relate: living with eczema.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition characterized by intense itching, dry skin and inflammation that can be present on any part of the body and can result in affected skin cracking, weeping or oozing, and becoming scaly over time. Approximately seven percent of adults in the U.S. live with eczema and 40% of them have moderate-to-severe disease, and these rates are even higher in children ages 12 to 17: more than 9% have eczema and 50% experience moderate-to-severe disease. People living with eczema, including Suni, can find it especially difficult to manage as signs and symptoms can come and go, and may become worse during certain periods, known as "flares."
A Balancing Act
Suni vividly remembers the nerves of her first Olympic Games in 2021, driven in part by the stress of her worsening eczema.
"It was my first Olympics, and dealing with the pressure of the competition for the first time at 18 was hard enough," said Suni. "But it was even worse because my eczema was showing up on my face and my neck and the back of my legs."
When her eczema symptoms were distracting her from gymnastics, she knew she couldn't let them stand in the way of her goals. She decided it was time to talk to her dermatologist and advocate for herself to find a way to address her symptoms.
*Suni Lee is not on EBGLYSS™
Finding the Right Treatment
For people living with eczema, speaking to a dermatologist is a key step in finding relief. Additional treatment options have become available to patients over the years, including EBGLYSS™ (lebrikizumab-lbkz) injection 250 mg/2 mL, which is approved as a first-line biologic treatment for adults and children 12 years and older who weigh at least 88 pounds with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis after topical prescription therapies. When taken as directed, EBGLYSS works around the clock to target eczema inflammation from the inside out. EBGLYSS can be taken once-monthly following the 4-month initial dosing phase. EBGLYSS can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. See below for Important Safety Information.

For Suni, an unexpected flare-up can make performing harder. While Suni is not on EBGLYSS, she believes finding the right care from her doctor was the first step to managing her symptoms.
"The second I walked in, my dermatologist helped me understand my eczema and made me feel comfortable talking about it even when I was in my most vulnerable state and so embarrassed," Suni reflects. Taking control helped Suni focus less on the symptoms of her eczema and more on the competition. Now that Suni has formed a strong patient-doctor relationship, she hopes to encourage others to do the same.
Using Her Platform to Challenge Others
Since her rise to Team USA stardom, Suni has embraced the opportunity to use her platform to challenge others, particularly on matters related to their own health. As a fierce competitor, Suni refuses to settle, and now, she's encouraging others to do the same. Through her platform, Suni hopes to empower people with eczema to speak to their dermatologist about their symptoms and explore options, including learning more about new treatments that could address the symptoms that continue to impact them.
Like Suni, Lilly is committed to striving for better and helping those people living with dermatological conditions. If you have moderate-to-severe eczema, talk to your doctor about your specific symptoms and needs, and ask about treatment options like EBGLYSS to see if it could be the right treatment for you. Visit EBGLYSS.lilly.com to learn more.
INDICATION AND SAFETY SUMMARY
EBGLYSS™ (EHB-glihs) is an injectable medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg) with moderate-to-severe eczema (atopic dermatitis) that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin (topical), or who cannot use topical therapies. EBGLYSS can be used with or without topical corticosteroids.
It is not known if EBGLYSS is safe and effective in children less than 12 years of age or in children 12 years to less than 18 years of age who weigh less than 88 pounds (40 kg).
Warnings - Do not use EBGLYSS if you are allergic to lebrikizumab-lbkz or to any of the ingredients in EBGLYSS. See the Patient Information leaflet that comes with EBGLYSS for a complete list of ingredients.
Before using
Before using EBGLYSS, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- Have a parasitic (helminth) infection.
- Are scheduled to receive any vaccinations. You should not receive a "live vaccine" if you are treated with EBGLYSS.
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if EBGLYSS will harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant during treatment with EBGLYSS, you or your healthcare provider can call Eli Lilly and Company at 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979) to report the pregnancy.
- Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if EBGLYSS passes into your breast milk.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Possible side effects
EBGLYSS can cause serious side effects, including:
- Allergic reactions. EBGLYSS can cause allergic reactions that may sometimes be severe. Stop using EBGLYSS and tell your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you get any of the following signs or symptoms:
- breathing problems or wheezing
- swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat
- hives
- itching
- fainting, dizziness, feeling lightheaded
- skin rash
- cramps in your stomach area (abdomen)
- Eye problems. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new or worsening eye problems, including eye pain or changes in vision, such as blurred vision.
The most common side effects of EBGLYSS include:
- eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching
- injection site reactions
- shingles (herpes zoster)
These are not all of the possible side effects of EBGLYSS. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
How to take
- See the detailed "Instructions for Use" that comes with EBGLYSS for information about how to prepare and inject EBGLYSS and how to properly store and throw away (dispose of) used EBGLYSS prefilled pens and prefilled syringes.
- Use EBGLYSS exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
- EBGLYSS is given as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection).
- If your healthcare provider decides that you or a caregiver can give the injections of EBGLYSS, you or a caregiver should receive training on the right way to prepare and inject EBGLYSS. Do not try to inject EBGLYSS until you have been shown the right way by your healthcare provider. In children 12 years of age and older, EBGLYSS should be given by a caregiver.
- If you miss a dose of EBGLYSS, inject the missed dose as soon as possible, then inject your next dose at your regular scheduled time.
Learn more
EBGLYSS is a prescription medicine available as a 250 mg/2 mL injection prefilled pen or prefilled syringe. For more information, call 1-800-545-5979 or go to ebglyss.lilly.com.
This summary provides basic information about EBGLYSS but does not include all information known about this medicine. Read the information that comes with your prescription each time your prescription is filled. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider about EBGLYSS and how to take it. Your doctor is the best person to help you decide if EBGLYSS is right for you.
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