Quote:
Originally Posted by CubicleGeek
Go to a dermatologist as indicated above. I've fought eczema for a couple of years. I just went last month to a dermatologist who subscribed a cortico-steroid cream and within 3 weeks of applying as prescribed, it is more or less completely gone.
I don't know how much of it has to do with any curative properties of the cream or the not scratching factor, but the cream really helps with the itch (and when you do scratch you're constantly reminded not to because the stuff is extremely greasy). I've been off the cream for about a week and the skin, though still slightly rough in one of the areas, has completely healed and the itching is gone. I imagine it will continue to get better as I'm not scratching anymore.
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This is exactly what you need. I use it whenever I have a flare up. Now I certainly do not use it on a daily basis, at this point, I use it maybe once a month. But when I was in Grade 8, the excema got so bad on my hands, my dermatologist had me use such a cream daily and wear white cotton gloves that either had to be discarded daily, or cleaned daily.
One thing about excema, no matter how bad it looks or feels, it can not be transmitted to someone else. There are a couple of types of excema, a dry rash and a wet weeping one. I suffer from the second.
As others have suggested, see a dermatologist. That is what I did when I could not get mine under control and he prescribed the cortico-steroid cream. But just use it sparingly and only until the itch is gone and the excema is under control. You might have to use it daily until you start to feel some relief, then go easy on the product. By the way, I have used such a cream for 40 some years and I have no problems with it or side effects whatsoever, but then, I do not abuse the product either.
Now there are other factors that affect me and certainly could affect others. For instance, I will get an outbreak of excema if I wear wool, or even any synthetc material that feels like wool. Sometimes it is the dye in the fabric that will affect me. I notice it pretty well immediately on my wrists, elbows, neck, any place where the fabric moves against the body.
I also have to really watch any cosmetic products that I use. So hand soaps, hand lotions, dish soaps, detergents for washing clothes, all those kinds of things I am extremely careful with. I never use fabric softener and put most of my clothes through a double rinse. From personal experience, I have found that the more heavily scented the product is, the more it irritates my excema. And for me, it is not related to diet, it is specifically what my skin comes in contact with.
Others have suggested other creams, I would not go that route. So many of those creams are scented with all kinds of other junk that could make your excema worse. If you have the dry type of excema, then use vaseline along with the cortico-steroid cream. Just before you go to bed, apply some vaseline to your hands or feet, put on light cotton gloves or socks and then go to sleep with them on. By morning, you should feel better. And by the way, if you get excema on your feet and can't stop scratching at night, then you should only wear cotton socks as well. Too many of the nylons, polys, wools etc all make excema worse. Usually by trial and error, you can eliminate most of the irritants that cause your excema.
EDIT: I forgot to add that I can not use down or feather products either. So that is another thing to keep in mind, what are your pillows or duvets stuffed with?