Magic Johnson is single-handedly for converting casual basketball supporters into full-blown fanatics throughout the '80s as one of the originators of the Lakers 'Showtime' era. Not only was Magic Johnson's basketball IQ unlike anything ever seen before, his speed and fluidity were, and still is, one of the most awe-inspiring things to ever be seen in the Great Western Forum. At 6'9, Magic took command of the court at the point guard position, something that was unheard of when he hit the professional hardwood for the first time in 1979.
But prior to being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft, the Lansing, Michigan-bred superstar led his Michigan State teammates to an NCAA National Championship in 1979. The following year as a rookie, Magic Johnson was forced to play the center position in the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers and earned his first NBA Championship. Johnson would go on to win additional four NBA Championships with Los Angeles Lakers (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988). Twelve NBA All-Star honors and five MVPs don't hurt his resume either. Not to mention the guy's a billionaire so, basically, everything he touches turns to gold. What a life, what a legacy.
They may be beautiful, rich and famous, but celebrities are human too, and that means they're just as prone to getting sick as the rest of us. And just like us, some celebs even live with chronic conditions that can take a toll on their day-to-day lives. But eczema – also referred to as dermatitis – is a common dry skin condition. Symptoms include dry, itchy, red and scaly skin. In more extreme cases, the skin can crust and bleed. According to the National Eczema Association, 1 in 10 individuals will develop eczema in their lifetime. And given these statistics, it’s hardly a surprise there are a few celebrities out there who have eczema too.
The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, 37, suffered from eczema in her teens. Kate was bullied heavily whilst attending Downe House girls’ boarding school, according to the Duchess’s friend Jessica Hay. According Hay, Middleton’s bullies made fun of her eczema. ‘It didn’t help that she was so tall and self-conscious about her eczema,’ Hay told CelebNow. Studies have shown children with moderate and extreme atopic dermatitis are more likely to suffer from conditions like anxiety and low self-esteem, which has a knock-on effect on their school work and ability to make friends.
Although Brad Pitt, 55, has not spoken about the issue himself, his co-star Cate Blanchett disclosed that Pitt was suffering from eczema during filming of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In an interview with Scotland’s Daily Record, the actress said, ‘We went through three weeks of make-up tests and he was covered in eczema from it all.’ Blanchett sweetly loaned Pitt her skin cream to deal with the dermatitis, that had developed due to the use of prosthetic makeup worn during filming. Prosthetic make-up isn’t the hugest concern for us non-Hollywood folk, nevertheless, what is a concern, is how makeup can trigger eczema flair up. Unless makeup brushes are constantly washed (let’s be real, they’re not), they become a breeding ground for bacteria. This can lead to clogged pores and irritated sensitive skin.
Adele, 31, stated that her eczema flared up when she became a new mom. During a press conference in 2013 after her Golden Globe win for Best Original Song for the Bond film Sykfall, the singer said: ‘I am exhausted. That’s how [motherhood] changed me. I have eczema from boiling bottles.’ Research carried out by the BMJ (formerly known as the British Medical Journal) has revealed that contact dermatitis has the potential to have ‘detrimental’ impact and in the worst case scenarios can even threaten some sufferers ability to work.