Rly bad eczema

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a]

My daughter has had eczema since she was born. She is now 13 and is on 2 steroid creams 4 antibiotics and has over 10 moisturizers but nothing seems to be happening

Has anyone got any good natural home remedies that work to get rid of eczema because we r really desperate to get rid of it.

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a]

The picture is of her leg but the eczema is EVERYWHERE

[lovesradio]

I feel for you both, it's a horrible skin condition and can flare up, calm down, fade away, return with a vengeance, morph into new forms but not disappear. Are you in touch with the National Eczema Society? They have a helpline for when the going gets really tough. I have had my biggest problems with eczema at times of hormonal change, so puberty, post birth of daughter, menopause and at start of adjuvant cancer treatment with tamoxifen then again with letrozole as they both strip out oestrogen. In the end it is all about finding the way to get it manageable and that can be a horrible time of trial and error.

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a in reply to lovesradio]

Thank you so much.

I'm happy I know that I have someone who understands.

I'm just worried about her mental health.

Because society is harsh on girls her age and if they do not look a certain way then teenagers are quite mean people.

But thank you so much for the advice.

Xx

[Danielle_p]

Antihistamines and applying something cool to the affected area helps. I have eczema too but not to this extreme. antihistamines might take away the itch and the creams will help the sores clear up.

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a in reply to Danielle_p]

Some people have recommended antihistamines but she is allergic to every one we can find so after a few months in hospital we gave up with that idea

[Woo-woo in reply to Danielle_p]

I'm 46 had bad eczema since I was baby. Antihistamines and cooling and keeping cool are best things as well as stopping skin from drying with emollients

[Danielle_p]

Has an infection occurred due to the open sores?

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a in reply to Danielle_p]

Yes her dermatologist has prescribed antibiotics to stop the infection but it has to keep changing because the infection has either become resistant or it has gone and a new one has started.

[Voula in reply to J_e_s_s_i_c_a]

Chances are she's not infected. Antibiotics will have an anti inflammatory effect and may help whole she takes them but problem returns upon cessation. If course this is not a solution and longterm use if antibiotics comes with it's own set of risks.

[Danielle_p]

That's a shame I hope you find a solution soon as eczema is a horrible thing to go through. If I'm itch I usually apply something cold to stop the itching. Its a shame she's allergic to antihistamines as they would stop the out breaks. I've tried steroid creams and all they did was make me itch but I was put on oral steroids due to an asthma attack and they helped my skin from breaking out as they stopped the immune response. I really hope it works out for your daughter.

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a in reply to Danielle_p]

Yeah she does get bullied during pe lessons (their pe kit is a skirt)

I think the fact she's at a girls only school makes it worse

You don't even know how many times I've told her to not listen to bullies but she such a nïave and sensitive person so it does get to her

But I know that the bullying is the thing that is making her determined to get rid of it

She does everything the doctor says which is good

Because I had eczema when I was her age and I was too lazy to get up and cream every hour

I really hope her legs and arms at least clear up soon

Thanks for the advice

Xx

[Voula]

Hi google red skin syndrome and topical steroid withdrawl. Your story sounds like ours and the process to healing was described under those categories. Do lots of reading up on it and I'm sure you will find answers

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a in reply to Voula]

Oh ok never heard of that

Thanks so much

Xx

[Wrigglewraps]

Poor things! We have same problem with our son, but haven't found natural stuff that works yet. We find a combination of suitable clothing, creams meds and steroids work best. Have you tried the habit reversal programme to help with the chronic eczema side? Helps allow the lower layers of the skin to have time to heal. Couple of things you might like to try...everythingforeczema.com and pure potions. We also find a diet with a healthy amount of raspberries, cucumber and avocado helps and Totally Cool Clothing lining service help. Good luck.

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a in reply to Wrigglewraps]

Thanks so much

Xx

[Wrigglewraps]

No prob. Forgot to mention that my son is also 13 - he's had it since he was 8 weeks old! Hey ho!

[xavier]

your eczema is a problem coming from within, where your immune system is under strain so it is not going to be much help applying steroids which have a superficial effect. The antibiotics are ,as you know, to counter any infection introduced by scratching. So what is causing this strain on your immune system? Go for as natural a diet as possible.

At 13 years old your daughter will have a good appetite so for a month at a time I would suggest firstly to avoid wheat products substituting in place oats (porridge with fruit,or Nairns biscuits) or rice or potatoes. If you bake use gluten free flour . Personally I gave up milk as well and use soya milk,although some people are also allergic to soy ,although rare..It will take a month to work its magic, so persevere.

[Glasgowman]

Ive been in this position for 55 years, tried everything inc natural remedies. Unfortunately all that works for me is immunosuppressant for the dermatologist. Its last resort but gives relief. I wish U well

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a in reply to Glasgowman]

Oh thanks so much

Hope u get rid of yours soon too

I can understand how annoying it is because my daughter is ALWAYS complaining

If nothing else works will try and find out more about those

Xx

[chandora]

Hello, it's lovely to read all the supportive messages from other eczema sufferers. It's good to feel we are not alone because I don't think many people truly understand how ill this can make us. My friends used to say " can't you just put some cream on?" I could have screamed at them and told them just how much cream I used in just one day. I use Aveeno which was recommended to me by the eczema society and wouldn't be without it. It's nice and cooing and is made of oatmeal. Someone on this site recommended purebodybutters.com and they have various products which are really nice to use and made of natural ingredients. Aloe Vera from the Body Shop is good. I've heard Ostrich Oil is good as well and this can be found by Googling the website. In the mean time, as other people have advised, your daughter will be better to wear cotton clothes. These can be layered in the cold weather. Bathe in warm, not hot, water and use an emollient in the bath. I was in the skin hospital a few times and the nurses taught us to soak for about 10-15 mins, pat (not rub) the skin dry and while the skin is still slightly damp, apply moisturiser. After about half an hour, add more moisturiser and then apply every 2 hours. This could be difficult at school so she could just moisturise at break times. Try to find relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and having some quiet time listening to soft music or reading a book. A good night's sleep is really beneficial as the skin heals as we sleep. Try to avoid red meat, pork, orange juice and anything with preservatives in. Eating healthy and drinking plenty of water can help. I wish your daughter well, bless her!

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a in reply to chandora]

I know right

With these kinda of things its was to feel alone

Will try some of those oils and relaxation methods

And you wouldn't believe how many times she's shouted at me when I told her that if she doesn't scratch it it will go away

She shouts MOM ITS NOT AS EASY AS NOT SCRATCHING IF I DIDNT SCRATCH I WOULD BECOME MENTALLY UNSTABLE FROM THE ITCHINESS

I don't know

Xx

[Voula in reply to J_e_s_s_i_c_a]

Even if she doesn't scratch, it won't go away. If you read them many blogs regarding red skin syndrome or topical steroid withdrawal you will read adults fighting and not being able to resist the need to scratch. I really suggest you look thus up, it's sounds like your daughter might have this and not regular excema.

Also before you try immunosuppressants, go the research. They suppress the immune system which means that the body cannot fight of viruses illness cancer etc... Not to scare you but to prevent you changing 4 quarters for a dollar

[Emilyokfs]

Cut out sugar completely. It took two weeks but my eczema drastically improved

[cjones12]

Hi, I really feel for you and your daughter. I take it she has been tested for allergies. My eczema is triggered by eating citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit and similar as well as strawberries and pineapple. I can take loratidine, however, unlike your poor daughter, as a stop-gap if I eat out and I'm not entirely sure what's in stuff. I also have major problems with fabrics and react very badly to all animal fibres, acrylic and hemp (of all things). I know placing restrictions on what you eat and wear seems like a chore but it saves me from taking any medication at all except for rare bad break-outs nad I'm (mostly) itch-free. For me, I just had to find out what my triggers were and then be strong and stubborn in the face of other's ignorance.

On the bullying thing, there absolutely will be at least one adult at her school, probably a deputy head, who will be evangelical about anti-bullying. There legally has to be a system for reporting in place at the school. Putting up and shutting up makes the bullies feel powerful and that's what they want (to compensate for how pathetic they know they are). Your daughter will feel stronger if she tackles it head-on and reports it to the right person every time. (Yes, I used to work in a school.)

Good luck. I hope you make progress soon x

[amyshowcase]

Hi J_e_s_s_i_c_a, I really feel for you and your daughter. And know exactly what girls at school can be like. Have you had any improvements with some of the excellent suggestions here?

I'm not a doctor and have no medical training but would like to offer this for consideration. If you are still looking for relief and wish to try something natural that could help to relieve the redness and the itch, as well as promote healthy skin growth underneath, dust drop me a PM and I'll send you some more info. 

[J_e_s_s_i_c_a]

Thanks so much everyone who replied. I have gone through and tried nearly all of your suggestions and i found the combination that worked the best was removing sugar and wheat from her diet and using aloe Vera cream and a natural oil every for a leave in night cream every other day. In a month I can see a huge improvement and she seems alot happier. I am so grateful you all could help. Thank you so much

xxx

Jess