'90s Teen Icon Melissa Joan Hart Opens Up About Her Son’s Debilitating Eczema—and Possible ‘Sabrina’ Reboot
Melissa Joan Hart may be known for starring on beloved '90s shows like Clarissa Explains It All and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but now the mom of three is taking on a new role: Raising awareness about eczema.
The skin condition, which causes dry and itchy patches on a person’s body, impacts nearly 85 million Americans — including Hart’s son. Seeing her son struggle with Eczema encouraged Hart to take action, and she recently teamed up with the pharmaceutical company AbbVie to host the fourth annual Science of Skin panel, “Science of Skin: Empowering Conversations to Take Control of Chronic Skin Disease”.
Melissa Joan Hart spoke to FIRST for Women about her family’s journey with Eczema, how she’s kept her son’s spirits up during trying times and the surprising creative projects she’d like to explore.
FIRST for Women: Eczema is so common, yet it can be so difficult to deal with. What is your goal with advocating for awareness of this condition?
Melissa Joan Hart: One of my boys has struggled with eczema for most of his life. Going through the journey and trying to figure everything out can be a difficult road to take. Having a chronic skin treatment that people can see can be embarrassing for some people. I have heard stories of bullying. I want people to know that they are not alone and there is a community here to help get information on new treatments.
FFW: What advice have you given your son for dealing with potential negativity?
Melissa Joan Hart: In any situation, we tell our kids to be honest and to be kind. If they feel they are being picked on, we give them an arsenal of words or phrases to diffuse the situation. We teach them little things to say such as: “Does it make you feel like a tough guy?” or better yet, we tell them to just walk away. Unfortunately with chronic skin disease, it is on the surface so it’s tough to get around not having people see it and react.
FFW: Did you know he had eczema right away?How have you been navigating the journey to find the right treatments?
Melissa Joan Hart: We were really lucky in that we had a diagnosis quickly and were able to find the right treatment to get him going. He went from having a chronic skin disease to having a controlled skin disease. That was the goal, to get it under control.
I thought it was poison ivy or a skin rash, but after it progressed for a few days and he was so uncomfortable, we went to a doctor. When I was recently on a panel for this very topic, I heard stories from people who had a different skin color and they were saying they had a harder time getting a proper diagnosis because it did not look the same as my son’s.
Jesse Grant / Stringer / Getty
FFW: What was your son’s reaction to you becoming the spokesperson for this campaign?
Melissa Joan Hart: Although it is his story to tell, to be honest, he doesn’t care what I do. He was like, “Yeah you’re going to work, have fun. Will you be back in time for my game?” He and his brothers are more concerned that I am back in time for their football games. It’s totally the typical boy answer!
FFW: How did you juggle dividing your attention among all three boys equally, especially when one needed more than the others? Did your other two sons get jealous and if so, how did you handle that?
Melissa Joan Hart: They were aware of what was going on. They all take their turns with getting attention. With the eczema, we dedicated the proper attention necessary and we came together as a family to help him through it. Everyone knows how not feeling well can be. This was a sensitive situation and the family understood what was going on. For example, when my son had a bad flare-up, the others were great about giving us the space we needed to take care of it so he could get better.
FFW: As his mom, how did you handle the diagnosis and the flare-ups?
Melissa Joan Hart: At first I had a downward spiral. I was saying, “Did I do something wrong? Did I eat something bad when I was pregnant?” I know my sister and brother suffer from it, but I never knew how they treated it. I don’t think I ever inquired about how they dealt with it, because my parents were involved with the details. But I did start saying to myself, “What does this mean for the rest of his life? What does this mean for our family? Should we alter things? Will the other kids have to adjust?”
All things considered, he had a pretty mild case, so they have not had to adjust to anything. Again, we were lucky we got a treatment plan quickly.
FFW: Has it been challenging putting on a brave face and not showing your stress to your kids?
Melissa Joan Hart: I don’t cry easily, I am a terrible liar and maybe that’s the New Yorker in me. I am a “stay calm” kind of person even if I am in a panic. I’m naturally able to say we can handle things and keep everyone at ease. I also try not to get too excited about things because I don’t want to get myself or my family worked up. I try to let them know I can handle it and everything will be okay. As a parent, I try to reassure them everything will work out.
FFW: Chronic skin conditions can take a toll on one’s self-esteem. Did you use this as an opportunity to teach him about maintaining confidence, even in tough situations?
Melissa Joan Hart: I never want my kids to feel overwhelmed. I want them to know everything is fixable and you can overcome stuff. Even with Eczema, you can live on, we can figure things out and while there will always be a stumbling block, it does not mean this is the end of the road. I am always hopeful, so I try to teach them to be hopeful even when things look bad. I also try to tell them to put a positive spin on everything and remind them that one day you will laugh about whatever may get you down.
moviestillsdb.com/Hartbreak Films
FFW: You have great positive energy both on and off the screen. Given all the '90s nostalgia and reboots out there, is there any chance Sabrina The Teenage Witch or Clarissa Explains It All could make a comeback?
Melissa Joan Hart: There’s too much red tape, so unfortunately that’s not going to happen. Where the rights are tied up, it’s a long journey and it’s not something that could happen. But I’m working on bringing new stuff around.
FFW: What do you look for at this stage of your career? Do you have any dream projects?
Melissa Joan Hart: I look for compelling stories that I want to make. Even if I take a smaller role, if it’s a great story and I want to see it get made, I will get behind it.
There are a few biographies I would love to tell. Not celebrities, but there are a few twisted ones I am eyeing. I have a deal with Lifetime and have been working on their true crime films, so there are some great stories there.
I want to dive more into my dramatic side, which I have not had the opportunity to do. I have spent a lot of years in comedy, sitcoms and Christmas movies and now I would like to turn my attention to crime and drama with dangerous and heartbreaking stories.
FFW: Have any of your kids expressed interest in pursuing the arts like their mom?
Melissa Joan Hart: No, they’re really into sports. My oldest wants to study to become a pilot. My middle one has expressed interest in modeling, mainly because he wants to buy sneakers.
Every kid is so different. You raise all three together, they come from the same father and same DNA, and yet they are not alike. It is always an adventure every day.
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