Has anyone here ever dealt with severe excema? I mean the kind that starts out as an itch, then progresses to a rash (from all the scratching) that eventually gets worse and starts to weep, crust over and spreads to other areas? I have been dealing with it for a better part of 25 yrs on and off....usually I get is it pretty bad on my hands....but this year it broke out on my left leg. It's driving me crazy. I've done everything that I did in the past with moisturizers, steroids etc. etc. and it just doesn't seem to be helping. Last week it did look like it was going to start healing but then it went right back to weeping again. I just hate having this stuff!!!!!

In the past when I would get this bad on my hands it would be there for months and I'd have to deal with it for months......then for some reason it would just get better on it's own and go away.

If anyone else suffers with this please let me know what some of your treatments were to lessen the pain and nastiness of it.

Ice helps.

My son has it, and I will put his lotion on, he takes Singulair... if it still itches we will put a bag of frozen peas on it til the worst of the itching goes away.

I had it as a child and teenager on my face and behind my ears-not a good place. I remember it hurting and looking horrible. If it gets bad enough it looks like a 3rd degree burn. My dad took me to a specialist and I remember getting very painful shots with a very long needle. It seemed to do the trick.

Now I try to keep my skin moisturized. I haven't had any problems in decades, but would still consider that I have dry skin. No long hot soaking in the tub without putting lots of lotion on after.

i have moderate eczema, but my daughter jordan's is severe.

when she was an infant, her entire body was scaled over, bleeding and scabbed and infected...

currently, we treat in a variety of ways. daily lotion head-to-toe (eucerin or gold bond) with nightly applications of bag balm underneath dressings. if i'm treating her hands or feet, i use clean white socks as a dressing and cover the area i've slathered down with the bag balm.

i have a standing prescription for bacitracin, which we use as needed. we've also had prescriptions for prednisone, elecon, and elidel.

the one that works the best for us is the elidel cream. it works by shutting off the immune response in the area, since eczema is auto-immune. it does leave you more susceptible to infection, but if you follow with the bacitracin, it's usually no biggie. in three days, a weeping, crusty, nasty sore will completely heal.

I know someone that goes for light treatments, and it has almost curedit entirely

thanks everyone for your responses. Since the weather is warmer I try to get out in the sun as much as possible to have the affected area open to the sun (hopeing this will help too).

I have mild eczema. It practically went away while pregnant with my son. But this year is BAD. I have it on the back of my head and I have been itching and picking like crazy TGel hasn't even really worked.

Have you been tested for allergies?? Isn't it sometimes related to allergies also, as in a milk allergy in kids?? Just a thought that maybe you have developed an allergy to something new and that is why it is worse this year. Just a thought. Lulu sounds like she has a lot of good ideas. Good luck.

I have an appt tomorrow morning with my regular Dr. I am going to ask him about some allergy testing. All I can do is shake my head at all this....I have tried most all the moisturizers on top of the antibacterial ointment. It's still weeping and so sore. I have even resorted to putting cool wet wraps over it (and boy does that make it feel so much better for awhile).

Asthma, Allergies and Excema seem to be interrelated.
I worked for a Allergy/Asthma practice a few yrs ago.
Definitely get tested for allergies!!!

I never knew that but I did have all three as a child...go figure.

they are SO interrelated that my six-month child was placed on nine daily medications based on her having eczema and being asthmatic.

her allergy meds, even though she tested negative were crazy. she was on claritin, d-allergy syrup, nasonex, zyrtec and another that i can't remember...

they were convinced that she had to have horrific allergies, based on her horrific eczema.

we later had her retested, and even with blood-testing she was completely negative.

It has been shown that it reduces in summer and gets worse in winter. They think that the sun rays helps the condition. So moderate sunbathing is recommended

Additionally it has been shown to be related to the levels of anxiety. Relieve the stress levels and you will see improvement.

A vegetarian diet is also recommended.

Do not use steroids as these have profound effect in your weight gain and also the reason they work is they skim off the old skin and bring out new. They do not remove the cause.

Avoid using towels which have been used and are not completely dry for reuse, specially if they have remained damp for a few days Hope above helps Trust me I am your doctor

my father had just about 100% coverage with excema...he worked as a brick layer and when he would come home, his hands would be bleeding, especially in the summer time...

He used to use epsom salt packs on his legs and arms to take the pain away and keep the irritation down...it worked for him to...and he would not take a shower or bath often, he washed up in the sink with his soap and water...and patted dry.

I know that he suffered with this for years...he finally got a creme that really helped him...that was about 12 years ago and I am sure there are many things that have been developed since then.

My girlfriend uses the tanning salon to help her...there is a bed that only has certain UV rays..not sure which ones...

I feel for you cause I watched my father suffer with this his whole life!!

good luck!








That is the one that my Father used I think!!

Well, my teenage daughter has excema on hands, inside of elbows, backs of knees and sometmes on her face. She finally got tested we discovered that she does have an allergy, to coconut. Unfortunately, coconut and it's derivatives are used in a very wide array of body lotions and moisturizing bath products. Anyway, getting tested is a good idea.

Some basics that help. Wear cotton. Use dove soap. And try flax seed oil, taken 1 teaspoon a day. Also, according to Earl Minden's vitamin Bible, many different vitamins are good for strengthening your skin and helping it heal itself.

i forgot to mention the vegetarian diet...animal proteins cause inflammation which worsen eczema. we're already vegetarians, so it's just a way of life for us.

one of the MOST effective treatments for us...flax seed oil. we supplement with a teaspoon twice per day. flax seed oil has a natural anti-inflammatory effect that is not only great for eczema, but for arthritis and other conditions as well.

My brother and all three of his kids have it and asthma too. WENT AWAY WHEN THEY DID CLEANSES AND CHANGED THEIR DIETS! Meds and OTC ointments just treat syptoms but if you elimnate things that aggrevate it like wheat and milk etc... you can get better, get tested for allergies and try a really healthy diet for a few months, I think it'll be worth it. Good luck!!!!!

For your excema, you should try using something called Aquaphor. Its from the makers of Eucerin. I know several peopel who have excema and have used Aquaphor and the stuff works wonders. But if you do try using it, make sure to put it on before you go to bed so then it has a chance to soak into your skin over night. You don't need a lot of it on the spots that you have, but make sure that all areas are covered. Hopefully you'll see a result within a few days of using it. Then during the summer, the sun does help somewhat for healing the excema spots. If you wanna try the Aquaphor, go for it.
Christina

Definately talk with your doctor.

Seems differant things may work for differant people. I have an aunt with severe psoriasis....she started going to tanning beds a few years ago and it helped her condition quite a bit.

My son seems to be outgrowing his execema (he is also asthmatic) but , I still buy an over the counter .01% cortizone cream and it helps him when he has a breakout. Also Dove soap when washing helps keep skin moisturized.He also has to stay away from wool,fiberfill,nylon seams on clothing,certain weeds and other things that can agravate.