By al on Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 09:02 pm:
| By al on Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 09:02 pm: |
i have recently been to see the seventh son of a seventh son to help me with my eczema. he contacted some spirits and tried to rid me of it. (yeah, i'm sceptical too). he also gave me some herbs to make tea with and told me to boil parsley for 15 mins in water, then drink it to help clear my blood, as well as giving me some linament. no results as yet, trying to be optimistic as the normal scientific medicine route of steroid creams is a pain. the seventh son reckons he can cure cancer in 3 weeks, but eczema takes 2 months. weird.
the only thing that seems to work for me is a week or so in the sun, in a country with a good climate. have been thinking about sunbeds recently, but not sure about the skin cancer problem. our skin is weaker during flare-ups and susceptible to all sorts of infections and problems.
in the meantime i'll stay at home irritable, while my friends all go out and enjoy themselves. but who's bitter!
| By Peter on Sunday, April 26, 2009 - 01:35 pm: |
Rather than using a PUVA lamp have you considered gentle sunbathing? Now the weather is warmer,I have started to potter around the garden in the nude and already I have noticed that my skin is improving and paradoxically it doesn’t seem so dry.
| By itchymum37 on Saturday, April 25, 2009 - 03:50 pm: |
puva treatment is my next move. ive had it before and it cleared up all the red itchy skin on my face, arms, hands, feet, legs, neck,well almost everywhere.
it took a few weeks to work and i also got a lovely tan. i felt fantastic. the need to bath and exfoliate reduced, which meant more time.the need to cover up and protect reduced so i could wear skirts, short sleeves, jewelry.
i was no longer red and swollen and itchy.
this lovely period of respite lasted a few months and i know that if i had looked after myself better it could have lasted a lot longer. the trouble is after years of a restricted diet, plastering myself in various creams and exhausting allergy controls it was great to be able to function like most other people do and how i also have done in the past.
i have tried homeopathy, herbalism( western, chinese and tibetan )dietry suppliments, aqua detox, massage, meditation, aikido, rebounding(trampolining)and loads of creams. they all worked to some degree.
i think the puva worked because i was calm,id had homeopathic treatment that cleared me of toxins and got the body systems working better and id stopped using steroids for a while. i was primed for a good dose of puva. il let you know if it works again or if i get cancer.
| By Morpheus on Monday, January 05, 2009 - 04:31 pm: |
Roze - i'm glad that the PUVA appears to be working for you but you need to be careful if you are also applying protopic to your skin as excessive exposure to UV light is contraindicated when using protopic/tacrolimus.
The protopic makes your skin more sensitive to UV light and you said that you are fair skinned - that added to the fact that you're using sunbeds (which will give you a massive dose of UV) is not a good combination.
| By roze on Sunday, January 04, 2009 - 11:39 pm: |
Hello my name is Rose I am 22 (uk) and I have had severe chronic eczema everywhere all my life (even though i was promised i would grow out of it after puberty!!) and can relate to many of your stories. In recent years it has turned to discoid eczema mainly on my legs which is prone to infection and very stubborn. My story is similar to baldpaul i am in total agreement with him. I am in the middle of UVA treatment, i have decided to do this privately on the (stand up) sunbed as i cannot be doing with the hassle of referals for specialists and then trying out all the creams that i have already tried before. The UVA is DEFINATLEY WORKING. Apparently the UV rays are lethal to bacteria. I am also using protopic tacrolimus and this is effective, but only when the skin is not broken. I am also a big fan of clingfilm i wear it on my legs to keep the moisture (an steroid) creams in. This probably goes without saying but it is very important to keep the skin moisturised after UV treatment as it does tend to dry the skin, it almost feels as if it dries the eczema out! I would advise anyone to try it. I am just hoping that I will not have to use the sunbed forever because i dont want cancer and i have very fair skin x x
| By anonymous on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 05:26 am: |
hey i'm 16 years old and i have lived with eczema since i was about 2 years old..it has been horrible trying to cover it up as well as not being able to wear shorts during the summer..currently, my skin is okay and i have minor flare-ups once in awhile, but i have horrible scars all over my legs. is there any way to get rid of these scars? i want to be able to wear shorts outside
| By hamish on Thursday, September 11, 2008 - 09:33 pm: |
my son has atopic exzema he has had it since he was 3 months old and is now 11 we have had various ups and downs. It is mainly his hands, feet, elbows and knees that are affected. he has been under a dermatologist but hasnt been offered light treatment does it really work? i found money was abad irritant and stress, someone told me to try and cut cheese out of his diet(he eats a lot) does anyone know if this will work the dermatologist doesnt seem to think he will grow out of it
| By Becca on Friday, August 29, 2008 - 04:21 pm: |
Hey, I'm 14 & I've got atopic eczema. I've had it all of my life, & it completely controlls me. I have it on the inside of my elbows, and on my neck, which makes it impossible to be able to wear a vest top in summer without people going "errr whats that?". At the minute It's august, and I'm sitting at home with bandaged arms to try & stop the itching. I'm gonna try a sun shower soon because apparently the Vitamin D in the UV helps to regenerate skin, hair, and nails. Does anyone know if it will help me? It's getting to the point where im desperate. Wish me luck! x
| By Hope on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 02:26 pm: |
Two years ago (age 45) I developed horrible discoid eczema on my face and chest. The "cure" for me was eliminating all skin care products and foods with citrus and chemicals/preservatives along with using a tanning bed, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and learning to better manage stress. I still have one nickel-sized patch near my mouth as a red scar (that flares once in a while), but otherwise I am now eczema-free after making these lifestyle changes over time. Good luck out there!
| By Dan on Friday, March 28, 2008 - 07:59 am: |
I've had discoid eczema for years and it really controlled my life and destroyed my self confidence, in Feb I discovered a cream called Linola Gamma (used to be called Gammaderm) and it is amazing! I tried using steroid creams and all the normal treatments from doctors which worked for a while then my eczema would flare up again - usually worse than before.
This cream (as far as I know) is the only one to contain a high concentration of evening primrose oil and it has changed my life! My eczema has all but cleared up apart from the horrendous scarring on my legs. I'd definately recommend this to anyone. Hope this helps.
Dan
| By Becca on Friday, March 14, 2008 - 11:05 am: |
Hi everybody I have suffered with eczema since i was born. I am now 18 and although i still suffer with eczema it has greatly reduced and the scarring is not too severe. Alhough I still suffer from many allergiwes and have to be careful with different products (do not use E45 if you have eczema it contains lanolin and this will irritate eczema) After using wet wraps, steroid creams, overnight stays in hospitals, ointments and all the rest of it, the best thing that worked for me was exercise! After joining the gym and cutting out cheese from my diet my skin has really improved so much so that with a bit of make-up (only no 7 everything else kills it!) nobody can even know I've ever had eczema! I am about to try sunbeds to see if they have any affect on some of the other areas on my body eg my arms where the skin has got thinner from the use of different creams over the years! I have also found that dead sea salt in the bath is fantasic and that the more water i can get through in a day helps to prevent the eczema flaring up around my mouth. I just want to say to people with younger children who have severe eczema that even if it doens't look as though it will ever clear up i promise you that once you have found that thing for you that helps or the thing that is pestering your eczema it really will go. My face has gone from looking like it was burned to being totally clear and the only time I have trouble now is if I am under stress! Good luck! x x
| By Peter on Friday, December 28, 2007 - 01:25 pm: |
Gemma, before you turn to sun beds, try simply getting sun and air to your body. I know it is a bit chilly in Norfolk at the moment, but even in the winter on a bright sunny day you can sometimes find a sheltered spot where you can get some sun to you. In the summer you have got Holkham beach.
| By gem on Friday, December 28, 2007 - 12:54 pm: |
Its so nice to read about other people suffereing from the dreaded ezcema. People who've never had it don't realise how much it batters your self esteem.Am about to try the sunbeds...
| By Susan on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 08:03 pm: |
Hi i have suffered from eczema for 20 years and has been up and down threwout the years having odd flare ups which antibiotics or steroids controlled. But recently it has got really bad, itchy, sore, red and it has bruised my skin threw scratching and you just cant wear what you would like to especially with christmas coming up it gets you down so much. So my docter referred me to the dermatologist after seeing him twice in a month and having tried the steroid cream and doublebase emollient he recomended , there was no improvement, it was worse. So he said to try puva therapy which i really dont know much about and the side effects are worrying but i am willing to try it. As over the last few months i have used so much steroid cream and emollients it seems to be taking over my daily life i feel this option could be a giant step forward for me. Going their twice a week will be a pain but i hope its worth it... fingers crossed.
| By Nina Inga on Sunday, December 02, 2007 - 11:27 pm: |
Hello
I developed discoid exzema this past year, could be stress related or blood pressure tablets. Any did 3 months light treatment, sort of calmed it dowm. Been on steroid cream and tablets, I still have it but want to get of steroids, since my skin is really being affected! As I get warm or hot it gets worse. Tryindg natural products ie new one Tetrosil with palm oil beeswax and silver, tried it for five days now but still the same. I understand honey is supposed to be good so maybe I will try that. Earlier someone mentioned about pinewood affecting the skin. I notice when I have my elbows on our pine table it makes me itch, or could it be the oils that are put into the wood now and again?
| By Rich on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 09:56 pm: |
Charlotte
I am currently undergoing UVB light treatment and I am finding it beneficial for my skin. To get this treatment I had to get a referral from a dermatologist. Have you thought about seeing if you can get the treatment done privately as it is important that the dosage that you are given is controlled and can be recorded as it may be important in the future.Due to my work times, I enquired about getting this done privately and found out that it is affordable. Personally I would go through the hospital route first as it is given to you in a controlled manner wheareas if you buy the equipment on ebay, you don't know how accurate the machine is.
I have just looked at the Lewisham NHS hospital site and they have a phototherapy suite so give the hospital a call to see if they might be able to see you.
Rich
| By Lottie on Monday, October 22, 2007 - 05:41 pm: |
Hi there,
I'm wondering if anyone out there has tried UVB Light therapy - in particular the Dermalight 80 unit (£150 on e-bay). It says it is reccommended by German doctors but I can't find any customer reviews from people who have tried it. It's a big price to pay but if it works I'll try it! The only alternative is to go NHS but as a full time teacher I'd never get the regular time off to visit the hospital that frequently.
I've always had dry skin and suffered from patches of eczema on my legs and arms as a child. I grew out of it but it returned in my twenties - mainly on my face. I've tried all sorts of lotion and potions (including antihistamines, homeopathic Sulphur 6, E45, Eumovate, Betnovate, Clinique skincare and almost everything else). I've found Pawpaw ointment brilliant (available online at bestherbalsolutions) at treating flare ups and thought I'd eradicated it completely when I had no eczema at all for 8 months! However, it returned during a stressful time at work. It's the bane of my life and I'm so happy to read all your messages and discover I'm not alone!
I'd appreciate your input before taking the plunge!
Charlotte,
Lewisham, London
| By LIAM888 on Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 08:07 am: |
Hi, my name is Liam I have cronic eczema. I have had eczema for as long as i can remember, I always cover my whole body with cloths. I am in the middle of shool holidays and the eczema has cleared from my arms and I couldnt figure out why, and then it struck me, I am wearing t-shirts my arms are in the sunlight. I am now safly having timed sun exposure and it is helping alot. Every one should give it ago BUT not untill you burn, the last thing you need is skin cancer!
| By guest on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 12:36 am: |
Hi I am from New Zealand and have found sunbeds sooooo helpful! You really need to make an effort to not scratch straight after youv been and be paitent, you may not see results for a few weeks. I had really really badf sore red flaky ezcema and I dont even need to use my hydrocortizone cream any more. Before/my whole life my eczema controlled my whole life, I never wore skirts and was so ashamed of my skin everywhere. I would cover up my whole body in summer even when it was so hot becase I was embaressed but now I can wear short skirts and singlets and I love summer!
| By kellie688 on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 02:20 pm: |
Hello, Our 2 year old has discoid eczema. I have read that only older men usually get this (above 55) Does any one now if there is any chance he might grow out of it. I realise they can grow out of atomic eczema but nothing on discoid. please can anyone give us some adivice as he is on huge amounts of steriod creams, oral anitbiotics, an just come out of hospital of the iv antibiotices.
| By Rose on Thursday, April 26, 2007 - 07:33 pm: |
janet if you stillhave exema in your ears and have not tryed triacortyl cream this is the one that works it is steroid based i tryed all sorts of drops and in the end the hospital inserted gause which was impregnated with triacortyl creaminto my serverlly swollen ear canals it is available by persciption only in uk and for some reason gps dont know about it till you ask for it remember not to get your ears wet inthe bath or shower andwear ear plugs when swimming i hardly have any flare ups now but the cream gets rid almost overnight
| By Roz on Sunday, January 28, 2007 - 08:21 pm: |
Hi,
My name is Roz from the uk and I had really severe eczema for years. I had it from a baby to the age of 7 and then I was clear from 7-14. At the age of 14 it flared up horrendously. For years I went for daily dressings appointments and would go to school covered in bandages. I spent weeks at a time in hospital where it would clear up a bit only to flare up again. At the age of 18 I was offered either PUVA or Cyclosporin, I went for the PUVA. It worked brilliantly and I had lovely clear skin for months. As someone who suffered eczema all over their body this was amazing. I was pain free and didn't have any patches on my face, I was able to go out of the house and actually look at people, I had had patches on my scalp where my hair had fallen out because the eczema was so bad, and my hair grew back in. I wasn't scared to get out of bed in the morning and look in the mirror to assess the damage I had inflicted on myself as I scratched in my sleep. After a few months, however it came back. I carried on like this unitil I was 20. At the age of 20 I became very ill and was diagnosed with Crohns Disease, I still had bad eczema, but being on lots of steriods really imporoved my skin. However, at the age of 22 I was prescribed Azathioprine, an Immune Suppressant, for my Crohns Disease. I didn't undertake this lightly, however it has improved my skin so much, I still have eczema, but I can manage it so much better.
I am still very self-conscious about the way I look, mostly because I have lots of scars and hyper-pigmentation, especially on my neck and thickened skin on my arms. Has anyone found a way to get rid of scars I would really like to know.
Finding this sight has been amazing, In the past I have met other people with severe eczema and have found how comforting it can be to talk to other people who know how disabling it is and how difficult it is to try and live your life normally. But there is also hope that you can find a way of managing your skin and that it doesn't have to rule your life, however my story of living with severe eczema still exists as a very important part of me and something which very few people really understand.
| By Bee on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 03:10 pm: |
hello. I am 29 years old. have just found this site. I have severe allergic skin condition and eczema, mainly on my face . i have suffered since i was nineteen .developed after i took a six month course of acne medication called roaccutane. Is there anyone else out there in same predicament. My skin is always unbearably dry... and i cant NOT use anything... but everything i do use... even 100% natural and organic products, cause no end of irritation, sores, peeling and blemishes. I look awful 99% of the time and as a result hardly ever leave the house. very single and lonely. I cannot work due to the severity of my allergies. take up to 5 antihistamines a day. only using shea butter at the moment... very greasy and irritating but everything else makes it 100x worse. Would be nice to chat to other people with same condition, every once in a while?!
| By missy on Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 02:32 pm: |
i heard lemon can reduce scars, n e45 cream to keep the exzma areas moisurized.also by looking at other internet sites.it shows that you need to purify the blood.as the main prob for exzma comes from the inside.therfore some products such as grapefruit,apple purify the blood.try them and continuosly have them.hope it helps as im 19 my self and have bad excma on my arms.hopefully these remedies will help.
| By Lucy on Saturday, May 13, 2006 - 02:21 pm: |
this msg is for blwilliams,cant give you any advice as such but my little boy as had severe atopic eczema since 3months he is now 6,and we had a choice to give UV a go or put him on a powerful drug called cyclosporin both have side effects such as cancer,we have decided to give the drug a go;i think everything has risks and he'll be closely monitored and if you ask lots of questions and you see an improvement then what have you got to loose?x
| By blwilliams on Saturday, May 13, 2006 - 12:21 pm: |
my name is brittany and i have been suffering from excema for the past 6 years. i will be turning 17 in a couple of months and i would like to see some improvement in it soon but nothing seems to work. i was reffered by my dermatologist to try the light treatment(PUVA) but i am scared of the side effects like cancer. so if anyone has tried the light treatment(PUVA) please let me know how it worked for you.
| By evnlee on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 09:44 am: |
i have tried using sunbeds just went to a tanning salon and it did help but got expensive do the hosp treatments of uvb also give you a tan thanks
| By Mincy UK on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 12:09 am: |
Hello all.. what a great forum!
I have terrible excema on my upperlip.. its soo bad! What can i do?? I have tried most steriod creme's. I constantly moisturise etc..
any ideas??
| By Paramjit on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 02:23 pm: |
Hi Riad my name is Paramjit from England i hope you are well i read your comment about your scarring i have got scarring on my face it affects my social life the best people to talk to is
Birmingham Skin Centre
Dudley Road
City Hospital
Birmingham
West Midlands
B18 7QH.
Phone:0121 507 6619
They are a Specialist Centre dealing with all sorts of skin complaints you can be reffered by your GP they will accept emergency referrals if supported by a GPs letter.
do this and get it checked out they do all sorts of laser surgery and they will tell you what kind of scarring you have and what can be done about it my scarring has affected mepeople look at me differently and have never tried to get to know the real me i might not have the face but i sure got the personality package riad good luck keep smiling and remember you got a heart its whats on the inside that counts not on the outside no matter what people think or say screw them!take care Paramjit xx
| By Mother tiger on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 07:22 am: |
I am wondering about this machine called the itchstopper which uses ecletricity and stops itching. has anyone tried it?
Mother tiger
| By riad on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 05:20 pm: |
hi im riad from england
i had eczma when i was about 3 and it went away leaving no scars im 17 now and a year ago it came back i have it on my face, neck, legs, arms, and chest i found out the reason being was of a change of diet and stress for example if a ccar engine used unleaded and changed to blah blah what will happen the key is to drink alot of water with lemon wash your face with lemon and check some chinese shops who have good herbal pills and bath with freezing cold water lay off meat, milk, fried foods but im scared that the scars wont go dammmmmmmmmmmmm im ugly i use to be hot for all the fellows who are flamboyant arrogant vain with charms and intellect i feel for you does anyone know how to get rid of the scars pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
| By Bald_Paul on Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 11:37 am: |
I've posted this in another area of this forum, but it seems to be more appropriate for this subject/theme of Puva/UVB...
Hi, I'm from the UK and I suffer with eczema very badly, so much that it gets me down sometimes, as all you fellow sufferers are aware. I have it on my face, arms, legs and chest mostly, and on my hands quite a bit also, and also my bald head gets flaky also.
I know about using lots of atopical creams also over the years, as I am now 38 and have been applying steroid creams for as long as I can remember. This has how actually cause my skin to become so thin in places, that it has stretched on my legs, (just below my groin area) and has caused horrible looking stretch marks, which will never go away.
The best treatment I ever had was a few years ago, which was UVB treatment. This actually helped(and eased) my eczema eventually, as the course of treatments went on. Now my skin is bad again now, and I've just been to my doctor(today), and asked if I can be referred to this treatment again. I can honestly tell all you fellow sufferers/itchers out there that the UVB treatment actually worked liked a miracle for me, when I was on it. I had to go and be treated twice a week, which was inconvenient for my lifestyle etc. Initially I was sceptical, as I had tried so many other treatments(all creams), which I had put faith in, and nothing ever really worked (I'm sure you know that story). The creams only alleviate the problem, and are a short term fix, but the UVB, although a short term fix, saved me using these creams (eventually), for a good while, but then my skin eventually got worse, and I feel that I need the UVB treatment once again. OK so it doesn't sound like much of the miracle cure that I mentioned above... I hear you cry, but it is as it helped remove the problem of the affected skin, without the need for permanently smothering myself in creams, and you all know how crappy that feels. Especially on you face, when your skin can't breathe properly. So for me I'm praising UVB treatment. It also makes sense, as when I go on holiday to sunny climbs of the world, my skin feels much better (and is). So the sun(UVB) treatment actually does work!
I know that the doctors all say that's also because you undergo less stress, therefore your eczema isn't as bad. How many times have you heard this said by your doctor? Of course I agree that no condition is as bad if you are not undergoing stress, and I don't even need to be a doctor to tell you that. The fact of the matter is that I'm getting the sun onto my skin and it helps it a lot (when I'm on holiday), just like the UVB treatment I have received in the past. So for me the sun/UVB treatment is more of a cure than a treatment, as a treatment is how I see all the creams etc... which just make your body prone to being weaker, as when you are using corticoids and steroid creams etc.., the body itself is less likely to produce it's natural ones,... now I know that if our body was creating enough natural corticoids that we probably wouldn't have eczema as badly as we have, but slapping on cream obviously is not a great answer. Yes I keep on doing it myself, as it helps me thought the day, and can alleviate that awful itch-scratch cycle, but for me the UVB treatment meant that I didn't itch, and I felt a whole lot better about myself I can tell you. Also my self esteem and confidence increased massively, as I really do know how eczema can get you down believe me!
So after seeing my doctor today, he is now going to refer me to a skin specialist (again :-), and I'll be much hoping that the specialist puts me back on the UVB once again. As I don't want them to say... "oh well we've got this new cream we are testing out.... :-)" Please no....
Does anybody out there agree or disagree with any of the stuff I've said?
| By marymary on Sunday, August 21, 2005 - 07:59 pm: |
Glad to say did not have puva but just uvb - and it helped enormously...... now just have patches on shoulders, bottom, elbows, knees and lower legs instead on all over! not been on this site for a while but felt must report some success in treatment! Still using cetraben to keep skin moist and Boots anti allergy washing powder. I still wake up itchy though but have been able to wear short sleeved cotton tees this summer which I certainly couldn't last year.
Just need to find out why suddenly started with the excema but cannot cope with patch tests at present due to shoulders still having some patches - will have to see what the dermotologist says next month.
Just a thought, but does anyone know if having a pine toilet seat can cause the excema on rear?
| By Lisa B on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 01:28 pm: |
Can anyone Help or advise?
My husband has atopic eczema which covers all his body, he has now been diagnosed with high blood pressure. As soon as he starts a course of tablets for his blood pressure his feet and hands break out in eczema which then spreads to the rest of his body. He has now tried 6-7 different blood pressure tablets but each one makes his skin incredibly red and itchy and impossible to live with.
Do you know of anyone who has both Eczema and High blood pressure, who could offer any help at all to my Husband, who now feels no one understands, as each Consultant is only able to help with his specialist field, so at any one time he can only have controlled eczema and High blood pressure or Controlled blood pressure and severe Eczema.
Thank you
Lisa B (Notts)
| By Marymary on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 - 07:03 pm: |
Robert - I don't think they will like it at work [where we are understaffed!]if I have to go 3 times a week for 12 weeks........... hope that my treatment is less times and for shorter period. 12 weeks will cost me about £50 in parking expense at hospital too - will have to ask if they do season ticket! Anyway thank you for the information. I will see how long it takes to get to assesment stage.
| By Robert on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 - 02:37 am: |
WSP 50/50 (white soft parafin mixture) ask for it at the hospital when you go. I am also from the UK and nurses tend to just give you it from their stock as it is recommended after treatment. I was at hospital 3 days a week for 12 weeks, total 36 treatments which I think is the max available each referral.
| By Marymary on Sunday, December 19, 2004 - 08:51 pm: |
Thank you Robert - I understood from looking at web something of what it was. Glad you had good results. What is the WSP moisturiser you mention? Is it available in UK? How many times per week and how many weeks did you go for treatment?
| By Robert on Friday, December 17, 2004 - 08:02 pm: |
Mary,
Your assessment is only a patch test at different times to assess your starting point. I have recently finished my treatment with good results, 1 thing I do advise is keep yourself moisturised after treatment, you will be advised on what to use but what I found to be best was using WSP 50/50 3 morning and night. Hope this helps, dont worry its like going in tan stand.
| By Marymary on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 06:49 pm: |
I have been told today by Dermatologist that as steroid internally not suitable (have had liver problems), the external steroid cream not doing much that he is referringme for PUVA treatment - I have severe contact dermatitis/eczema on back, legs, arms. Now have to wait for assesment appt but wondered if anyone had recent experience of this and how they coped with what it involved, and whether it did anything for them!
| By Robert on Thursday, December 09, 2004 - 02:56 am: |
Zoe, Catherine,
In the UK you need to be referred either by GP or Dermatologist, when beginning treatment you sign a form about risks so there could be potential risks of skin cancer. The difference between Hospital and tanning salons is that the hospital will monitor you to ensure you dont overdo it. The nurses will monitor your results and step it up each visit, I am quite sensitive to sun and my 1st visit resulted in going on for just 27 seconds, It took me longer to get undressed, after 36 visits which I think is the maximum I was at 3 mins. still not very long compared to what the times are in tanning salons, but my understanding is that the UVA treatment is much stronger and more suitable to eczema sufferers than normal sun beds. Hope this helps.
Robert
| By Catherine on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 03:27 am: |
I was wondering if the tanning booths at the public saloons have the same effect that phototherapy has at the dermatologist?
| By Zoe on Tuesday, December 07, 2004 - 07:42 pm: |
Hi just intrested can the light therapy cause skin cancer, also do you have to be referred by your GP.
| By ilia on Saturday, November 13, 2004 - 03:45 pm: |
Dear All,
My name is Ilia and my 12year old son has eczema, we just recently returned from a 2 week break in the sun which helps him tremendously, especially swimming in the sea, although that does sting a bit.It gets him down very much as its all over his legs arms and chest and a bit on his back.We visited a shop on holiday quite accidently and there was for sale pure soaps, in particular the MELON soap was highly recomended, leave on the body for 2-3 minuites, slight stinging will occur but it does help...
| By Janet on Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 01:08 pm: |
Any help for excema in the ears which I have only developed in the last year. Have tried drops etc from the doctor but everything seems to irritate them and make the itching worse. I am in my mid 50s. Dont know why i have suddenly developed this.
| By Karen on Tuesday, July 02, 2002 - 03:51 pm: |
I've only just found this website and it's great. I'm 32 years old and have had eczema all my life. 10 years ago it started to appear on my face making it look swollen and red all the time. After a couple of years of hospital appointments I went to a chinese herbalist in London. It did a lot of good and enabled me to find out most of the foods I am allergic to.But after a few years it seemed to creep back again.Then this year I heard of Tacrolimus Ointment. Isaw the dermatoligist on 28/6/02 and started using the cream on 29/06/02. 3 days later my face is almost back to normal. The cream stung and felt like it was burning my skin for the first day. After that it just lasts for half an hour after applying the cream at the most and then it feels great.It's nice to be able to go into public places and not feel I have to hide my face so that people don't stare. Thought this info would be useful for Antoinette as it sounds as though you have the same problem with your face that I have.
| By Mandy on Thursday, February 21, 2002 - 07:11 pm: |
in reply to Belinda,I have just stopped a treatment of puva lamps to my hands and feet.I am afraid I found it did not help and it also very time consuming,a trip to the hospital twice a week for about 10 weeks.However the course of treatment I am on at the moment seems to be working.It is an ointment called Diprosalic.I believe it may also be used to treat psoriasis,and involves wrapping my hands and feet in cling film!However anything is worth a try.M
| By antoinette on Tuesday, February 19, 2002 - 09:12 pm: |
hello, my name is Antoinette and am new to this site. I have had eczema from when I was around 13. I am 28 now and still suffering from the condition. The type of excema I have is non-heriditary (according to my dermatologist) and I tend to get it on my face only and mostly in the winter period. I have also very dry and itchy scalp which apparently has to do with my eczema. I use Nizoral shampoo which is very soothing but becuase I cannot use it for every wash, I can never get rid of the itchy scalp completely. For my face I use Dactacort cream, nearly every day! I know it's not ideal but I cannot do without it. If I skip two or more days, I get red patches all over. I would like to hear from others who have the same problem. Thank you for this interesting site!
| By belinda on Tuesday, February 19, 2002 - 02:18 am: |
hi, my name is Belinda and i'm a 27 year old Australian girl who is new to the website. it is so nice to know i'm not alone.
i had eczema as a child and again now for the last two years but only on my hands. i've tried everything, well what i thought was everything but after getting onto this site i've realised there are heaps of things i haven't tried. i had lost hope of finding a way to deal with my eczema but i now have hope that i can not only deal with it but maybe even cure it. thank you.
i'm interested in hearing more about the puva lamp if anyone knows anything. my latest attempt is wet wrapping and it feels so good!!!!!
| By amanda on Wednesday, January 02, 2002 - 09:14 pm: |
By Amanda on Wednesday, November 21, 2001 - 11:02 pm:
Hello,I am new to the website and wanted to say how usefull it is.I have suffered chronic eczema all my life(I am 28 ) and also have a 4 year old son with ecxema.It is good to know I am not alone!I am currently attending the hospital for puva treatment to my hands.Does anyone know how successfull this is? Also I am interested in wet wrapping for my son but am still waiting for an appointment at the dermatology department ( after months of being reffered)Does anyone know if I can get a hold of these some other way?
| By alex on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 07:46 pm: |
Hi i'm Alex ,
i am only 11 and have had eczema since i was 10 months.I go to see a dermatoligst every few months and have still found nothing that really helps.I would suggest to people to ask doctor about a puva lamp.it didnt help me but my doctor said it only works on certain people.I am not proud to have eczema but i think peopl should be proud of what they look like,no matter what.
| By Peachy on Monday, June 17, 2002 - 01:54 pm: |
Hi Lisa T, Am in the middle of a bad flare-up (always seem to be in the middle of a bad flare-up!!!) so went back on sunbed yesterday after a few days' absence and feel better already. I also find that sitting in the steam room at the health club helps too.How are things with you???
Good to hear from you,
Peachy
| By EczemaVoice on Monday, June 17, 2002 - 09:52 am: |
By LisaT on Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 09:26 pm:
Hi Peachy,
Any more progress on the sun-beds?
Lisa
By Peachy on Friday, June 07, 2002 - 08:01 am:
Hi Lisa T, thanks for your message - good to hear from you again. I use a lie-down sunbed for 20-minute sessions about twice a week. The only time I have any trouble is when someone's been on it just before me, the bed's still hot and gets hotter when I use it. Still, even that's better than no sunbed at all.
And guess what - I sat out in the sun at the weekend and yes, my skin didn't like it and yes, I have a coldsore too! Oooh, do I feel attractive or what . . . However, coincidence time again, when I go abroad my skin clears up a treat.
By the way everyone, yesterday I wrote that my face was flaking like mad and I've found the reason. I'd run out of Asda 12-hour face cream and was using a high street chemist's own brand which my skin hated. Last night I bought some more of the Asda cream and my skin cleared up IMMEDIATELY. I think it might be something to do with the fact that the Asda stuff has Dead Sea salts in it.
By LisaT on Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 07:25 pm:
Hi Peachy, Sorry it's taken a while to get back to you, I use the sunbed no more than twice a week for ten minute sessions. I find that the stand up beds have more of an effect. The lay down ones tend to make my problem areas itch for some reason. I sat in the sun on Saturday and hey guess what I now have a itchy flaky nose and upper lip and i'm absolutley covered in coldsores as well, but it only seems to be the UK sun that does this. If I go abroad my eczema practically disappears does anyone else find this or am I a total weirdo?
Take care all xxx
By Peachy on Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 01:57 pm:
Blue, sea food is the food of the devil, that's what I say!!! But each to their own. Enjoy your prawns
By blue on Wednesday, June 05, 2002 - 02:25 pm:
Oh please dont scare me. Im addicted to chinese they are bliss. If i have to give up my prawn chow mein id be so annoyed.
By Peachy on Wednesday, June 05, 2002 - 02:21 pm:
Could well be, anonymous. On reflection I suspect a prawn sneaked its crafty way in there and wreaked havoc with my system. hey ho.
The wierd thing is, sometimes I can eat something and be fine while the next time I eat the identical thing my body goes haywire. Strange.
By Anonymous on Tuesday, June 04, 2002 - 07:44 pm:
Must have been something in the take away you were allergic to, possibly peanuts or something like that.
By Peachy on Tuesday, June 04, 2002 - 09:01 am:
Morning all. Just had the bank holiday weekend and lots of partying and my skin is horrendous. Face looks like a snowstorm, ears and cracked and bleeding (anyone out there know what can help this?), fingers like mangled sausages. I look at other people and think 'God, I bet you take your perfect skin for granted'. Off to have a sunbed and steam room session when I finish work in the hope it'll sort me out. One of the main causes of this latest flare-up seems to have been a Chinese meal I had on Friday night. Anyone else experience ths after eating take-aways?
Hi Dave H - thanks for the mail. Keep in touch.
Peachy
| By David on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 06:38 pm: |
I think that Phototherapy (light treatment) is a good idea for your son to try. It has the benefit of being a quick treatment (except the time taken to travel to the hospital) which is all-over-body.
There are two forms commonly used for eczema: UVB, and Narrowband UVB. The tendency currently is to prefer Narrowband UVB as it is thought to be slightly more effective. Narrowband UVB is a very narrow band of wavelengths, with a peak at 311 nanometres.
The treatment is generally pleasant. However, the aim is to give the "Minimum Erythema Dose", which means that you need to get enough exposure to make the skin slightly pink - as if almost very slightly sunburned. For some, this can mean some discomfort.
Personally, i have had courses of both UVB and Narrowband UVB, and found both very helpful indeed.
The therapy works by reducing the numbers of certain cells in the upper part of the skin which play a part in the inflammatory process. (Principally Langerhans cells). Actually, the effect of the treatment is to reduce the skin's immune response. (That's why too much sun can mean cancer in later life).
A 12 year old might well enjoy the treatment and find it interesting.
You still need to apply your emollients , but not just before treatment - it's be like basting the turkey - you'd broil!
| By kate on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 09:06 am: |
Jacqui,
I tried light therapy (UVB) and it didn't work for me. I came up in a rash and realised that I actually have a problem with sunlight. It is definitely worth a try though as it works for many people and is totally painless. It also may allow you to cut down on the steroid cream. Good luck.
| By Anonymous on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 - 05:04 am: |
Yes, it definitely works, but you have to keep up with it regularly...I would definitely recommend trying it...
| By Laura on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 10:16 pm: |
Does anyone know if electrolysis or IPL wil help to get rid of eczema and/or eczema scars?
| By Jacqui Harder on Thursday, April 04, 2002 - 06:11 am: |
My 12 year old son has severe discoid eczema and after many years of potent steroid creams we are now being offered Light therapy treatment.
Has any one else had this and has it been successful?