Jessica Simpson says she had 'bad' eczema flare-ups after giving birth to her 3rd child

By Megan Stone

Jessica Simpson is coming clean about why she hid from cameras after welcoming daughter Birdie Mae in March 2019.

"I've dealt with eczema since I was a kid," Simpson, 40, explained to Shape magazine of why she didn't share photos of her with her newborn. "After having my daughter Birdie, I had such bad flare-ups that I wouldn't even show the pictures of me holding her to my friends."

Eczema, also know as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition that causes red and itchy rashes, according to the Mayo Clinic. There is no cure but there are preventative measures people can take, such as moisturizing daily or using gentle soaps, to prevent future flare-ups.

The "With You" singer said she used "out-of-the-box skincare" treatments to help control her flare ups during that time. Then, she says, her entire routine changed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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"During this pandemic, I’ve gone down a skin-care rabbit hole," Simpson confessed, saying she was tempted to buy "a red-light therapy mask."

"I’m obsessed," the "Open Book" author admitted, saying she has used the device "everywhere on my body" to calm her skin condition.

Simpson also credits her family for helping her through the pandemic.

"When I hear my kids cackle, it’s the most healing sound. It’s contagious," she smiled. "My whole family starts giggling together, and it’s like some form of happy laughing therapy."

Simpson shares three children with her husband of six years, Eric Johnson -- daughter Maxwell, 8, son Ace, 8, and daughter Birdie, who turns 2 this March.