Severe Atopic Dermatitis

I also had eczema as a child and saw numerous GPs and also dermatolgists about it. They failed to help me. All they did was prescribe creams and various moisturisers etc. They did not advise me that the condition could be an allergy.

At the age of 24 I went to see an accupuncturist who advised me that my condition could be an allergy. (He was a former GP who had decided to become an accupuncturist because in his words he was "tired of peddling drugs for the pharmaceutical industry". He advised me to go on to an exclusion diet which meant I ate just lamb, rice and pears for 2 months (those foods are highly unlikely to cause an allergic reaction). It actually took more like 3 months but eventually my eczema completely cleared up. After that I saw a dietician who gradually introduced new foods into my diet and eventually I discovered that I had an allergy to dairy products and also certain nuts like almonds. I now read the labels on everything to check that they don't have dairy or almonds in them. I drink oat milk and life is good.

Unfortunately it takes a long time for the toxins to leave your system, that is why you must be very patient in this process. However, if it is a straightforward allergy to certain foods, then you have completely solved the problem.

Unfortunately it appears that GPs and dermatolgists are in the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry and therefore do not primarily advise patients that the condition could be an allergy - they just want to prescribe more medical products. The correct approach is to primarily attempt to discover whether or not the condition is a food allergy.

I hope that this helps

Steve

Unlike your son, his eczema is everywhere but his face, usually. He has some in the area where his earlobe meets his head and other skin folds/creases like the backs of his knees but mostly on his legs and arms and less on his torso and neck. I think pollen is a trigger, too - and yes, it's best to keep him cool when possible. You said his IgE was high - was that done through an allergist?

I use a dermatologist for the worst flare ups, an allergist because he's just riddled with allergies to begin with (some he's outgrowing) and even on strict elimination diets we haven't found any relief from the dermatitis - after months he still wasn't fully "clear".  I think Steve's reply is interesting, I've thought about taking my little guy for accupuncture many times. It's greatly helped me (with vertigo symptoms), I just don't see him tolerating it yet.  

So, knowing that it's FAR from a perfect science, I think you should have your son tested for allergies and make decisions from there.  If you do your own elimination diet, be sure to keep a food journal or work with your dr or nutritionist...someone who can help get the right info from results and that could be an "alternative" practitioner, too.

Steroid creams scare me a bit. I try to use them sparingly but I can't help noticing that my 7 yr old has had lightly hairy legs for years while my 10 year old does not (he had eczema as a baby and outgrew it around age 5 - more like your son's where it was on his face, too - even blistering but the worst was over around age 3 in his case). I wonder how much steroid is absorbed into his "system"?  I didn't want to try bleach baths, but finally did (I used the "eczema boot camp" method which you can google) and it did give my son some relief. Now we do a weekly bleach bath and shower every-other-day and his skin is not clear but still far better with fewer extreme patches. Last night I didn't even use medicated cream anywhere, just the pot of vanicream with a pump in the middle...I'm having trouble finding their ointment lately. I know you didn't ask for that type of advice, and I can't tell you how many "amazing!" things never helped my son...but I thought I'd add that info anyway - take it for what it's worth.

this year i watch what i eat,i do not eat wheat,chocolate,nuts, any food that contain eggs,crisps. I have noticed that it makes me feel itchy.

i informed my dermatologist for a patch test but their wa along waiting list,if i was to be on the list,my patch testing would happen in a years time.

i wa on a strict diet,i ordered a book called the eczema diet book. this book was a life saver you could order it from amazon. the book has informaion on the diffrent layers of skin and different foods whitch could  effect your skin.at the end of the book it has a meal table andrecepies for meals suitable for eczema sufferers.. My skin improved alot.When i told my dermatologist that my eczema worsens when i eat certain foods.she told me that what you ea dosnt effect your eczema.

Insha allah your sons eczema will improve

i have already posted about my success story in the alternative and complementary medicine forum, so you may want to check the post called "20 year case of Eczema cured with St. John's Wort", if interested by what follows:

Scientific research results dating from Fall 2013 at the University of Michigan have uncovered the role of the bacteria Staphylococcus Aureus in allergic skin disease, which includes most varieties of atopic dermatitis. Certain strains of this bacteria carry a toxin called Delta, which causes the mast cells to degranulate, thereby liberating a lot of histamine in the skin. That would explain why people suffering from eczema have an uncontrollable urge to scratch themselves, since histamine liberated in the skin will cause severe itching, just like when one gets an insect bite.

According to research, 90% of people suffering from eczema have their wounded skin colonized by this bacteria. It is also known to be extremely resistant to most antibiotics, which is why antibiotic therapy is rarely an option. Since we can't easily post links on this forum, you may type "University of Michigan and Delta Toxin" in your favorite search engine and you should be able to access the full scientific article.

I cured myself from my severe case of eczema by taking St. John's Wort Extract, which is a very well known antidepressor, for cases of mild to moderate depression. However, its most studied molecule called Hyperforin, also happens to be a powerful natural antibiotic against Staphyloccoccus Aureus, particularly against its Methicillin resistant strain nicknamed MRSA. St. John's Wort has also been in use in folk medicine for over 2,000 years, to treat small wounds, burns and abrasions of the skin. I have read that it was the plant of choice to help the body heal from battle wounds during the middle ages. Again, all this information can be verified on serious scientific sites by typing the desired keywords in your favorite search engine.

There also have been a few small scale clinical trials that demonstrated the efficiency of a St. John's Wort cream against Eczema. However, I took a systemic oral treatment and would therefore not be able to personally recommend such cream. It is also also hard to obtain commercially.

If you believe that St. John's Wort may help your child, please also read about all the warnings concerning its potential side-effects and interactions with other medications. These side-effects are rare for most, but it is always best to be informed just in case. I personally did not suffer from any unpleasant side-effects, but each person is different, which is why being aware should always be high priority.

Best of luck!

Greg - great you have had such success with this treatment. There's no reference to sjw and its natural antibiotic properties to help eczema  in the Michigan articles - do you know if there's any research on this specific link

anywhere ? Many thanks