I am 14 and female. I am aware I may grow out of it but presently have it horribly all over my body. Specifically behind the knees, arms, bum, and crotch. The weather is warmer and it's spring so I think that has something to do with it becoming so bad lately.I have previously gone to the doctors and got prescription creams and even steroids at one point. But the creams and medication only last a week. And is too expensive and time wasting to get a prescription each week.
The weather is so hot and I wouldn't mind wearing shorts and a shirt WITHOUT jumper for a change.
I would just like to know:
What can I avoid to lesson the harshness?
Are there any natural and/or short term or preferably long term treatments? Take in mind $$
Sorry for it's length, I'm desperate. Will give 10 points.
Marjaneh - Hi. I'm also female and have suffered from Eczema since I was maybe 6 years old. I've tried practically everything in the book and have seen countless doctors and dermatologists so I can definitely relate to any frustration or desperation for relief.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that has never ever failed me is Aloe Vera. I always get it from health food stores such as Mother's Market or Whole Foods. It's all natural and comes in liquid or gel form. It works great to relieve irritation, redness, swelling etc. For best results keep it in the fridge so that it's always cold & you can apply it anywhere directly.
Another thing that I've recently come across is Aveeno's 100% natural colloidal oatmeal skin relief bath treatment. The instructions are on the box. You should be able to find it at any drugstore since I purchased mine from CVS. It specifically says on the box " Dermatologist recommended. Relieves itchy skin due to:blahblahblah.. eczema" All you do is run yourself a nice relaxing bath and soak in it.
I have extremely sensitive skin and I can confidently say that I have never had a negative reaction to any of these products. I really hope this helps you because I know what a pain it is to have this condition when sometimes I think I'll go crazy with itchiness. What I would recommend is applying the Aloe throughout the day and then at night soak in the colloidal oatmeal and reapply Aloe Vera right before bed. Again hope you find this useful :]
Claudia - Hi, I am a fellow sufferer. I have had Eczema since I was 18 months old. It comes and goes. Sometimes it goes away completely for a while but it always comes back. I have also had the rash in all the places that you list. Currently I have it on my neck and face. I am really uncomfortable as it is very itchy and burning. I will give you a list of the things that have helped me the most.
ReplyDelete1. take only warm or cool showers Hot water can cause the skin to dry out even more. Some times when I am really itchy I take a cool bath.
2 Use a good brand of regular moisturizing lotion. I use products made by Aveeno. They have a wide variety of preparations. Some intended for just the face. My favorite is "ultra calming "
3 Do not scratch. I know I know it just drives you crazy and scratching it gives a couple of minutes from the torture. When it is really bad an ice pack applied to the area will help to calm the skin. Make sure you wrap the ice in a cloth before applying if to the skin.
4 You should keep a diary so you can figure out what triggers the rash. Are you allergic to any foods, any environmental triggers? I know that if I get very hot and sweaty I will start to itch and a break out will follow
5 Try to wear clothing that is non irritating. I stick to 100% cotton if I can. If possible wash new garments before wearing.
6 Do your best to avoid upsetting events,friends,family, etc. This can also trigger an attack.
7 stay in touch with your Dermatologist. I see mine every 6 months whether I need her or not. That way she can determine if there are any new products that may help you.
8. Seek situations where you can relax. Stress makes this type of problem worse.
9 If you have areas that crack open and bleed or fluid filled bubbles that open up you have to be really careful to keep them clean so you do not get an infection in any of the open areas. When you wash DO NOT scrub an area. Scrubbing will remove part of the top layer of cells. These cells help to protect the skin structure below the visible layer.
10 any medication that you are given by the Dr should be used exactly as it is ordered. three times a day dosing of topical products is a pain, but it is ordered that way for a reason.
11 Sometimes you will have pain with this. I take a tylenol when the pain gets bad and it helps, If you know that you have allergies you should ask your Dr to recommend a medication for you that should help to prevent a breakout from an allergy. I use Benadryl over the counter for this. I can not suggest medications to you, so please check with your Dr before using any over the counter medications.
12 Keep a stiff upper lip. Hopefully some of these suggestions will help you.
When I was a child 1949 is the year I was born, there were almost no treatments available. My Mother was told the rash might be from a fat deficiency. The Dr told her to feed me lard to get more fat into my diet, So I got lard and peanut butter sandwiches. Pretty nasty. Then a local gentleman came up with a salve that he said helped his daughter. It was a mixture of TAR ( like the road stuff) and lanolin. It made a mess of anything it touched. Every night my Mom would cover me with this dark brown salve, I had the rash so bad on my scalp that they used to spread the salve on there and Mom would work it into my scalp and hair. My hair was so short that the lanolin actually gave me some cute curls.
Sorry to ramble on so much. Please feel free to try any of the suggestions. I am pretty sure I gave you the ones that do not cost very much. Good luck to you in this fight. Have courage and remember you are not alone in this battle,
Best of Luck and hugs
Claudia