Give Steroids creams a chance, there not cures but they will relieve you to stop eczema.
A question on the talkeczema forums and I wanted to answer it as best I could so here’s the full response I did, hope it helps you out. I wanted to help people outside this website to stop eczema therefore, this was the first place I went.
Question
Up until June last year I had never had eczema in my life. I’ve had acne, hayfever and minor asthma, but no eczema to accompany it. I am 22.
In June 2011 I suddenly developed rashes all over my body. The doctor diagnosed it as pityriasis rosea – which is meant to disappear after a few weeks. It all cleared up after about one month; however, I always retained a little patch of it on my wrist which has not disappeared up until this day.
Over the summer holidays from university, where I stayed in my home town, my skin was fine (apart from that one patch). However, when I returned to university in October 2011, I received a massive outbreak of eczema on my hands. It consists of extremely dry, red and often raised patches on the knuckles, the sides of the fingers and a large patch between the thumb and the index finger. I was eventually prescribed a steroid cream for this, but I continue to suffer from eczema on my hands. Moreover, it has gradually spread to other parts of my body. I have the same patches on my thighs (both outside and inside), my ankles, my buttocks, my nipples, around my bellybutton, the tips of my ears, my neck, the right side of my forehead, the sides of my eyes and a small patch just below my eye. The patches often become weepy when scratched and have scaly surfaces.
I’ve been prescribed numerous steroid creams, which work to an extent but just temporarily relieve the symptoms and also Elidel cream – which unfortunately did not help at all or make hardly any difference.
What I am suffering from now is different to the pityriasis rosea, as that consisted of loads of rashes all down my arm and so on; however, it’s rather strange that some of the rashes I had during that condition are cropping up in the same place now. However, I never had pityriasis rosea on my legs – which I do with this bout of eczema.
I really don’t know what has caused this and continues to make it worse. Like I said, I have never had eczema like this in my life. Here’s a list of things I have changed since June 2011 which may or may not be causing it:
1) I had been taking zinc and vitamin D tablets (not an excessive amount) for quite some time before discontinuing them around the time I developed pityriasis rosea and haven’t taken them since. [But surely stopping taking them wouldn't cause all this?]
2) I recently changed from a Bedhead shampoo I had been using for a number of year to a standard Head & Shoulders shampoo. [Doubt the Bedhead shampoo contained less harsher chemicals or anything though].
3) Changed to a Witch Hazel facial wash range.
4) Reduced the amount I use inhalers for my minor asthma considerably from almost once a day to once every few weeks.
5) In terms of food, I rarely eat dairy but I haven’t changed anything drastically. I eat chicken, prawns and beef – make stir frys a lot using soy sauce and eat currys. But I have always eaten this food for as long as I can remember and have never had a problem.
6) Changed to non-bio washing but I still have the exact same symptoms.
Answer
Hello and welcome to talkeczema, hopefully I’ll be able to help you out.
For this response I’ll quote everything and answer bit by bit so hopefully you understand the situation.
Up until June last year I had never had eczema in my life. I’ve had acne, hayfever and minor asthma, but no eczema to accompany it. I am 22.
Unfortunately Eczema can be developed but typically if you have asthma and hayfever, you are prone to develop eczema, as you can see here. Eczema is driven by an allergen therefore it’s logical to suggest since you allergic to flower pollen and more, that eczema is taking effect.
Over the summer holidays from university, where I stayed in my home town, my skin was fine (apart from that one patch). However, when I returned to university in October 2011, I received a massive outbreak of eczema on my hands.
When you weren’t at Uni it’s probably the case you didn’t have Eczema at the time but when you came back, you developed it and there is probably something in Uni which you are allergic too. It won’t have effected you before hand as you didn’t develop Eczema but because you are now, it does.
It consists of extremely dry, red and often raised patches on the knuckles, the sides of the fingers and a large patch between the thumb and the index finger. I was eventually prescribed a steroid cream for this, but I continue to suffer from eczema on my hands. Moreover, it has gradually spread to other parts of my body. I have the same patches on my thighs (both outside and inside), my ankles, my buttocks, my nipples, around my bellybutton, the tips of my ears, my neck, the right side of my forehead, the sides of my eyes and a small patch just below my eye. The patches often become weepy when scratched and have scaly surfaces.
A steroid cream should help with the Eczema. If the type of Eczema cream you are using doesn’t help, you probably will need something stronger. There are other creams which can help which calm down the immune system as Eczema uses a defect in the immune system to attack an Allergen. This defect being Histamine attacking the Allergen which makes you scratch and as you scratch, more histamine develops and well, fire circle is born. A steroid cream will not cure Eczema but it will relieve the symptoms of Eczema.
The longer Eczema stays in place, the more it will spread so you need to get real with Eczema and say, do you want to stop eczema and you’ll probably say yes. The weeping is what is known as blood plasma. This is the weeping substance but this is the substance which creates the new skin, so logically, it’s best not to do anything to this but it’s uncomfortable so it’ll be wiped of alot but it’ll keep coming back until it becomes hard. From this point it starts to become skin but it’s a extremely thin layer of skin and without moisturizer cream (E45 and Dirpobase) it breaks up quickly into the scales. If you add moisturize, this will either save that layer of skin from itchy and aggregation or it will break up alot later, so the skin underneath it is developed. At no point is it a good idea to pick any of it off, as when you put a moisturizer onto the skin, the aggregation of the itchiness should subside.
I’ve been prescribed numerous steroid creams, which work to an extent but just temporarily relieve the symptoms and also Elidel cream – which unfortunately did not help at all or make hardly any difference.
In your own words it “temporarily relieve the symptoms.” That sounds about right as that is exactly what it’s meant to do. What your looking for is a way to really stop it for longer which i’ll explain below.
What I am suffering from now is different to the pityriasis rosea, as that consisted of loads of rashes all down my arm and so on; however, it’s rather strange that some of the rashes I had during that condition are cropping up in the same place now. However, I never had pityriasis rosea on my legs – which I do with this bout of eczema.
I have the feeling you exercise alot, which probably means your allergic to the properties of sweat thou I can’t give your a promise on that as well you might not be. But Eczema will crop up where ever it wants but you’ll eventually just scratch areas of your body for whatever reason and because you know have Eczema, you’ll regret it, for now.
1) I had been taking zinc and vitamin D tablets (not an excessive amount) for quite some time before discontinuing them around the time I developed pityriasis rosea and haven’t taken them since. [But surely stopping taking them wouldn't cause all this?]
No I wouldn’t say it would to the degree you have subscribed but I will say it’s not a good idea to stop. You need to get these sources of Vitamins and Minerals in the body. Why I’m telling you exactly what to get cause i’m not sure your allergic to it. For EPA and DHA, you can go COD Liver Oil. For GLA you can go Primrose Oil, Starflower Oil or Argan Oil. Argan Oil is usually physically applied and I advise you to take it and put it on you. You need Vitamins A-B Complex-C-D-E which all can be found in Multi Vitamins so I advise this (http://www.naturesbest.co.uk/multi-max-complete-p604/?src=gonato) This also comes with Antioxidants which you. You need, need, need Probiotics, This is the stuff which will help you in the longterms and it will fight of these allergens which means, no allergic reaction via histamine.
2) I recently changed from a Bedhead shampoo I had been using for a number of year to a standard Head & Shoulders shampoo. [Doubt the Bedhead shampoo contained less harsher chemicals or anything though].
If it fails, look into Emu Oil or Argan Oil as long as your not allergic to them (http://www.purearganoil.co.uk/) Fatty Oils (EPA, DHA and GLA) will combat sign of inflammatary properties, inflamed skin) are present in both Oils GLA being the Acid in this case.
3) Changed to a Witch Hazel facial wash range.
As long as your not allergic to it I can’t really see a problem.
4) Reduced the amount I use inhalers for my minor asthma considerably from almost once a day to once every few weeks.
Probably a good thing, couldn’t confirm it but I can’t see it being a problem you using this less.
5) In terms of food, I rarely eat dairy but I haven’t changed anything drastically. I eat chicken, prawns and beef – make stir frys a lot using soy sauce and eat currys. But I have always eaten this food for as long as I can remember and have never had a problem.
Don’t assume, get a allergy test and see how it goes. If your allergic to chicken, your going to feel alot better you found out THOU the probiotics should help this for the future.
6) Changed to non-bio washing but I still have the exact same symptoms.
Step in the right direction.
Some suggestions of my own.
1) Religiously use a moisturiser, this will keep you skin protected and supple.
2) Have an Itch Relief cream ready on you and in the fridge. Coldness helps against Itch.
3) Take the supplements like I said.
4) Find out what your allergic too.
I hope this helps,
Alan Reid: http://www.stopeczema.info
To stop eczema, you gotta get real, you got to say to yourself, do you really want to beat it and do you want it to stop. Personally, having the ability to stop eczema from taking over aspects of your life was something I wanted to make I got sorted and I’m happy to say I achieved this with the determination I had growing.
