By moo118 on Saturday, August 14, 2010 - 05:24 pm:

Hiya everyone
I have had eczema since i was 2.
I'm at college studying for my A levels. This year we have to do a project on a topic of our choice. I've chosen to do my project on Atopic eczema.
I have to collect lots of responses to a survey which i have created.
As i dont have access to vast amounts of people with eczema, i would really appreciate it if you could complete my survey, so that i can collect lots of responses.
Thank you very much for helping me out.
The link is


surveymonkey.com/s/HDDRV2P

By Bubbly on Friday, July 02, 2010 - 06:37 am:

My daughter started having eczema at the age of 2, with breakouts on her elbows, behind her knees. After many trial and errors, I found out that there are several ways to keep eczema under control and reduce the flareups significantly. Non-steroid cream "Elidel" doesn't help much. Instead I tried to focus more on daily personal hygiene and health supplements. Changing bedsheets at least once or twice weekly, washing curtains twice a mth, keeping your bedroom dust free. Using organic skincare products for face, body and hair (organic meaning free of parabens, SLS, fragrance, mineral oil, coloring). Taking 1000mg/2000mg of fish oil or evening primrose oil or borage oil capsules daily helps too. Don't expect to see miracles happen overnight! Visible Effects of supplements usually takes about 3 mths. Topical application/use of Aloe Vera cream/gel/cleanser or even ingest of aloe vera helps as well. Of course, same rule of avoiding food triggers like eggs, deep fried & oily food, seafood, peanuts etc are very important. Take small steps at a time and find out which works best for you. Remember, patience is the key and observe closely each time you tried a new product or supplement. All the best.

Warmest regards, Bubbly.

By Lala on Friday, August 07, 2009 - 06:22 pm:

Proud?
Not at all.

There have been days where I avoid the mirror, just so i don't have to see what I look like.
It's a curse. Something that haunts me day in, day out. When I was little, My mum, my brother (2yrs old at the time) and myself (4 at the time) were out, and this other woman stopped my mum and stared at me and my brother (both covered in E) and said 'my GOD, what have YOU done to those poor children?!'
My mum was horrified, as well as embarrased.

Proud?
No way.

By jeff3670 on Monday, July 13, 2009 - 04:43 am:

I have had eczema for about 10 years. I have tried creams, pills which help relieve the itching, but only go so far. Recently, I discovered this skin soothing range product from Gaiapharm technology helps to bring my break outs down. I apply it frequently and keep a bottle of it at home and at work, and it really makes a difference. Now I only have to apply the cortisone cream about once a week, or if I get a super bad break out from the weather changes. In general, this helps limit against that and keeps my skin looking wonderfully healthy!


I grew up with these (seasonal) nasty breakouts of tiny, fine bumps when scratched, would turn into blistering sores and then into patches of dry, flaky, itchy skin. I visited dermatologists who told me it was everything from eczema to tinea versicolor and prescribed everything from clobetasol to plain Cortizone. I happened upon a friend who noticed a fresh outbreak on the inside of my elbow and suggested I try Gaiapharm Skin Soothing Range products. To my amazement and relief, the outbreak was cleared up in a matter of 2 days no reoccurrence in weeks. I'm not sure if what I have is eczema or not, but continuing use of Gaiapharm Product did the trick. If you've tried 'everything else' to no avail, give this a try...what do you have to lose? My treatment was: simply use the cleanser as a shower gel follow by the hydrator. My skin look wonderfully healthy.

By Elye on Wednesday, June 03, 2009 - 03:16 am:

Hey RR

I found that site as well, I tried it for around 6 months, my legs healed but somehow my E on my hands and face exploded. When I went to a chinese med doctor he told me all the raw food make me too "cold" inside and causing all the heat to go to my upper body and so my hands and face E got so severe... just saying that the diet may work for people that are naturally "warm" as oppose to people who are naturally "cold" in a chinese med sense...Try cautiously

By RR on Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 05:18 pm:

Lynne, my eczema has nearly totally cleared up since i changed my diet. Iv posted on here before when i was suffering and wanted to tear my skin off. I thought i was going to have to give up my job. Please google this site. I hope this helps your daughter.

eczema-natural-healing.com"> Eczema Natural Healing - Discover how I healed myself from eczema naturally

By Lynne Cheetham on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - 09:56 pm:

Great to find such a supportive site. My daughter is in hospital with a
very bad flare up. She has never been so bad. She is nearly 17 and had to miss an exam this week. Her education this year has really been effected.
How do you teenagers cope, what have you tried that has worked for you and how do you handle your stress. My daughter's eczema is triggered by stress.
I was concerned at the amount of drugs she has been given. Steroids, anti-biotics, anti-histimes.
Any natural treatments that people have found beneficial?
LYNNE

By Suzanne on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 08:38 am:

I agree 100% about 'proud to have eczema" what a load of ####! It is physically and mentally debilitating, soul destroying and life destroying. It eats away at your self-esteem, confidence. Why would you be proud to have something that stops you from enjoying life to it's fullest. That makes you fear social occassions instead of looking forward to them, the sleepless nights, the pain of dry, swollen painfull skin that hurts when you move. Sorry, but I hate, hate, hate this desease and would'nt wish on my worst enemy and I will never be proud to have it and will fight with every being in my body to get rid of this horrific condition!!!!!

By s on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 12:11 pm:

Everyone's skin is different but I find that toners (even nice ones like Clinque) are often too oily and tend to clog up the skin. I tend to just use a cotton wool pad and aqueous cream to get rid of the dead skin cells - I also try to leave my skin to dry out/don't keep moisturising when I'm in the privacy of my own home in the evenings as it helps to shed the old stuff and get to the nicer skin underneath.

As for the whole 'proud to have eczema' title of this thread...wtf?! You wouldn't be 'proud' to have any other disease so why would you with this one?!

By clean skin on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 - 02:13 pm:

Can anyone answer me a question? Do you need to use toner after you cleanse your skin? Whenever I try to use one I get a bad reaction, but I don't know whether this would be temporary and I should continue or not. I have only tried "gentle" brands like clinique and martha hill. I don't know what causes eczema on your face-is it dirty skin, or using chemicals to clean the skin that triggers it? What would happen if you did'nt use anything-would your skin heal itself or get worse? Even plain water irritates me, so I dont know what to use-help!!!!

By IGU on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 - 12:15 am:

I've had eczema since I was 3.I hate it.Its to itchy to handle with.I have atopic eczema which is the most common but it can't be got ridden fully.I have it on my inner elbows, and shoulders.I used to have it on my inner knees, biceps, triceps and thighs.In summer its really anoying because when its summer and I sweat it can hurt like rubbing salt water into a wound.Im 13 now and every time it loks like its almost gone it itches in a flash second and then my inner elbows get red and scabby.The eczema on my shoulders are good as they have never itched since I got eczema there.The rest of my eczema is gone and I'm detirmened it will go by the summer.

By sig on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 - 05:46 am:

I will never be proud of something that has taken so much away from me.
I am proud of my mind though. Having severe eczema has made me a stronger person and I'm much wiser and more mature for it. I rejoice in the days where you can only see a light rash on my skin and I never judge people by their appearance.
But I will NEVER say I'm proud to have this disease. Its like an insect or parasite, feeding off a host, taking everything it can from you; your friends, your freedom, your quality of life, your job, your sex life, your money, your health; and pissing on you as thanks.

So thanks a lot eczema. Thanks for keeping me at home everyday because I'm too sick to even be employed, let alone hold a job. Thanks for preventing me from doing things I want to do like studying and living away from home. Thanks for making me look like a monster, so that when I walk dowwn the street, I get called names like 'junkie' and have people stare at me like I shouldn't have the right to walk the same ground they walk on; to breathe the same air they breathe.
fuck you

By iJonas on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 - 12:41 am:

hola

I have eczema nd it may not be SEVERE or anything but it is up there. I got it because my mom has a slight case of it that pops up every 2years or so and it just happened to pop up on her stomach while she was pregnant with me. So I have it all overmy body.. but its only extreme on my neck, elbows, inner elbows, back of feet and randomly on my hands and knuckles. I'm 15 now but when I was younger I had it EVERYWHERE, and im black so it doent puss it just used to bleed randomly. Up to 4th grade I went to a uniform school so i had to wear ONLY yellow or white stockings.. they used to stick to my skin which hurt very badly and everyday i came home with blood on my stockings because whenever someone said something mean I would just scratch it all away. From 4th til 7th grade I HATED taking a bath because the water burned my skin and when i got out my mom put this lotion on me that brought me to tears because it hurt so bad. I've done everything from hydro cortisone to oatmeal baths. The doctor used to tell me "oh dont worry it will be gone by highschool".. so i would go to sleep praying for highschool with contacts and no eczema. Well im 15 years old and i'm in the 11th grade I've lost about 85% of my eczema I now have it on my neck, mildly in the middle of my elbow and slightly on the back of my knees.. but i often get break outs on my knuckes and fingers. I just wanted to say that in my opinion eczema is beautiful.. it makes me different. I used to cry and say why me but why not.. I love talking to little kids who have it. And although i've never had a boyfriend because of it and my allergies to the world plus some i love my life all the while. And yea I talk about it like its nothing so i hear the "bubble girl" jokes (no i dont live in a bubble i just have allergies to everything known to man) and my mom constantly tellng me to stop scratching I still live life.
I do have it permanently to whoever else out there dont let it control your life, dont spend hours in your room crying about it, dont let it slow your life down just except it. I wear it as a fashion statement and I'm proud to have it.
And you should be too.
Dont let it wear you.. You have to wear it
Its the only way.. your gonna bet used to it
after all, it's only eczema

Destenee

By Ling on Saturday, December 06, 2008 - 01:34 pm:

Hi all,
i just kept tearing as i read every single message in here.i've eczema when i was 9 when i moved to singapore, until now 19 yrs old.i'm an asian btw. My mum brought me to western and chinese doctors and non of them helped.

One of the recent one is some radiation mattress or something. And next week I'm gonna head to japan for some treatment.But this treatment includes staying away from wheat/gluten, red meat like beef,chicken/ dairy products. except vegetables,rice,soybeans, white colored fish meat.
If i really get well in a year's time,i'll recommend it to all of u. If it works.

I ate some health supplement product last year which my mum brought and it made me flared up even more. my feet area was fine and now it looks like swollen up.Looking like elephant skin.

I was even more depressed and wanted to die.
Luckily i had friends and mum who supported me.

I wanna be normal.i'm already 19 and havent had a bf yet.Classmates at university didnt understand my condition and sometimes joke about me. Jokes like Aids look similar to my skin.
saying that i'm fat.(because i took steriods and have "moon face")

i feel like stabbing this butch who joked about me!!!!


Oh well.enough of ranting and complaining.
i just hope ALL OF YOU get well soon and be normal again.

Ling

By Sarah Mac on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 11:09 pm:

I want to share my story with you and let you know there is a light at the end of that tunnel.

I am 33 years old and have had eczema since I was 4 days old.
I was hospitalised when I was a baby and I was a very poorly child, although I really don't remember much if it, my Mum is the one who tells me stories of when I was a toddler and went to Playschool and no one would hold my hand because the other children thought they would 'catch it'

or when my bandages needed to changing because they had all stuck to me so Mum would have to sit me in the bath and hose me down to release the dressings then re-apply the creams and start all over again - twice daily!

Or when she would take a roll of 24 photos and throw 23 of them away so when I grew up I never had to see how bad I was.

Mum, Dad and my sister would all take it in turns to blow on my skin to try and cool me down and if that didn't work I was allowed to scratch them instead of me, or they would sit on my hands so I couldn't move them. I would slap or tap or pinch my skin to try and relieve the itch without scratching!

I would sneak off and try to find anywhere or anything to scratch on.
I loved putting my arms and legs against the wall as that would feel nice and cold.

Mum would keep my nails short so there was less of a weapon there, but I would just dig deeper until my skin would bleed and weep.
At one stage I infected my fingernails from the amount of skin that was stuck up them.

Mum even tried bathing me in my own wee. She thought it was weird that the part of my skin which was not as badly affected was where I wore my nappy, so she tried it!!! Not sure if it worked or not, but certainly not very practical or pleasant.

I used to sctatch every single night before I went to sleep and every single time I had a bath, it was like a massive relief... until I saw the mess I had made of myself, but I would always forget about that while I was actually scratching.

My teenage years weren't as bad as my childhood, mainly because I had learned how to stand up for myself and medicines and creams were helping me to control the eczema. But when I went to University my skin was the worst I can remember. It's lucky it was 'cool' to wear baggy, hippy clothes, so Mum made me loads of skirts which were basically a waistband with and immense amount of material which went down to the floor. This covered up my badly weeping legs and helped prevent clothes sticking to me.

I had my first serious boyfriend ay University and although my eczema didn't seem to bother him, I would not sleep in his bed, as he had red sheets and you could see all of my skin flakes on it, so I used to pretend his bed was too uncomfortable and told him that we had to sleep on the floor, he would get the spare duvet (which was white)and we'd sleep on that.

Just recently I was in London and I saw a group of school kids, there was one little girl at the front holding the teachers hand, and I commented to my friend that the little girl reminded me of me, it was only when the group came closer, that I realised the little girl was covered in eczema and her hair was slapped back from the creams which covered it. She had a big smile on her face, she looked like a very happy little girl, as was I. I was special, although I hated what I had and I hated the itching and the name calling and I know my parents hated the fact they couldn't make it better.

After my University excapades, my Mum was worried about me moving to London and coping with polution and the dirt and dust, but something happened, my skin got so much better and 10 years on I feel I am very lucky I have very few 'obvious' sypmtoms.

I still have to smother myself from head to toe in strong moisturiser as soon as I get out of the bath or shower (EUCERIN is amazing, it smells awful and is very sticky, but it does soak in, It's the best product I have found in years)
And I still have an incredibly dry scalp, I can't find a solution for this and it does get me down sometimes, so any recommendations for this would be greatly appreciated! All I need to do is put moisturiser on my head, like I do the rest of my body, but the 'slick look' really isn't my style. So I go around my parting and 'dab' moisturiser into my hairline so it doesn't go into my hair. And people wonder why it takes you so long to get ready!!!!!!

Realistically if this is all I have to put up with I think I can manage.

I just wanted to let you know it will get better !!!!

Sarah

By Dannie on Sunday, July 20, 2008 - 09:39 pm:

I detest this alien thing that I'm afflicted with. No cure. Just deal? You try riding a public bus with short sleeves and watch how many people draw away from you because of the sores and scars on your arms. I haven't worn a decent skirt (knee length mind you) since I was a toddler. I can't remember when I've NOT hidden my scars on a date, then only had sex in the dark. Anyplace dark.

Oh don't worry, those people don't know the 'beauty inside'. Bullshit, our society treats people respectively from the outside in. Clear skin indicates to most, a healthy robust person. Me, oh I am sure more oft than not I'm 'mistaken' as a drug user or someone with AIDS.

You love it. You embrace it. I have blood spotted pjs and sheets to wash because I had iching spells all night. Try explaining that one to your significant other in the morning.

Even better, piling on heavy cover makeup on your face in the morning to greet the Public and religiously latering on bleaching cremes at night because your skin is so discolored you will try anything to look 'normal'.

Please, whoever started this must be crazy or delusional, I am not sure which.

When I eventually die I'll have a closed casket, so no one need set eyes on the sickening sight of my flesh.

Fuck Excema.

By some1encore@yahoo.com on Thursday, July 03, 2008 - 12:00 am:

f**k the hole. Here I have been suffering from eczema for about 4 yrs and I couldn't sleep well and i have to stop all foods I used to have.I have tryed many medicines accordiing to skin doctors.& still I can't find my cure for this.IF there is anyone who can consult with me.plz contact me in my email id.I can't live long like thiis anymore.

By Peter on Friday, March 21, 2008 - 05:54 pm:

Unfortunately, I cannot give you a miracle cure, but you can probably greatly improve your skin by trial and error until you find what works for you. For example is your skin better when it is exposed to the sun and air-perhaps you are making it worse my always being covered up. I must admit I think some of the allergy testing is a bit suspect-there was recent TV programme where a reporter got tests done by different laboratories, with quite contradictory results and one said she had no allergies! Do try to keep cheerful-life is for living and stress may make your condition worse.

By wheat freecured on Friday, March 21, 2008 - 05:12 pm:

Scarred for life...

Were you tested to see if you are allegic to wheat... white flour.... wheat is in everything...
I too was on allergy shots when I was young...only to find out later it was the gluten wheat flour... googLe; celiac and skin .. read... I do know of people who have gone gluten free and after their system has had time to heal... they could do corn again...

The gluten free diet... no gluten... lots of fruit and vegetables, chicken and fish.. rice..good things what you are supposed to eat.. no breads, cookies or cake... research the celiac and see what you think... it may sound like what you have...going on with your skin.


jeannine

By miss allergic on Friday, March 21, 2008 - 12:38 pm:

Hi there Scarredforlife!! Have you tried any treatments such as Protopic or Elidel for your eczema. I know what it is like to have this damn sickness. I am 28 and have had eczema from I was 17 so I know your pain. I cant visit anyones house who has a pet which includes all of my husbands family-needless to say I am not very popular with my inlaws!! but try and be positive I know more than anything how annoying and limiting this illness is. Does anyone else in your family have it? Noone in mine does just me!!!

By ScarredForLife on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 10:58 pm:

I may only be 12, but i am already sick of eczema. People look at me funny, and are afraid to touch me. Last year, i was made fun of.My doctors prescribed me with things that dont even work. I take allergy shots, but the only thing they contributed was hair loss. I am a light-skinned African-American female, but its gotten so bad, that it looks like im naturally dark-skinned. I can never spend the night at my friends house, because my moms fear of me breaking out. I've tried to 'overlook' eczema, but now, Im just ashamed of even being alive. Eczema has taken alot from me. My allergies only make my eczema worst. The worst part about it is, im allergic to all the good foods: beef,nuts,bananas,corn, and soy(which is in the majority of food products). Im just ashamed of looking at myself. Eczema has even began to make me depressed, which is something I shouldnt have to deal with. I just hope the rest of you, dont have to deal with eczema as severe as mine.

Cheers,
Courtney.

By MC on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 08:59 am:

Chris, While I admire your strength, I believe being PROUD of your eczema is something I, or any other person here will never do. Yes, we love OURSELVES, but how can you love your disease? Yes, I know I've mentioned we must be strong in a few other discussion boards. But being strong is definitely not being PROUD of your eczema. I agree with one of you here, if we are proud of it, we are subcumming to the disease. But I just wanna say that keep fighting, guys! Keep holding your head high! Don't let people get you down. I feel what you feel, depressed, annoyed, and angry but let's all fight this together and come out strong!

By globalmichael on Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - 07:03 pm:

I've had eczema all my life as have most of you. I am almost 49 years old now. It hurt me to tears to read some of your comments because I know your pain. I have felt every emotion & thought that most of you have had. I agree eczema takes a physical & psychological toll on our lives.

I believe eczema, although not curable, can be put into remission or even made to be dormant. My eczema was very bad the first 13 or 14 years of my life, covering most of my body. My parents took me to many doctors. The doctor we used the most gave me hope – he said I would grow out of it! And from about 15 until I was about 26 I did (I never completely got rid of eczema, I just had smaller more manageable patches).

When it flared all over again, the next doctor emphasized the impact of stress in my life, so I worked on that & the eczema went into remission once again – not completely gone because from time to time I would get a shot or take prednisone.

Although this site is a good place to vent & we thank Chris for being proud enough to put this site here, I have daughters & I know their pain too. Men can more easily just flick it off. We wear pants any way. Many women are trying to look their best & eczema won’t let them.

The venting is good because it helps people like myself dealing with eczema to know that the things I feel & have felt, others have felt that way too & that I am not alone. But from now on I want to focus on the positives.

1. If you live with eczema, REMEMBER you are a strong willed person – never think that because you sometimes have to concede to the urge to scratch that eczema has won. You keep wining by continuing to fight. SO KEEP FIGHTING. I bet most of you are very successful in whatever you endeavor to do. This is because your eczema has made you have focus on details like no one else you know. And I expect that most of you are very strong willed – sticking to your guns even when every one else gives in. This is another benefit of the eczema – you know you have to overcome it with your will sometime & I can see that some of you have.

2.Although eczema will not go away completely, it can go to sleep or not be as affective over as much of your body. Many of you have so indicated by saying, I once had it all over & now it’s just on the lower half of my body. What does that tell you – that it can be put to sleep (in whole or in part).

Please use this site, from now on as I expect Chris intended, to indicate some positives. Chris was trying to embrace his eczema; I think that’s a good thing, especially since it’s not going anywhere. After venting, let people know what worked for you, especially anything natural. We all have been through the same things with the doctors, and we know that’s not going to be the ultimate answer. I believe everything we need is here on earth. Without overly using chemicals, I think we can put eczema in remission in whole or part. My eczema is fully flaring now but I expect to overcome it once again with this formula:
1. Environment, I have noticed that some environments (cities & states) affect my eczema more than others. I live in Atlanta & once flew to Dallas & within a few days my eczema had cleared up. This is really surprising since both states are constantly number 1 & 2 in allergy issues. There may be a place that is less bothersome to your eczema, find it & share the places.
2. Medicine, For the most part doctors prescribe steroids, these have very bad side affects – from diminishing the immune system to making you lose hair, to shrinking in size. But for all their harm the first step of getting the eczema in remission is to stop the flaring. Sometimes the steroids can have this affect.
3. Natural, It makes sense that we need to get as much oil in our system as possible, so Flaxseed oil, Primrose oil, Fish oil, Vitamin E, olive oil & any other should eventually help add oils to you skin that counter the drying/scaling/flaking. We should also drink plenty water & stay away from the stuff you know you need to stay away from.
4. Will, I think we can overcome some of our eczema with our will. Do not give up. I think that’s where Chris has a point. Embrace it – don’t praise it but realize that you have to keep trying not to scratch. You have to keep putting certain things out of your life. And you have to believe it will go away…and it will (for a little while until something else wakes it up).
5. Research, I think our glands overact – that’s why we keep producing so much skin. If someone could come up with a way to treat our glands so that they produce this skin slower, we might be better.

Thanks again Chris for putting this here & I’ll let you know how this next chapter goes with my eczema until then, let’s keep it positive – share anything that works & remember you are all STRONG!!!

Mike

By spartan27 on Monday, April 30, 2007 - 07:34 pm:

I have had eczema all my life. It originally wasnt too bad but due to negligence it has become worse over the last few years.

because of it, I have never really had a girlfriend and everytime i ask them out, they say no. I am 27 now and I feel so lonely.

However, i went to my doctor a week and half ago and he gave me creams, shower gels and ointments. Things i should have been using long ago.

my skin has improved a great deal so i feel better. But I dont know how mcuh it can improve. I wish my skin would be like that of a normal person.

I dont know how severe others are so i can only do my best to help. But please note that my methods helped me and wont necesarily help everyone.

1) start by drinking water ONLY. Now.
drink only water. no juice, no fizzy drinks especially etc.

maybe one or two cups of tea/coffee per day thats it. But for now, drink a lot of water. At least one litre per day.

two litres for severe cases.


2) cut down on dairy products and junk food. Eggs, milk, cheese, seafood, chocolate, cream etc.

3) eat lots of vegeatbles and white meat. fish is ok. no other seafood. No redmeat. these are lamb and beef.

4) carry on using cream or whatever the treatments the doctors have given you.

Once your skin shows significant improvement, only then can u resume eating junk food. But even then, take care of your health.

talk soon

By spartan27 on Monday, April 30, 2007 - 07:16 pm:

hey just testing

By absynthmind on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 07:11 pm:

ever feel like this is a never ending battle with not only your skin but your emotional and mental state as well? ive said it before and ill say it again: its on going; a life sentence without parole. whatever i did in my past life to deserve this must have been pretty damn awesome.

im 20 years old and have been battling this magnificent stressful irritating disease for all 20 of those years. its obviously not going away in hurry. ive jumped skipped and hopped from one md to another, dermatologist after dermatologist, allergist to allergist and back again. they all agree its eczema... give me one "miracle cortizone cream" after another, and then act terribly suprised when none of them work... its a never ending completely exhausting cycle.

but in the time that ive been fighting all of this ive come across a few things, new and old, that help me when i cant seem to feel any better. it will never be ok, but with some practice, maybe one day it wont suck so bad.

1) most doctors recommend quick cool showers, absolutely no baths, and very gentle soaps. i say doctors are quacks that have never dealt with this on themselves. take a bath if you want, stress only further irritates your skin, but i recommend that prior to your bath you stop by the baby department of your local store and pick up a bottle of Huggies Extra Sensitive Skin Body Wash. that stuff is amazing.
2) again, general consenses amoung doctors is not using fabric softeners when washing clothes. what do they know?! I say use All Free and Clear detergents and softener sheets. they help cut down on all things allergy related.
3) a wise doctor of mine once told me "you know your skin better than anyone", so my advise? find what works best for you, and dont let your doctor tell you otherwise. the problem with doctors is that they are trained to deal with "normal cases". problem with that is there is no norm when it comes to eczema. each case is so drastically different. your best trying your what you think might help, finding what works for your specific case, and sticking with it. in my case, putting my Temovate cream on first and then covering it with a water blocker skin cream helps clear me up.
4) pay attention to your bodys warning signs. notice small bumps under the skin in places you usually break out. these are usually the sign that in a couple days and plenty of hours of scratching, your going to have an outbreak. catch it first and it is less likely to be a bad one.

im not claiming i can get you crystal clear in 3 day or less, im just saying that these things help my outbreaks not be as bad when they happen.

until next time, happy scratching.

By on Sunday, January 21, 2007 - 06:49 pm:

Authentication Error

By becky on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 10:18 pm:

Hi there,
I hope some of you may be interested in this.
I am an eczema sufferer and have it all over my body including my face and I know how much it can affect your daily life and how uncomfortable it can be and how a lot of people will not realise this, and not take it seriously. I guess I'm lucky in a way because mine will calm down after a few months.
This is why I want to do a project on this. I am a photography student in london and a major project on my course is a photographic essay and as eczema has affected me so much in this last year and wanted to do something on it.
I realise it is an extremely sensitive subject and often the last thing you want is to be even looked at, let alone photographed.
I think it would be interesting to document people doing day to day things so that other people could realise what it is like to have eczema.
I don't expect people to jump at the chance, i certainly wouldnt, but if you're interested in collaborating with me and are willing for me to take photographs of you then reply here or email me tinyspark@gmail.com
Thanks a lot for reading

By plasmagic on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - 06:58 am:

keep moist, moist n moist

By Ashley on Monday, December 18, 2006 - 02:08 pm:

im 15 and yes i have Eczema..i startd getting it wen i was 6 and ever since den i have never wore da clothes dat i wish 2 wear...i sOo wish i could wear da clothes people buy me, but im to ashamed of my skin...i have Eczema all around my neck and dats wat bothers me da most, i have a bf and he tell me dat he loves me.. but now his acting abit different den b4, wen my Eczema wasnt dat bad..

i've been using..Rosken Skin Repair, Dry, Itchy & Scaly Cream with Vitamin E...and it does do all da things it says, but it only lasts 4 little while and den it jus gets itchy and dry all over agen...shud i keep using it i should i stop and try use sumfin else..plz tell me wat u fink.. fanx

By steph on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 11:32 am:

i wish i could think like Chris( person that started thread). I wish I could have your strength. I know their are far worse problems than Eczema (as my mum always tells me),but I can't stop thinking about how some people have no problems like us. how do they get away with while we have to suffer.
Anyway, Good job for thinking strong. I don't think I can see any positives in eczema myself.

By Gavin on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 06:16 pm:

Hi my name Gavin i have suffered with the{plague}eczema since i woz born i am now 23 and have now managed to clear most off my upper body but still have severe eczema on my legs.when i woz at school my eczmema woz really bad and woz hospitalized this woz extremely hard to deal with in my final year at school.i wasnt bullied but i thank my uniform for that it covered all of my body exept my face and hands.I hated people lookin at me for a long time but since i grew up from 16 to present my whole look on eczema has changed.I no longer mind people noticing i have it cos i have accepted i probably will have it all my life and if i can accept it then so can everybody.im not proud of having eczema but im not ashamed either i love football and i refuse to let something that is not life threatening rule my life. 1 last thing u take me as u see me or not at all i have no time 4 ignorence. england world cup glory come on!!!!!!

By stella on Friday, January 06, 2006 - 01:50 am:

wow! it's so bizarre, on reading the comments below, i can hear myself in all of them. i'd love to be proud of my body, but the fact is it's scarred for life...and im only 22 and i hate that.

Eczema has scarred my mind too...i think it was the venting capital letters dude who said that he was sick of treatments that don't work, and i agree.

it's not only a waste of your money, but it's horrible, that feeling of anticipation, will it work? won't it? maybe we'll give this latest treatment a go? what do you think stella? it's up to you? one last time? you never know? it might do it? it worked for 'sally', i know you say that you're managing ok with your eczema but....

and up until that point you probably are managing with your eczema, but then someone offers this nugget of hope and with it there's this whole pressure for the treatment to work. all your hopes, wishes and dreams could come true, if only...

the heartache you feel after the treatment fails, does anyone ever feel guilty that the treatment never worked on you? but worked on "x"?

i always did. i always felt so guilty because my parents wanted so badly for the treatment to work and each time you could tell they were pinning their hopes on this treatment. they would spend so much money sending me to different countries, to see different specialists, to try the newest treatments, and they never made me feel guilty when it didnt work.

but i did. i always felt like such a dissapointment. i wanted so badly to be 'cured' not for myself (that would have been a bonus), but i wanted to be 'cured' for my parents, for persevering, helping and supporting me.

and although they'll never know it because as far as they are concerned my life is peachy and in control and i never worry about my eczema.

but i'm eternally grateful to them and will love them more than they will ever know.

and i guess, in a way those experiences have taught me to be a better person. my parent's always worried about me not fitting in and not leading a normal life.

i'm at uni doing a post grad in law, my next step is to work with a law firm and train as a solicitor. the reason for this? so that i can look after my parents. so that im able to lavish the same amount of (if not more) support, love and care they gave me.

if it wasn't for my eczema, i would never have tested my parents dedication and love in such a way! ...and i guess i would never have put as much effort as i have into making something of my life...i dont think i'm proud to have eczema, but im definitely proud of the person it's made me.

wow! i guess i needed to vent too! weirdly i cried whilst typing that, weird cos i thought i'd stopped feeling emotional about my eczema. i kinda tried to put it in a box and stop thinking about it, but i think that's wrong, it was good to get that out of my system! whoever put this site up, it was a really good idea, thank you! and whoever needs a sympathetic ear, you're always welcomed to email me, it's been good writing this out! thank you!

happy new year too guys! new year, new beginning perhaps?

By Pam on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 01:42 pm:

Hi everyone and te thank you for understanding it is hard when you have eczema you try your best to look good and feel nice i always go out and mingle with other people i love to socialise despite my condition i just want to be happy and would love to find a special girlfriend that is my aim for this year when i go out i do feel the odd person because i see other people with there girlfriends or boyfriends its not jealousy everyone in this world needs companionship and loving i feel like i have missed out on these things and never got the chance to date in my teenage years because my eczema condition was severe i wish i could go back in time and be a teenager again without having eczema but thats not possible i wish i was 18 everyday so i could enjoy life to the max and be smiling like a star thats why i have started to change things around i am much better now and will continue to chase happiness having eczema is frustrating heartbreaking soul destroying it can make you miserable i wish and pray for all of you on this site that you recover from this eczema problem and find happiness and lost treasures always keep smiling i wish i had a genie who could just grant us all more than three wishes to cure this eczema problem make us all happy and find that ideal partner and free us from the shackles of eczema.Smiley happy new year.God bless.love ya all.Pam xxx

By Te on Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 10:19 pm:

Pam, I find it hard to read your message. You are obviously very sensitve to others. I really hope you can find someone. If you don't it's their loss!

By Pam on Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 04:47 pm:

Hi everyone my name is Pam i have eczema too for 17 years its not that bad now top half of my body completely clear from eczema i have it on my legs face mainly i when i read other peoples messages on this site i am touched by them i wish and pray for you all it is a very frustrating problem it affects social life i hate it when people look at you differently and make nasty comments about how you look they are so ignorant and cold hearted those kind of people have no feelings or consideration for how you feel there is nothing special about people like that they are the jokers in the pack of playing cards i have been looking for a girlfriend for years despite going out i have not found one its so difficult to find one.

By SICKAND TIRED on Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 09:49 am:

I THINK CHIS HAS LOST HIS MIND.... I HAVE HAD ECZAMA ALL MY LIFE FROM MY HEAD TO MY TOES. I AM SICK TO DEATH OF PEOPLE STARING AND ASKING ME WHATS WRONG WITH ME? THE ALL NIGHT ITCH FEST HA!!! PROUD I HAVE SPENT THOUSAND OF DOLLARS ON MEDICATION AND HOME REMIDIES WITH NO RESULTS THAT LAST. BITTER YES I AM!! IN OUR SOCITY WE ARE LOOKED AT LIKE FREEKS RED OOOZING SKIN FLAKING ALL OVER THE WORLD. I PROBLEY HAVE LOST A WHOLE PERSON IN ALL THE DANDRUFF I LEAVE AROUND. I AM ANGRY THAT SOMEONE CANNOT COME UP WITH A CURE.. THIS PAST SUMMER I HAD IT SO SEVER I WAS HOSPTIALIZED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN MY LIFE. WITH EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS IS JUST ONE MORE NIGHTMARE... I HAVE TRUNED INTO A RECLUSE DOING ALL MY SHOPPING ON LINE. SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED... I HOPE I HAVE NOT DEPRESSED ANYONELSE ..I JUST NEEDED TO VENT...

By ra on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 10:19 pm:

Hello everybody,

I have been viewing this site for ages but never really thought about contributing to it. So this is my first time!

Well, I have had it all my life and it is, in my opinion crippling both psychologically and of course physically. I feel that it has stopped me so many times from doing what I have wanted to do. Sometimes I know I probably make it out to be worse than it actually is (though at the moment I really am going through a particularly bad patch) but it is hard to be rational about it and not get upset by it. Considering image is a central issue to the majority of people, how can one with such a blatant problem feel good about oneself? When something is so obvious how do you go about your life in a "normal" way? I think I have been trying to figure this out for most of my life. Sometimes I think once I get better then I will do all the things that I have always wanted to do. But then the thought of what if I don;t ever get cured suddenly hits me.

Anyway, so then I read this message saying be proud to have eczema. Interesting and admirable way to be, but personally I don't think I can be proud to have something that has prohibited me cruelly from doing so many things. Something which has made me feel so paranoid about the way I am. Surely that is not a good thing?

Having said all of the above, I must add that when I feel really down about my skin, I find laughter does help. I may not be blessed in the skin department but I have been blessed with the ability to laugh and to see the good things in life. A big positive to come out of having eczema is that I never judge people by their appearance. I am too aware of how hurtful that is. It's amazing how many people dismiss others due to their appearance. I've had that all my life. I just handle it differently now than how I used to. Now I just dismiss those shallow too and think that it's their loss that they didn't get to know me.

By the way I think this site is excellent as are all the messages from everyone.

Ra x

By Angiebaby on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 03:16 am:

Am reading all these messages while trying not to rip the neck/arms and back of myself. The front of my torso is also beginning to feel like its on fire. It does help, however to know that all of you know how I feel, and it has been a rare thing for me to meet anyone with eczema, even in hospital it is usually male psoriasis sufferers. Not that I dont recognise their pain too.

Good luck to you all, I am now in my 36th year of having eczema and am still perservering and trying new treatments. Like most diseases there are good and bad days, and I try to focus on the good moments as I'm aware that my sense of well-being and severity of eczema are very much in tune with each other. All I can safely say I'm proud of in relation to this is the support my friends and family have given me. However, you guys do have the edge on understanding.

Thank you and you're all in my thoughts.

Angela xoox

By eczema ger on Thursday, April 28, 2005 - 05:12 pm:

I had eczema for more that 10 year. I couldn't help but feeling ashamed of my body. My eczema was the worst around my lower part of my body, which i have to hide in loose jean and i could never be able to wear skirt. Even though I've to bring my cream around every where I go, to stop myself from tearing skin apart....i can feel the itch is so intense, sometimes it could spread until my whole body until i need to take leave away from my job. Changing my diet and keeping my environment clean. I ve tried to stay positivea as much as i can. but nothing seem to improve.

sometimes I m feel very hopeless about the whole situation. I dun wanna live like this anymore. . which made me more n more depressed....How i wish i could get back to normal

By Floss on Monday, April 04, 2005 - 11:20 am:

I'm brand new to this site, although I've had ecezema for 10 years. I just read this whole post. I'm not proud to have eczema, but like many others have said here, I am proud of who I am now - and a lot of that is because of my experiences with eczema.
A couple of years ago I underwent the Habit Reversal programme, and it massively reduced my scratching. But I had to work really hard to stop thinking of eczema as something that defined me.
We are ill. It is possible that we will one day be made well - but I believe that one of the biggest barriers to our being made well is that we hold onto having eczema as somehow defining who we are.
It may have changed who we have become, and in some ways I'm grateful for that. But I would much, much rather have never had it, and I absolutely refuse to be proud of it, or allow it to define who I am.

By anon on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 03:30 am:

the next person who tells me to stop scratchin gets locked in a room of hungry mesquitoes.... n after i let them out im goin 2 smother them in vaseline n follow them around with a cattle brod n shock them sayin 'quit scratchin!' in a very mockin tone

By weejohnny on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 02:42 pm:

I have a particularly bad bout of eczema on my face at the moment - and have suffered with it all my life (33years) but I have learned to live with it - sometimes it fades and goes away and then just when I think I have nothing worrying me up it pops again. I think myself lucky that firstly I do not have a permanent disfigurement and secondly that it is not life threatening. I have been through both of the above vicariously through my sister who has horrendous acne scars and who in her late teens/early twenties then suffered from leukaemia - made me put things into perspective. I do feel sorry for myself and upset and even more stressed (especially when people look at you like you are a leper and they might catch it) but at least I know my husband and family love me for who I am...sister is OK now by the way she had a bone marrow transplant 12 years ago and (touch wood) is still going strong!
Take care everyone and remember...STOP SCRATCHING!!

By Terry on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 01:49 pm:

Hi Lydia

I totally agree with your message. This is how we should all try to feel. Not proud of our Eczema but proud of who we are because of it.

If you read some of my early messages in the first "Our Stories" section you will see I've had a rough time over the past few years, as we all have, but I now feel more positive because I realise how strong I have become because of my Eczema and the problems (or challenges!) it has given me.

Remember, people are like tea bags, not worth much until they've been through some hot water! In other words the problems we face and overcome make us stronger and better people. I know that I can cope with stress, anxiety and physical and mental pain beacuse I have dealt with it several times already.

"What ever doesn't kill me only makes me stronger", "Pain is just weakness leaving the body" these are easy, silly little sayings but the message is very true. The only way to be positive about Eczema or any other problem in life is to remember that if you can deal with it and overcome it you will be a better person.

I know none of this will stop the lack of understanding from other people or the stares as we walk down the street....but I cannot think of anything that will ever stop that. I know how bad it feels to be stared at in the street but if I see a person in a wheelchair or with a disfigurement I still cannot help looking at them. It is a natural reaction when you see something you do not understand. You have to accept there will always be some people who don't understand and the more happy and confident you are, the easier it will be to deal with those people.

By lydia on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 09:29 am:

I have facial eczema. Being the most prominent and the first place other ppl look at when they see you, life has not been easy. Those who has it will know what I have to go through everyday. Being a relatively 'pretty' and attractive girl before the facial eczema decided to stay permanently with big glaring scars and pigmentation, I am still attractive now, unfortunately on the other end of the scale, though.
I would not say I am proud of my eczema, don't think I will ever be proud of it in a world where physical conditions weigh a lot.
However, I am proud of how my eczema has helped me spiritually and mentally. I am a much stronger person and a more realistic person. I am humbled by my eczematic experiences. I am sometimes more cynical and tough due to the experiences but the pride I have in the positive changes outweighs everything. And because of that, I think I am a more special person than someone without eczema.
Cheers :-)

By FaintlyForgotten on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 05:32 am:

to quote a post i found else where on this site but i think we all need to read:

"It seems there are a lot of people like me for whom the skin condition has become a significant part of their mental makeup. If you are even more like me you are just as sick of people not understanding how one can be depressed or stressed when one is not "Unwell".

How many times has some cretin told you to "Stop Scratching" Have you ever felt like opening a vein up and spraying blood all over their face? Or maybe just going over them lightly with some sand paper and then saying, "Now leave that alone!"

My eczema is not going away in a hurry and I have lived with it for a long time. I am getting really tired of people who have a cure that "Absolutely fixed their friends brothers dogs trainers sister in laws bookies dermatitis" and who don't realize how mentally debilitating and exhausting dealing with the constant lack of understanding can be.

Sure there are people who are worse off - but this pain is mine, it is ongoing and it is not going to go away. It is a life sentence with no parole. Whatever I did in my previous life must have been pretty awesome." ~Faun-a

that about covers it dont u think?! i say we share this lovely message with others... makes me feel good 2 kno im not the only 1 developing a sick humor in relation 2 this god forsaken disease... and yes... it IS a disease... no matter wut ne 1 else says!!!!!

By keep smiling on Wednesday, November 24, 2004 - 09:14 am:

hiya.
untypical angel i totally agree with u. i hate it too! yes i agree we have to learn to live wiv it but that doesnt mean we have to be proud of it. its a nice idea but it doesnt really work. theres so many things that it gets in the way of. a lot of interesting views here tho.
spk soon

By jenspec on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 05:19 pm:

well just recently i have achieved control against my eczema. I made research about my skin condition which only appear 3 years ago and it hasn't stop every single month they would attack me and it got worst almost covering my entire body. Three weeks ago i tried the gluten free diet and my skin starts to calm down. I've been trying to eliminate wheat/gluten in my diet but sometimes i am temp and even took bites on occassions but then after a few hours i would each. So now i am really developing a huge control to eliminate gluten/wheat and trying my very best to totally clear my skin.

By UntypicalAngel on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 03:04 am:

i dont kno who started this subject... but i know im not proud to have it... im proud to hate it but id hafta be stupid to be proud of it... get ur head checked please!! it itches its ugly its annoyin it hurts... it inhibits the normal functions of my life... proud to have u say?! hell no... never have been never will be... its a nousence that wont seem to quit pesterin me... the exostin scratch sessions... the endless trips to the doctors office... the money wasting trips to the pharmacy... the unending questions that people always ask... im over it all... i just want it gone... im far from proud of this mess

By eheheh on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 04:51 am:

heeh

By markmole on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 11:17 am:

Hi

Thank you Jan and Loraine for your support It is so good to know I am no longer alone with my eczema

Thank you Thank You

Mark

By Loraine on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 08:08 pm:

I am the mother of a baby aged 11 months with eczema and I know this section is for adults, but I was moved to tears by Mark's comments and had to write. Mark, what your father told you was so very wrong. I have a son, he is covered head to toe in eczema but to me he is beautiful and always will be, he's my child. I hope you realise now that you are a beautiful person too. I hope your father's comments have made you a stronger person and that you will go on to help other people. Good luck with treatment for your eczema and I hope you find peace and happiness within yourself.

By Jen on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 09:34 pm:

Hi Mark,
welcome tp this place, you can tell us anythiong about your eczema, I'm sure someone will have been through the same thing. You're amongst friends here.

By markmole on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 01:13 pm:

Hi

I have had eczema for most of my life. As a kids i did a lot of swimming and it was a race against time to make my skin to look better. Then my farther told me it was becaues i was dirty that I had eczema so for years after that i try to hide my eczema and did not tell anyone until i not only told someone at work I shown them my eczema and this person was great she said go to the doctors follow be the words he must of seen worse. So I went to the doctors and it cleared up I was over the moon.

but over the last ten years the eczema has come back today I can tell people about becues i know it is not becaues I am drity, but that dose no stop me thinking that i am ugly and that no one would what to touch me.It is silly becouse i have friends who know about my eczema and every time we met we hug. Still this dose not take away the feeling eczema produres in me and I just what help with the feeling.

This is my frist time I have every put down on paper how I feel and any help or feed back would be greatly appreated.

Mark

By Paul UK on Saturday, July 24, 2004 - 01:53 am:

My eczema started when I left school at 16.
I'm 39 now can this curse go away ? Or am I stuck with it ?
I don't know about anyone else but I'm not proud, I just want to be normal again.

By ekr on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 11:38 pm:

Whoever thinks we should be proud to have eczema is smoking something not legal....proud to have it, hell no- but we should all be proud of ourselves for ENDURING in our own lives and supporting others here on this board. Having eczema is a internal (mentally and emotionally) and external (physically) battle that we had no choice in entering. But we endure and live our lives the best we can. We search for our own remedies and share support and advice.

As for myself, I have suffered from KP (physically appalling as eczema can be), alopecia aerata (done with that) and now eczema too. I was a cheeleader, a model, never had a problem getting dates/boyfriends, happily married and have a son who thank God does not show any signs of KP or eczema as of yet, a ballet dancer, an outdoor athletic junky...I wear bikinis and shorts. I don't want to look back on my life when I am old and in the last hours and say I wasted my younger years hindering my experiences b/c of what others may think about my appearance. Bah. ;)
Hang in there everyone!

By Shelly on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 12:52 pm:

I used to have eczema but now it's gone but my sister Sarah is still suffering. I always try to give her as much self confidence as possible. Hopefuully it will go soon and she'll be happy again. My eczema went because my mummy took special care of me but Sarah didn't live with us then so that's why she's still got it and because i no she's stressed always and is around alot of dust, eats alot of sweets she thinks i tell her to stop eating them things because i want to make her jealous but i tell her because i want her to be better.

By Sarah on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 12:46 pm:

Hello,
I'm now 16 years old and i've had eczema since i was about 1year old, when i was 8 i went to Barbados for 2months and when i came back my eczema was gone, when i was 12 it flared back up again. I find it very hard to face the world, i blame my father he's the one who gave it to me. I find that it is stress that makes my eczema worse, i often think to myself why do i have to be different from everybody else. When i go out i often wear a scarf but my sister told me to take it off, i found that people looked at me more when i had the scarf on and when they looked at me when the scarf was off i felt like cussing them but i didn't i just got upset i felt like crying. My advice to people with eczema is that you need to face it and try not to let it bother you too much because it will get worse and to go on holiday if possible. Stay blessed people.

By Bonnie on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 05:48 pm:

This is for those who have endured the sheer HELL of Eczema. I had this dreaded disease all of my life up until 8 or 9 years ago. Because of all the teasing, rude stares, verbal abuses, and etc. I have endured, I almost reached the point of suicide! The social isolation and ostracization from ones peers and even one's own family can be unbearable. Because I had no friends, my only saving grace was a diary/journal that I started at the age of 11.Because of the severe mental anguish and tormenting that I endured, I can so identify with the story of Job and the Lepers in the bible. I am a Psychology major as a result of my experiences. I would not wish eczema on my most worst enemy in the world!!! I truely feel that a forum such as this- where birds of a feather, that flock together- can be a source of encouragement is so very, very crucial. I welcome hearing from anyone in the US, or who wants to simply chat.

By amy on Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 10:01 am:

I have to dissagree that eczema will never be something I could be proud of ,it has ruled my life literally I have had it for nearly forty years and tried nearly everything in the hope of looking the least bit normal I cant remember the last time I woke up and did,nt think well how is my skin going to be today can I face the mirror or will I avoid it, it would be great to have a who cares atitude but the fact is that most of us do care what people think of how we look { especially when on hands and face} and that wont change unless our skin does thanks for the positives but lets get real;

By EM:0 on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 07:48 pm:

I think I am a stronger person, and I reckon if there was an exam in scratching us eczmaniacs would get the highest grade in the class!!:0)
There have been sometimes through my life that I have felt upset and annoyed at having eczema. But I got through my teenage life having had and have lots of friends and quite a few intimate relationships. Now I think I have a higher level of self-esteem than girls without eczema.

Please email me-keep_smiling123uk@yahoo.co.uk
hi to everyone who live, adapts to eczema. We are not sufferers, but are heroes.

By patty on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 04:42 am:

Hello Everybody,

I just posted in another section about oolong tea. I have been plagued with eczema for years.
I read about doctors in Japan who had people with eczema drink oolong tea. The last time I had an outbreak, I tried oolong tea and the results were amazing.
Within 24 hours, the itching and inflamation were gone. In a couple of days, the lesions disappeared. It is the best treatment for this awful skin condition I've ever seen!

I drink four cups of this tea a day. I have used this formula for three months and have not had an outbreak. I used to live and suffer with this condition every day. I have spent a fortune for relief. I am sixty years old and have suffered with ecxema since I was very young.

A study (Archives of Dermatology, January 2001) of more than 100 patients with different kinds of eczema showed that drinking a liter of oolong tea daily could decrease inflamation and itching. The researchers speculated that antioxidant polyphenols in this tea have anti-allergeric properties and calm the overactive immune response.

I responded to this formula in twenty-four hours. I have been using this for three months and have had no breakouts and I am also dandruff free!!!

By s.smith on Wednesday, December 25, 2002 - 09:23 pm:

happy christmas everyone.
its who you are on the inside and not the skin you are in that matters..

if we all can understand that, it makes it easier to live with..

s.smith

By Zeah on Tuesday, December 24, 2002 - 06:11 am:

I don't think that eczema is something to be proud of, but maybe you could be proud of the way that you handle it. If you're able to accept the fact that you have eczema, and you are doing all you can to deal with it, that's something to be proud of, right?

But still... eczema is something I would rather do without. I've had good and bad days, both in terms of the physical condition and the emotional stress. There have been days when I felt I just wanted to stay in bed so that I didn't have to face having to deal with my problems. That somehow, if I blocked it out of my mind, that it would get better. Unfortunately things don't work that way.

It's particularly hard when you're a child and you notice people looking at you differently. Thankfully I'm no longer a child, and thankfully I'm going through a good phase right now. But my eczema has made me extremely self concious, and it is only recently through the love of my friends that I am slowly able to look beyond my eczema and smile at the world.

By Erika on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 04:17 am:

I'm not saying I agree with the "being proud" but there is a certain level of acceptance you have to settle with. I know that when I stopped focusing all my attention on what people were thinking and who was noticing my condition, it was a great relief...if only a mental one.

By andy on Friday, November 15, 2002 - 06:34 pm:

i reckon your right lulu,eczema`s nothing to be proud of,maybe the only pride we can take is in how we deal with having this condition,going out the door and facing the world when your face is a mess is never easy though,it`s just bad luck i guess,there is always the chance of a treatment that will help though and all us sufferers must stay hungry and look for that treatment which may make our lives so much better...

By LULU on Wednesday, November 13, 2002 - 05:23 pm:

Personally I don't think eczema is something to be proud about. Its a sickness that can be very disturbing, emotionally psychologically physically and in any other realm that you can think of.

I can understand some people say that to make t hemselves feel better. Cause in reality we have no way out of it. So I guess people think if you can't beat it join it. To me that's like giving up. That's like sending a message to poeople that its okay to give up. Well perosnally.....

I don't think anyone should give up. Instead try harder to find your personal cure. There have been many people who have successfully cleared from eczema after suffering for many years. They finally found out what aggravated their condition.

I..........I don't want to give up. I still believe there's a cure out there.

I hope no one takes my comment too personally. But this is my opinion.

bye.

By chrissie on Wednesday, November 13, 2002 - 02:53 pm:

hi chris
this is the first time i have visited this site and your message is a great,i have suffered with eczema all my life and i think it is great what you are saying but there are times as you probaly know when flare ups happen and you just cant cope and just want the pain and iching to stop. Last week i was having a really bad time with my skin it cracked me up,this week my skin is great and i feel on top of the world.
i have as you said being living my life around it e.g if my skin if bad i stay in and mope but i think its time to stop worrying about my skin and allow my personality break through my ezcema and start living my life to the full.

chrissiex

By dw on Friday, June 28, 2002 - 05:00 pm:

LoL yes, I stand up in crowds and rip off my shirt and scracth furiously. I got ezema and I'm damm proud lol. When asked why i'm proud of my eczema. It makes you very creative! as i'm scratch my back against the pole.

It's all a matter of coping with it. Some of us can and some of us can't it seems. We all have are bad and good days. Reading this board I have found out that it's just not me having a hard time getting out of bed some mornings.

I would bet that people with eczema seem to stay home more offen than avg.

By sheri on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 06:36 pm:

Dear Eczematron,

Yes, I have accepted my eczema for quite a few years, but that doesn't have to mean that I enjoy having it. Who loves to itch every 10 seconds or so, from the morning you wake up, to the time you go to bed? 24 hrs. a day? Alot of times I can't even sleep all night without itching. Sure I can always take a hydroxine pill or benadryll for itching, but I'll have a hard time getting up the next morning. Too doped up I guess from the itch pills. Eczema is a skin disease just like any other disease and I'm not proud to have it. We may not be dying from it but it sure can affect us both phsically & emotionally. I know people with severe eczema have been hospitalized! I just love looking at all the blood on my sheets every day from itching. Don't you?

By Eczematron on Tuesday, January 22, 2002 - 03:22 am:

I have read through all of the messages above. There is one this that stands out to me. Most people are ashamed of their eczema and this is fair enough, we've all lived through the taunts, stares jokes etc.

What if a part of eczema is psychological? What if you could truley accept it with no question? Maybe if people did this and applied their ointments, creams etc just to ease it, maybe it would clear, probably not totaly but with this in mind if your eczema did clear slightly wouldn't this way of thinking make you stronger and clearer?

By ALEX11 on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 07:58 pm:

im alex and im 11.I have suffered from atopic and dry eczema all over my body sice i was10 months old . I see a dermatoligst every few months but nothing seems to work,it is reall hard in school with people staring at me but i have learned to stand up for my self.I have recently been on a puva lamp ,it didnt work for me but it might work for others,i would suggest that you ask your gp about it and one final thing,dont be proud to have eczema but be proud of what you look like no matter what people say.

By ALEX11 on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 07:56 pm:

im alex and im 11.I have suffered from atopic and dry eczema sice i was10 months old . I see a dermatoligst every few months but nothing seems to work,it is reall hard in school with people staring at me but i have learned to stand up for my self.I have recently been on a puva lamp ,it didnt work for me but it might work for others,i would suggest that you ask your gp about it and one final thing,dont be proud to have eczema but be proud of what you look like no matter what people say.

By Pj on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 01:18 pm:

I've suffered with eczema of all severities since I was five years old and I'm afraid that I have to agree with Anne-Marie. Think of all of the things that you have achieved in life whether it be passing exams to having a family, you've done this with the added stress of having a skin disease. You should be proud. I myself spend many a day and night whishing it would just go away so I can be 'normal' but what is 'normal'. After being in university for the past three years, one thing I have come to understand is that everyone hates something about themselves. Everybody has something they wish could disappear, we are not alone. Not only do we have the support from specialists, whether medical or alternative, we have each other. Websites like this can help us. Have any of you been to the changingfaces website, it's brillant i'd advise anyone to have a look. At the end of the day we are what we are and this can make us into stronger people. I know that having eczema has made me the person that I am today and I'm proud of me if nothing else.

By David on Monday, September 24, 2001 - 03:40 pm:

Chris, you don't mention what therapeutic approaches you've tried? Do you have a good emollient regime in place? If you have whole-body eczema, you might be a good candidate for Narrowband UVB phototherapy - or have you already tried this?

By David on Monday, September 24, 2001 - 03:36 pm:

I'm proud of myself for my strengths, and ashamed of myself for my weakneses. Eczema isn't a strength or a weakness within my control, and I'm neither proud nor ashamed of it, or of myself for having it.

By a bit nipply on Friday, September 21, 2001 - 06:43 am:

Portia! Yes! What can I use on them? Everything stings and aggravates. They weep through clothes and have been this way for a long time.

By Anne-Marie on Tuesday, September 18, 2001 - 04:18 pm:

Although I feel that Eczema is not something to be proud of, I do believe that any Eczema sufferer should be proud of themselves, as I am for dealing with life as best I can. It has taken me years of struggling with myself to actually feel proud of my body, and look at the good parts of myself, not just the scarring and raw parts of skin. We all have to deal with the physical and mental stress every day and the majority of us do just get on with it and suffer the bad days in silence. I am proud that I am able to look at myself in the mirror now and see someone pretty underneath it all... you all should be too and I think this is more to the point of Chris's email....
be proud of your body, because there is so much more there than Eczema.

By JonTee on Friday, July 27, 2001 - 11:33 am:

Chris

While I admire your strength I cannot agree that any of us should be proud of our condition. I have had eczema all my life in various stages of severity. I cannot accept that this disease will be with me for the rest of my life and have been doing everything I can to achieve some normality. My mum who suffered from severe eczema all her life is now completely clear, this was achieved with food allergy testing,food elimination and homoeopathy over a long period of time. I know that this particular therapy will not work for everybody but there are a lot of alternatives available, all worth a try. My skin is miles better since I have been watching what I have been eating, coupled with the homoeopathic remedies I feel loads better and have been able to cut right back on the steroid creams. If anyone wants any info post a message or e-mail me..

JonTee

By silent_sufferer on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 07:36 am:

I am a teenager in New Zealand. I have had ezcema since birth and i know i'll never get rid of it. We have a family history of it but i am the worst in my family, I've had doctors tell me that it's my fault my skin is so bad. I still have to put up with taunts and stares from people at school even thought they know of my condition and it's humilating. I have never been proud of having ezcema because of the burden it places on my family and friends. It is not easier nor fun to have trouble sleeping or see the looks upon adult faces as you walk past them but it's something I've learned to accept. I think that it would've been a lot easier to accept if there were others like me, who are affected and have dealt with the stares and the other conditions that go with ezcema - asthma, allergies and hayfever.
If anyone out there knows of any alternative methods that have worked for them besides steroid creams it would be much appreciated.

By Anonymous on Saturday, July 21, 2001 - 06:03 pm:

I have had eczema on and off through my life and I am now in my early thirties and I feel as if it just takes over your whole life and effects my wellbeing to a point that the whole family suffers through myself and at times I feel severly depressed so I do not want to live with it and feel proud to have eczema either.

I am using alternative medicine for myself as I am sick to death of doctors/skin specialists prescribing steroid creams. I have started using a carrier oil mixed with a few drops of peppermint, geranium, and lavender twice a day all over and this keeps the dryness and irritation at bay to at least give some relief.

By Anonymous on Saturday, July 07, 2001 - 09:02 pm:

To Chris

As far as I am concerned, anyone who says they are proud to have eczema is one sandwich short of a picnic! Eczema is a condition that is very hard to live with and causes the sufferer and the parent (in my case) no end of heartache. I think it is totally counter productive to expect people to try to be proud of a condition that rules and ruins your life. This kind of attitude is, I am afraid, a bizarre one!

By Portia on Saturday, May 26, 2001 - 02:53 am:

Does anyone here have eczema on their nipples?

By angelfallenfromgrace on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 03:17 am:

I have had eczema for so long that it's a part of me. I've accepted the fact that it's never going to go away.

But in no way can I say I'm proud of it. Eczema is not some sort of blessing, Chris - it's a curse that you've got to live with.

However, you're lucky to have such a positive attitude about your eczema. I wish I did about mine.

angel xx

By andy on Sunday, May 20, 2001 - 03:17 pm:

i`m sorry chris but i have to agree with amy,i also suffer from eczema on my face but am lucky in the fact that it does clear up from time to time.i know that when the skin on my face is bad i become much more withdrawn and the pain i feel from the eczema is nothing to the pain i feel inside me,you seem to be able to cope with this pain and this probably makes you a better person than me,please realize though that most people with bad eczema are very sensitive about the way they look,all they want is to be rid of the eczema and lead a normal life,i know that`s what i want.i have never been proud to have eczema chris.(hang in there amy)

By Amy on Tuesday, May 15, 2001 - 12:23 am:

I am a woman in my mid-thirties who has lived with ezcema most of my life. Believe me when I tell you that you are doing NO ONE a service when you tell them that you are proud of having eczema!!

For years I have lived with the looks and unspoken questions from people who wonder if ezcema is contagious. I have even been asked that question during job interviews.

Now I am to the point of just wishing I could take my ezcema and disappear!! Please do not tell anyone that you are proud to have ezcema.

By Giles on Friday, May 11, 2001 - 02:44 pm:

Dear Chris, thanks for a wonderful expression of strength. i really struggle with my esteem when my skin is raw - i tell myself that i am deformed and shy away from others. i hate doing this and want to take more risks to be all that i am with others all of the time. i am more than my skin!

the funny thing is that it's ,ostly me who notices my skin the most (and judges it the most too!). i am always surprised when people don't realise i have eczema - i tend to think that it screams out! - it obviously doesn't! perhaps people see it, take it on, thenm move on to trying to get to know me rather than fixating on my skin.

good luck and i appreciate your strength

By Terry on Friday, May 11, 2001 - 02:44 pm:

Sorry Chris I wish I could agree with you but I can't. I too have had eczema all over my face and body my whole life. "If you have eczema for life, then why hate it? It's a part of you........just live with it." well thats a lot easier said then done! As for saying that we are no different from anyone else, that we're still human. I know that, but the children I grew up with thought differently, boys bullied and picked fights with me and girls were afraid to come near me incase they caught eczema from me!!

Comparing an eczema sufferer to a blind person? Being blind is more common and better understood than severe eczema, the general public can cope with a seeing a blind person walking down the street, I guess what I'm trying to say is that if a blind person walks down the street people around them feel sorry for them. If someone with eczema all over their face walks down the street people stare and think it looks horrible, there is a big difference in my opinion. Also my eczema can be okay one day then terrible the next dragging my emotions with it, I feel great one day then so angry the next.

I apologise if I come accross as being aggressive or have upset you, it's not my intention, but I strongly disagree with you. I wish I could agree with you, I envy your outlook on life. But It seems to me that although our skin may be similar, our experiences are very different.

Eczema didn't make me who I am today, how people around me react to my eczema has made me who I am today!

By Chris on Friday, May 11, 2001 - 12:36 am:

This message is directed to people who have incurable permanent eczema like how I do:

A lot of you may think I'm crazy for saything this....

But it's something I realized over my life. If you have eczema for life, then why hate it? It's a part of you........just live with it. We eczeema sufferers shouldn't think of ourselves as different from people who will never have it in their lives. We're humans beings too, aren't we? We should be proud about every aspect that makes up our personality and our bodies.

So since we have eczema, then we just have to learn to *adapt* our lives to live with it.

It's like a blind person......do you think they'll ever see again? Perhaps if technology can cure them one day, just like how technology/medicine could cure us eczema. But in the mean time, they have no choice but to be blind.....so they're proud of being who they are, for they cannot change how they are. Neither can us!

I've had eczeema all my life and I so used to it, I don't think of it as a disability or a "disease" like how these eczema websites make it sound like I still have it all over my body, even on my eyelids. My whole hand is covered with sores......yet ironically I was voted student of the month back in high school for being the fastest typer, typing at 120 words per minute. (guiness record is around 170) So basically my point is that we eczema sufferers who have eczema for life permanently like how I do, shouldn't think of it as a bad thing....it's now a part of you, and just learn to live your life around it....and nevertheless, be proud of your body, and mind despite of it

Chris