By prettyinpink on Sunday, July 04, 2010 - 11:48 am:

Hi there. I'm new to this forum, but just wanted to say i know exactly what all of you are going through. This is a bit of an essay, so please bear with me. About a month after i turned sixteen, i developed eczema. It was awful- itchy, inflammed, red, scaly (all the normal symptoms), and i think i can say it was because of the environmental changes...it was a really cold winter and i walked about a mile in a blizzard!
Six months down the line, and the itching has stopped and i can finally sleep without pawing at my skin. Heres what helped me- put plasters on any part of your skin where you think you'll itch. Also, avoid long, hot showers, instead have short, lukewarm showers. Also, using a clean, damp facecloth for 5 minutes every day will benefit your skin and soothe it. Change from any harsh detergents or washing liquid to more natural products. Also, try and just wear cotton clothing (AVOID WOOL!) and invest in a good, all natural moisturiser. You can also try applying extra virgin olive oil on to the affected area and massage gently to let it seep in. What else can you do? Drink as much water as you can, and try and consume as much fresh, natural food as you can. If none of this helps, i would recommend trying Hopes Relief Cream (just type it in google, or try your local health shop.) It's pretty pricey, but it's good. Also, DO NOT USE ANY FORM OF STEROIDS- this might seem tempting, because they do work but the side effects are so much worse than eczema itself. My doctor gave me steroids and being naive, desperate and downright daft, i used them on more than one occassion and developed perioral dermatitis. I have been dealing with it for about a month and a half, and my skin is getting much better but i can't help feeling hideous whenever i look in the mirror (no more spots but red marks left.) As you can understand, being a 16 year old girl, i want to live my life to the fullest but my eczema has kind of stopped me doing that
I believe stress is also a really big factor, along with steroids, humidity changes and dustmites. No matter what you look like, just remember your not alone. It's not your fault you have this skin condition, it's just bad luck. Eczema is 100% cureable, it's just a lot of trial and error. I wish you all the best, and believe me, you're not alone. God bless.

By MC on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 09:18 am:

Hey, guys! Um, actually I had the REVERSE effect, Melanie. Well, my eczema was heaps better when I was approaching my teen years. Yeah, you guys should try using QV cream, it's really good. Yeah, I agreee with Olly, NO AQUEAS! I don't like Aqueas it irratates my skin then helps it. Im nt taking any medicine at the current moment, I'm just doing normal stuff, eating normal foods (yes, MCDONALD'S/DAIRY/SEAFOOD PEOPLE!). I'm much better and stuff. Sometimes, if you keep forcing steroids/medicine down the body, it keeps getting worse. Let nature take its course. And, of course, its very, i say VERY IMPORTANT to pray. If you pray, God will help. Seriously! He has helped me and my E is better without steriods or the rubbish medicines. And try salt water too, it rocks!

By Olly on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 08:36 pm:

Hi im 16 years old i've had eczema for 2 years under my eyes in the middle of my forehead and my nose. It started weirdly enough when i used vaseline to get rid of chapped lips but anyway.. i have used :
- Fucidin (Didnt work)
- Betnovate (Cleared up for around 2 months)
- Fucibet (Using this now, clears up for around 5 days per time its put on , not as good as betnovate but its not as harmful to the skin)
- Aqueous cream (Don't use this!!)
- Double base (This is quite good there are no immediate changes but it calms the skin)
- Oilatum (Put away in my cupboard , no good)
- Diprobase (wouldn't reccomend this)
- Vaseline (Spread my rash)
- Nivea (Suprisingly did ok)

As you can see i have had alot of things .. there are some more but i forgot the names. Im in the middle of my GCSE's and im scared as hell this is never going to go away. I feel like killing myself. I feel like no doctor cannot get off their arse to help someone like me but i guess they're curing life threatning diseases. If anyone has any information for me to help me it would really help.. I'm already suffering from depression because of my eczema.

Thankyou

By chowmander on Friday, October 24, 2003 - 06:35 am:

I agree with most people. I've always had eczema, but now that I look back at it... I can't believe how good my skin used to be. I didnt ever have to use lotions (well not usually), just some cream on my face everyday. I could swim in a lake, go camping without worrying about my skin. But since I hit about the age of 15 (about a year into puberty), I really did notice a HUGE change... I went from very controllable just the seldom flare up, to flare ups once every two weeks, and they were bad... very uncomfortable especially my neck. I could hardly even turn my head sideways. It sucked.. but I found some new treatment therapies... although I still have eczema today (age 16), its not as bad as it was when it first hit me, at least I think... But definately there is a difference most liekly from puberty... I really hope it will go away, its just hard to only have hope

By desiree on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 07:51 pm:

I have been told that hormonal changes can cause eczema. My dermatoligst says it cannot, because there is no emperical research to that. But the nurse, who is treating me (a traetment with 'koolteerzalven' (Dutch word) which helps me very well) , says she met many women who report that several days in the month it gets worse. I asked her because my eczema became worse after I started to use the anticonception pill. I decided to stop a few weeks ago and I hope I will see an improvement in my eczema within a few months. (but I am not sure it will)

By chowmander on Saturday, February 01, 2003 - 06:35 am:

Looking for a treatment, I'll keep it short. If you wanna read more, email me or go to the teenager section. Treatments are possible, and it will cure. But it will only cure the allergies, which is the cause of eczema. You can treat sweat, foods, and even things like stress. It will last forever. Hopefully you wont have too many things to treat like me.

Good luck

By Laura on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 10:31 pm:

Melanie,
I'm 16 and had occasional eczema when I was very young, but it was only mild. Since 12, the problem flared up on my legs, only clearing up sometimes, however it is a constant problem now. I also notice it seems to flare up at certain times of the month.

By LULU on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 11:55 pm:

To Anonymous.
Hi sweety-I understand how you feel Please believe me. I too went through what you are going through.

I left this message to someone alse on this forum but i want you to read it........


Kiang-Try Protopic it has saved my life. I also had it all over body. 90% I started using Protopic 1% in a 60mg tube and it cured 85% of it. Yes, it is costly 128.00 a tube. I use up one tube in 2-3 weeks. But its worth it. No dark spots. No scratching. No bleeding. No embarassment. No more crying. No more depression. No more self-embarassment. No more Flaky lulu.

I am extreamely happy now. Yes it will cost me probably about 3,000. u.s. dollars a year to get rid of 85% my eczema but it has earned me my life. I now have a life.....................

I can honestly say that i am happy now. (tear)

By Anonymous on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 06:38 pm:

well im a eleven year old & guess what i have eczema ive heard that when you hit puberty it gets really bad im almost there i wish someone would help because BOYS make fun of me i guess i should get treatments will SOMEBODY help ME.

By viv on Friday, October 25, 2002 - 08:56 am:

wow, i know exactly how y'all feel. high school came and it was SO awful. bad flare ups like no other. for me, stress is a really bad trigger, and certain times of the month, yes, i think it gets a bit worse.

i think in a couple of years, your body will regulate itself out, and it'll be a bit less unpredictable. it may not go away, but it won't be as crazy.

i'm 21 now, and i haven't yet outgrown it (i still have hope). but it's got a normality in it, and it only flares up when i'm all stressed, or eat lotsa junk i'm allergic too.

By Zofy on Saturday, October 19, 2002 - 04:23 pm:

Hello...
I was wondering something myself...
Many people have said that eczema often gets better when the person hits puberty... can't it be the opposite as well? I mean, I had eczema when I was younger too, but it wasn't a big problem... it got a lot worse when I was about ten-eleven... so, will it *maybe* disappear when I get 20? =) Still wishing I guess...

By Rose on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 01:41 am:

Yes Em. The same thing happened to me. Around 8th grade it seemed to have cleared up and in 9th it came back with a mean bite. But they do say that theres a chance you can grow out of it up to the age of 25. I'm still hoping. ^_^

By em on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 10:37 pm:

I have had eczema since I was quite young, and although it cleared up for a few years, I found that around the age of 12/13 my skin worsened. I also find that it becomes worse when i am stressed. Has anyone else found this?

By Melanie on Sunday, April 14, 2002 - 05:40 am:

Does anyone know if there is a connection between eczema and hormonal cahnges? Has any research been done on this? I ask because my daughter's mild eczema became 100 times worse when she hit puberty ( about 12 yrs)and its know pretty bad. I have spoken to e few others that have experienced the same thing. It also seems to flare up more at certain times of the month. Anyone else experienced this?