I can’t take this anymore! My eczema got worse

Hi Pixiewolf, sorry to hear about this.

Here are some pointers I can give you.  I am a 37yo male and I developed this at around 30. Have had bad episodes where it’s all over one arm, back of legs behind the knees, elbow, ear, etc.

I will share what I have found to be very helpful.

1.  Creams - cetaphil mosturizing cream.  Put on immediately after shower when skin is still damp.l (this is important)

2.  Diet - try a healthy diet low in sugar.  If you currently eat like junk then this one could be a huge help for you.  Eat lots of veggies... salads.  Lots of rich colors.   Keep away from a lot of carbs, bread, pasta and dessert.  Beer also sometimes gives me issues (damn it!!)

3.  Showers - take them sparingly (every 2 days) and when you shower don’t always use soap on the problematic areas.  You will strip away you bodies natural oils.  Infrequent showers may make you feel better.  Of course all showers you can wash your genitals and arm pits and what not... hair.  Also use cetaphil eczema body wash. 

4.  Bleach bath - this one is supposed to help tremendously but I have yet to do it.  Trust me I have heard the doctors tell me and I have read a lot on it.  Look up eczema bleach bath and DO IT!  mine has not been severe enough for me to try it yet but I have had some bad days for sure.

5.  Caffeine - removing it may or may not helpful you.  

6.  Exercise is a double edged sword.  Good for keeping inflammation down, but not good for eczema because it heats up your body and makes the eczema worse a lot of times...not always

7.  Sleep - get adequate sleep 

8.  Cream steroids - they help but I try to limit them.  Docs say it’s fine but I still try to avoid.  But when there is a severe breakout I will use and it helps a lot.  

I can’t stress enough a clean diet.  Lots of fiber.  I have def noticed a trend when I am eating bad my eczema tells me.   And a lot of these things are things you should be doing anyway to stay generally healthy.

If you get this msg and try this stuff please let us know if it helps.  Give it some time... few weeks.  LET US KNOW!  Don’t forget.  

I feel as though I have just met my twin! I'm 16 years old and have had eczema all over my body since I was a month old so I know exactly how you feel! I remember when I was young and people used to tell me that it would go away as I grew older but what I found was that it had only gotten worse. 2017 was probably the worst my eczema had ever been in my life- but I took oral steroids in December because I couldn't stand it anymore.

I felt guilty because I knew steroids had a lot of bad side effects but when it gets to the point where you can't even get up in the morning without finding new wounds you created during the night, it felt good to feel like I didn't have this disease for a while. 

Honestly, if your eczema is at its worst I advise you to take steroids even though it is a short term solution but I do feel like it would help to control your eczema when it has become uncontrollable. For example, I took the steroids and am now very conscious of what I eat, making sure to avoid even the smallest of things I know that can trigger my eczema. So far, I haven't had any extremely bad flare ups in a month! 

My advice for now is to definitely be aware of what triggers your eczema and try to control it to your best ability. Take showers at lukewarm temperature- not too hot and not too cold; i stopped using soap altogether a few months ago and I've found that it's just been easier for me to handle my eczema but don't feel like you need to follow- find a dermatologically tested soap that doesn't have any fragrance from brands such as Cetaphil or QV. And always, always, always moisturise straight after you shower- this has helped me a lot. 

Last but not least, don't stress it- stress can only make it worse. And always know you have a friend here who can relate to your experience. I hope your eczema clears soon and all the best!

Hi Pixiewolf

Just to let you know my daughter who has had eczema for twelve years cured it almost completely recently after taking Goatsmilk Kefir probiotic for six weeks.  It is especially made for eczema.  It was a miracle as she has tried everything all creams and diet etc.

Not nice to take as it is like buttermilk but well worth it.  Hope it helps.

 

Oh my goodness, just reading this post brings me back to when I would have major flare ups. I'm sure you've had people offering you suggestions left and right. And I guess I'm about to be one of them. If you google eczema treatments and home remedies... you'll find that the majority of them will lead you back to your diet. So that can not be expressed enough.

Can I ask you a more personal question? Do you ever have digestive issues with either constipation or diarrhea? I realize at 15, that's more of an embarrassing question than anything but the reason I ask is because breakouts on your skin are usually a sign that there's something wrong on the inside. Bad digestion and skin problems pretty much go hand in hand. And bad digestion can be caused by eating things such as gluten, dairy, sugar etc... pretty much the american diet sadly. When I was having my worst breakouts, it was during a period of time when I was having a lot of digestion issues.

 teresa03911 had an awesome point about the probiotics. Research probiotics and eczema. Probiotics are really good for your digestive system. Taking a good quality probiotic is immensely beneficial to those with eczema. And I'm not taking the bottles of 1 billion bacteria you can buy at walmart... I'm talking about brands like Ultimate Flora and such. Ones with 50 Billion bacteria or more. Those are what's going to help you. Or eating fermented foods like raw sauerkraut or kimchi (yummy!)

If you reevaluate your diet and take good probiotics... i promise you that the itching will stop. Plus all the things that  jpmock listed are helpful as well! So important!

I'm so sorry you are having to experience this. But you mustn't give up. The sheets and the dreading of showers sounds a massive drag but you must change the sheets as often as is required until you are able to turn a corner with this. 

Have you tried alternating your diet. I know some people the detox diet has worked for. 

I would also experiment with as many atopical emollients as possible. Many of them won't work, but one of them will. I tried everything for years until finding one that finally worked for me a few months ago. Different things work for different people, thats what is so infuriating about this is there is no blanket proven treatment. 

But don't give up! 

And keep us updated!

I cured my excema in my early 20’s by a fluke. Since I was 7 years old I’d had eczema very bad on my hands and feet, especially my feet. One day while skiing I was so upset I went outside and stood in the snow barefoot. I stood there for about 25 minutes to a half hour and melted all the snow around my feet all the way to the ground! A normal person could never have lasted that long standing on what is vertically ice. It was the breakthrough I was looking for. The itching almost immediately stopped and in a matter of days (keeping my feet and hands cold) my excema went into remission. Since then anytime I have flareups I put my feet in ice, the itching instantly disappears and if I keep my feet cold and as dry as possible the eczema just goes away. I’ve told doctors this but no one takes me seriously. The problem is heat!!! Somehow the nerve stimulation creates heat which creates the blisters. Once you’ve rid your feet and hands of the eczema the rest of the eczema on your body will go away on its own. The main places for eczema is your hands and feet. Fill some Ziploc bags with water and freeze them and hold onto them with your hands. You’ll be surprised how long you can hold the ice pack. If the excema is bad enough you’ll be able to melt the whole bag of ice. Put your feet in ice water. Put a towel next to the bucket and keep your feet as dry as possible once they’ve gotten them cold. “Keep” your feet and hands cold. As cold as you can take it at first. And then after your feet and hands have heeled you must keep your hands and feet cool for the rest of your life or it will return. And for heavens sake never ever scratch or rub your affected area! Scratching promotes the heat. It takes vigilance. You can’t let the tingle start or it can come back in a matter of minutes. When I get the sansation and the itchy feeling I don’t care where I am, I kick off my shoes and socks and wag my feet around to get them cooled off. Then I immediately head for an ice bucket as soon as possible. Heat is the enemy. Oily creams and lotions don’t help and trap the heat. Keep your hands and feet clean, dry and above all “cold!”  Eczema sucks! This is my cure. I’ve been excema free for 30 years. Just try it. You’ll see. 

Everyone I have told about this was almost immediately cured after years of misery. It's very simple.

1. DO NOT USE LIQUID DETERGENTS FOR LAUNDRY! Use Dreft POWDER or Ivory POWDER. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!

2. Do not use FABRIC SOFTENERS.

3. Use ONLY Ivory BAR SOAP on your hands. Liquid hand soaps are as bad as liquid detergents:-(

4. Wear gloves to do dishes. 

5. Be careful of shampoos like Pantene. Even if you have always used them, you can become sensitive over time. I recommend this: [b]https://www.pureformulas.com/berry-full-shampoo-16-oz-by-now[b].html

I'm pretty sure this will change your world. It has helped so many of my friends and their children put the misery behind them for good.

Hope it helps!