Do you suffer from eczema? If so, you will understand the struggles and tribulations faced when your eczema suddenly flairs up. You will also know how tiresome it can be to visit one dermatologist after the other. By conducting research on eczema and dry skin, trailblazer Dr. Pontsho B. Mokoena, has created a range of Misdiagnosed products to help those who struggle with dry skin problems and eczema. The Misdiagnosed way of life is based on 3 core products, a cleanser, a butter and an oil. The cleanser is to be used mornings and evenings, the butter in the day and the oil in the evening. The oil is the brand’s prime product and is said to provide noticeable relief. Alongside this, there are also 2 oral products, a Collagen powder
that can be dissolved into any liquid form which has probiotics to promote a healthy gut and Capsules which contain all the key nutrients to maintain a strong immune system such as Omega-3. All the Misdiagnosed oral products are halaal certified as well.
This Women’s Day, we decided to find out more about the creator of the brand, what led to the creation of these products, and how other women can draw inspiration from the beauty behind this brand.
Tell us a little more about yourself.
“I am a Mathematician and currently work as a Chief Risk & Insurance Officer. I have been in Corporate for 20 years and have worked mainly in the Financial Services Industry, which also saw me spend time abroad working mainly in the Insurance Sector. I am also the Principal Officer of the Barloworld Medical Scheme, which is an in-house Medical Scheme which looks after the health needs of the employees of its parent company. I am responsible for the strategic outlook of the scheme and ensure that the day-to-day functions of the scheme are compliant with the Medical Schemes Act. I am furthermore, the Founder of Misdiagnosed (Pty) Ltd., which is an online wellness store selling eczema prone and dry skin products. As an Academic Doctor, I spend a lot of my time engaged in research activities which is actually one of the founding principles of Misdiagnosed.”
Why conduct research on eczema and dry skin in particular?
“It is important to me that I am extremely knowledgeable on what I am offering. There are so many skin brands out there that it is important that the Misdiagnosed focus is purely on what it was created for, which is to provide relief to eczema prone and dry skin. I have created Misdiagnosed as someone living with chronic eczema, making the products really authentic and personal.”
Can you tell us a little more about your personal journey that led to you
creating a solution for eczema?
“I was diagnosed with chronic eczema when I was 3 years old. I was told that I would outgrow my eczema in my teen years which unfortunately didn’t happen and have spent most of my life (especially my childhood years) consulting with various dermatologists and as a consequence using various cortisones and steroid cream which used to provide immediate relief but would thin my skin out and would cause secondary skin disorders.
In 2022, I had the worst eczema flare up to date on my face and after months of frustration, was able to self-diagnose myself with a secondary skin disorder, rosacea, which was steroid induced. In simple terms, the steroids which were prescribed to me by dermatologist to keep the eczema at bay, had caused so much damage that they induced a secondary skin disorder. As an Academic Doctor who is accustomed to extensive research, I used my research background and spent over a year researching, analysing, testing various ingredients to ultimately arrive at a solution that was steroid and cortisone free but still provided relief to eczema prone skin. So the creation of Misdiagnosed was purely to solve for my own skin dilemma at first and it has been a blessing that the products are providing relief to so many others and have necessitated that we convert the offering into the business that
Misdiagnosed is today.“
Describe your Misdiagnosed products in a sentence.
“All our Misdiagnosed products are free of cortisones and steroids and therefore provide relief without causing any harm or damage to skin of any age.”
Since the idea is to find out more about you and recognise your journey to success, it is important to know if you have ever been in a situation where you felt that you couldn’t achieve a dream because of being a women.
“I have not, but I was also raised to believe that nothing is out of my reach, so I think my upbringing has a lot to do with how I view ability and by consequence, success.”
What do you feel is the biggest obstacle preventing other women from
reaching success?
“History will always impact current times, and women are still growing into the power they have recently acquired and in some situations, I find that we, as women are our own biggest obstacles because we do not support each other, in particular in corporate or business settings. Men look out for each other and support each other immensely and we are still caught up in the unfortunate whirlwind of wanting to be the only woman at the table’ which is anti-progressive. When we then get afforded the seat at the table, I find that some women then tend to mimic men and I have said countless times before that trying to be a man in corporate or business, is such a
waste of a woman. A woman’s authentic self is the currency they bring to any
negotiating table, boardroom or workplace and if a woman inhibits that which she naturally is, (slightly more dainty, slightly more nurturing, and slightly more thought-provoking), she herself creates obstacles for herself which inhibits her success. I have always been very clear on who I am, the principles that guide my life and what I consider important to me and I don’t shift that for any role or job.”
What advice would you give to other women?
“My advice is not just to women, its applicable to anyone who believes there are categories of items in life that are reserved for only a few people and my simple advice is that, that is a fallacy. Anyone can achieve anything they want if they are prepared to commit and work towards it with diligence, persistence and professionalism. Women, as young girls, are not taught that and that is what I would advise.”
What does being a women in today’s times mean for you?
“Being a woman in 2024 means the art of the possible, there truly is no limitation to what a woman can do and can achieve. It means having it all and having the freedom to elect and express oneself without abdicating the true essence of embracing the power of femininity. It means that as women we have the full right to craft and narrate our own stories.”
Which women icon inspired/inspires you and why?
“I draw inspiration from women in my own family. My late older sister, Mokgantsho was the epitome of hard work and diversity. She was the first example I had of what hard worked looked like, so I emulated her. She was the first of many things, the first to achieve academically, culturally and in sporting codes. The first to go to university in our family, the first to show the strength of a woman in historically male-dominated environments and succeed. I was fortunate to grow up with someone I admired and
respected and a lot of who I am is because I followed in her early footsteps.”
What is next on the cards for you and your Misdiagnosed brand?
“Pigmentation is a by-product and after effect of eczema, so we are currently working on a hyperpigmentation range which we hope to launch towards the end of 2024 or the start of 2025. The intention is to have an end-to-end solution that neutralises pigmentation but does not cause the eczema to flare up.”