Simone Biles Details Battle w/ Skin Condition Seborrheic Dermatitis-Says It Got So Bad She Scratched Until She Bled: ‘I Can’t Live Like This’

Simone Biles

Simone Biles Details Battle w/ Skin Condition Seborrheic Dermatitis-Says It Got So Bad She Scratched Until She Bled: ‘I Can’t Live Like This’

Simone Biles is opening up about a painful skin battle that became so severe she scratched her scalp until it bled before finally getting answers.

The 29-year-old Olympic gymnast revealed she was diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis and eczema after years of believing the itching and flaking she experienced was simply dandruff.

“I was itching and flaking. I would itch so hard and use a comb that I would bleed. I was just like, ‘I can’t live like this. I’m itching. I’m miserable. I feel uncomfortable. I need to see someone who can give me relief,’ ” Biles told PEOPLE.

She said the symptoms began worsening while she was training for the 2024 Paris Olympics. At first, she tried handling the issue herself.

“I was kind of in denial, so I did a lot of over-the-counter stuff,” she explained. “Then I had some spots on my arms… I thought it was going to let up, and then some of my symptoms got a lot worse.”

Her condition eventually became another source of stress while competing on one of sports’ biggest stages.

“At the Olympics, I was flaking everywhere, so I was afraid that someone would see it on the TV… that’s why I finally went,” Biles said.

She is now partnering with Arcutis Biotherapeutics for the Skin to Believe In campaign, which encourages people dealing with similar conditions to seek professional treatment.

“Once we know that we can’t fix every problem on our own, it’s okay to get help,” she said.

Biles added, “You just have to make the appointment.”

TJB Crew, have you ever battled with this condition?