I have exzema on my upper arms and on the top part of my back.

Been to the doctor twice....he gave me some cream, but all it did was create some sort of 'coat' over the exzema and caused a outbreak of zits in that area.

I told him about it both times....he said that the condition I have...there is no known cure....just ways to control it.

That being said, I have exposed the area to the sun during last summer, and noticed that in certain areas it seemed to go away completely.

Is that normal?

I've also heard that part of the problem could be the skin getting to dry....would it help keeping it moist at all times? Or as much as possible?

Thanks.

My girlfriend has that on her hands, I don't really know much about it, but her Dr. told her the same thing, "there is no known cure....just ways to control it".

I have exzema on my upper arms and on the top part of my back.

Been to the doctor twice....he gave me some cream, but all it did was create some sort of 'coat' over the exzema and caused a outbreak of zits in that area.

I told him about it both times....he said that the condition I have...there is no known cure....just ways to control it.

That being said, I have exposed the area to the sun during last summer, and noticed that in certain areas it seemed to go away completely.

Is that normal?

I've also heard that part of the problem could be the skin getting to dry....would it help keeping it moist at all times? Or as much as possible?

Thanks.

They used to use ultraviolet light to treat some eczema, yours might be sensitive to it.

I do find that keeping the skin from drying out helps. I use this stuff:

http://www.breastfeedingexpress.com/ameda/images/lansinoh_large.jpg

Also - treat your athlete's foot if you have it. There are connections between fungus infection and eczema. They don't really have it sorted in detail, but the whole deal with skin is that it isn't just you. Normally there is a population of benign bacteria that graze on your dead skin cells but something about eczema might make the skin more palatable for fungi and less nutritious for the bacteria, etc. So you are really trying to cultivate a healthy population of stowaways which will outcompete the nasty ones for your dead skin. So you want to keep at that when your skin seems to be doing well. Pay attention to what sort of soap you are using. Keeping a diary can help identify what of the many possibilities is helping/hurting.

I have it IN both ears!!! I @$@#%@%$@%@$ HATE IT!!!!!!

And on my left side its also above my ear, looks so attractive when I have my hair too short.


Its a constant battle everyday. I have the cream too and that helps if I constantly use it but it does cause acne. I don't know which is worse exzema in my ears or pimples.

I'll try that cream, thanks

Is that the same as psoriasis? Skin issues are heavily influenced by diet. My dad has either psoriasis or eczema, and it will clear up a bit when he eats really healthy, and then get bad again when he binges on junk food.

Azure,
I have had eczema all of my life. It has moved to different parts of my body. I at one time or another have had it in my ears, my arms, behind my knees, the front of my knees, and my toes. Right now, the only place I have it is on my fingers. It is unbearably itchy. The only thing for me that alleviates the itch is to put my fingers under very hot water, but that aggravates the problem, since the hot water drys out the skin. I go to the doctor, and he gives me cortizone creams, which help, but never get rid of the problem. He told me not to take hot showers, since it drys out the skin. Also, the changes of the seasons it the time of the year when it flares up most. Stress also agravates the situation. He also said to use hand creams, to keep the skin moist.

Thanks guys.

Its funny....but ever since I started eating clean, there have been small changes. Not big enough to get me jumping around, but it doesn't flare up so much anymore, etc, etc.

I have absolutely no problem with itching.

I'll try to keep it from drying out....and I'll try that cream as well.

I get periodic flare ups on my elbows, back, and back of the neck. Some sun exposure does help (your body's natural vitamin D production is triggered by sunlight in small amounts), but the only topical medication that flat out clears up the problem for me is a prescription corticosteroid ointment called Clobetasol propionate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clobetasol_propionate) that I was prescribed a few years ago when I showed signs of mild psoriasis AND eczema.

A little bit goes a LONG way, and applying it twice a day for 24-48 hours never fails to make the itching go away and the bumps disappear like they were never there in the first place. Nothing over the counter even comes close, but it's pretty strong stuff so I never use it for more than a day or two--not that I've ever had to. :)

You might consider getting a referral to see a dermatologist if you haven't already (you said "doctor", not sure if you meant GP or derm).

I'm in the same boat as causticmuse. I have a prescription for Olux-E -- clobetasol propionate in a novel aerosol foam emulsion -- for initially treating bad flare-ups, and a generic prescription for fluocinonide creme for minor flare-ups. Previously I had a generic for Diprolene (betamethasone dipropionate).

At this point I just deal with occasional mild eczema, usually seasonal or as a result of "skin injury" -- not taking care of my skin by using harsh soaps, etc. The big thing is to take care of your skin. We discussed moisturizers in this thread, take a look:

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=39943

I neglected to mention two products in that thread, because at the time I had stopped using them: Eucerin (http://www.amazon.com/Eucerin-Lotion-Intensive-Repair-16-9/dp/B000O5SH8I/ref=pd_bbs_7?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1198071984&sr=8-7) (the normal stuff), and Cetaphil "Gentle Skin Cleanser" (http://www.cetaphil.com/Products/cleansers.aspx) (the liquid sanitizer). I switched back to using Eucerin at night instead of the Neutrogena moisturizer, and while Eucerin is oily as hell, it's a noticeable improvement. Cetaphil is a gentle, non-comedogenic cleanser. I use it when I have an eczema outbreak so I don't further irritate my skin (my outbreaks are on my hands).

The best thing you can do is to bring a laundry list of questions with you when you go see your dermatologist. Ask them how you should be taking care of your skin, which products they recommend, what to avoid, etc.


:gl:

My wife gets an occasional eczema flare up here and there.
She washes the area with Selsun Blue shampoo and it works like a charm...(Her's is fairly minor though)

I've dealt with eczema and acne issues on and off since I was a teenager. For me, I found I can treat the area with a good over-the-counter topical anti-botic like Mycetracin or neosporin. Even better if it has an anti-itch compound.

To prevent the flare-ups... especially around late fall and early spring.. good lotions (The Eucrin is probably my favorite) twice a day and drinking a ton of water really help reduce it to almost a non-issue for me.

Though if bad enough.. a dermitologist is a better bet then a GP doctor. Mine had actually placed me on an oral anti-biotic that really cleared up the problem without causing the acne.

We removed tomatoes and dairy (milk, cheese, and yogurt) from my daughter's diet. Once in a while she will flare up a little - usually when she is sick or eats pizza over her grandparent's house(!?) - at least it is manageable now.

For anyone who has eczema that is very itchy, Sarna Anti-Itch lotion is a god send. I have eczema on my fingers, and to say it is very itchy is a vast understatement. The only way for me to relieve the itch is to put my finger under very hot water, so hot it could almost give 3rd degree burns. Hot water drys the skin, making the eczema worse. So this Sarna lotion gets rid of the itch almost immediately, but the relief is temporary. It is fairly expensive, about $12-$14. per container, and I could go through a container in a week. Luckily, Costco sells it, so it is a bit cheaper there.

Mine isn't itchy.

Keeping the sky from going dry helps a lot.

But I still can't get it to go away. I tried some of the creams mentioned here, and while it did help a bit, its still there.

I just talked to my normal doctor. I'll have to look into seeing a dermatologist,

I have it IN both ears!!! I @$@#%@%$@%@$ HATE IT!!!!!!

Yeah I get it there. It sucks beyond belief.

I have eczema as well. There are many different kinds of eczema and they all suck! Definitely go see a dermatologist, he/she will know much more about eczema than a GP.

A few things I picked up:

Use moisturizer right after showering.

Use laureth sulfate free soaps and shampoos (this has made a bigger difference for me than anything else, it was night and day) Usually 'organic' type brands don't have these. Burts Bees and Everyman Jack are available at Target (at least where I am.)

Gently exfoliate the skin (like with a shower poof ball or something)

Sweat tends to make it worse. I break out way more often when I am working out on a regular basis. Try to shower as soon after working out as possible.

Depending on the type you have, food allergies can trigger it. You may want to see an allergist and see what you are allergic to.

That's all I can think of for now.

I've dealt with eczema and acne issues on and off since I was a teenager. For me, I found I can treat the area with a good over-the-counter topical anti-botic like Mycetracin or neosporin. Even better if it has an anti-itch compound.


FBChick,
This was a great reccomendation. I tried the Neosporin, and it worked better then I thought possible. My fingers would be unbearably itchy before, I tried the Neosporin, and it took the itch away completely. I stopped using the steroid creams the doctor gave me, and just from the Neosporin, my fingers are 99% healed. My fingers actually look normal again. I feel like a new person, thank you for the suggestion.

I have exzema on my upper arms and on the top part of my back.

Been to the doctor twice....he gave me some cream, but all it did was create some sort of 'coat' over the exzema and caused a outbreak of zits in that area.

I told him about it both times....he said that the condition I have...there is no known cure....just ways to control it.

That being said, I have exposed the area to the sun during last summer, and noticed that in certain areas it seemed to go away completely.

Is that normal?

I've also heard that part of the problem could be the skin getting to dry....would it help keeping it moist at all times? Or as much as possible?

Thanks.

It might be psoriasis. I have it mild on my hands. Basically it's a form of auto immune. Your skin cells are replaced in 7 days instead of the normal 28, which causes scales and dryness. Keep your hands moisturized and use a mild Hydrocortisone (think you'll need a prescription for that). I just put the cream on my hands twice a night before going to sleep, it's very much like Vaseline or any other sticky moisturizer.

I have a grandpa who is 95 and never been to a doctor in his life, he mixes up garlic, cooking oil and butter and rubs it on anything with any problem at it seems to get better... who knows it could work.

FBChick,
This was a great reccomendation. I tried the Neosporin, and it worked better then I thought possible. My fingers would be unbearably itchy before, I tried the Neosporin, and it took the itch away completely. I stopped using the steroid creams the doctor gave me, and just from the Neosporin, my fingers are 99% healed. My fingers actually look normal again. I feel like a new person, thank you for the suggestion.


Glad it worked!

Def. go see a dermatologist. I was 80% covered with psoriasis, and the doctor immediately referred me to a derm. He told me to get my tonsils out and it went away almost completely within a week after the operation. I still get a spot here or there, but not as bad as it was. Before that I had all the creams and ointments you could imagine and they didn't touch it. Good luck.

I was 80% covered with psoriasis, and the doctor immediately referred me to a derm. He told me to get my tonsils out and it went away almost completely within a week after the operation.

Interesting! Which form of psoriasis?

I read a thread from Doublequeso in the nutrition section, about giving up artifical sweeteners. I never thought of giving them up before, but it seemed like a good idea. At the start of the month, I had already gave up diet soda (not because of the artifical sweeteners) because I thought it was a bad habit. About a week later, I read his thread, and gave up Equal, Splenda & Sweet & Low. I had been putting 2 Equals a day in my oatmeal, and 2 in each coffee I drank during the day. I am already totally okay with drinking coffee and having oatmeal without the sweetener now.

I had a bad case of eczema on my hands and fingers, especially on my left hand. It was unbearably itchy, the only thing that would stop the itch was to put my hand under extremely hot water, which is bad for the eczema because it drys the skin out - but I couldn't help it.

Since I stopped having the Equal, Splenda & Sweet & Low, the itch as well as the Eczema disappeared 100% from my hand. My hand actually looks like the hand of a normal person now, instead of being scaly, bleeding from scratching, and having numerous band aids on them.

It turned out, I was allergic to the Equal (aspartame), and that was causing the problem. I never heard of such a thing, but I checked the internet, and people do have allergies to aspartame.

This itch, and the eczema on my hand has tormented me for 2-3 years now. I feel like a new person now. If anyone has eczema, I would try giving up Equal and see if it helps. Thank you Doublequeso for creating that thread.

Stress will aggravate it...

and certain food allergies play a part.


nail your diet for starters...

I had it back in the early nineties on my legs.

I was under a lot of stress and it was the only period in my life where I let myself go downhill physically for a couple of years. I was also drinking a bit more than I should at the time.