By MarcyO on Thursday, August 05, 2010 - 08:02 am:

Hi I dont know if this will help or not. I dont know what I have,but I think , I have dyshidrotic
eczema. my gp doctor says its a bactiralmal infection. I have been on antibotiotics for 3 weeks and not much better.I have all what you say and I have been soaking my feet in apple cider vinger 2 times a day then, for 10 minuets ,then dry and eucerin lotion on my feet and wearing flip flops. and on my hands I have been soaking my hands in peroxide for a few minuets and latteing them air dry and then using aloe 100% and it seems to be helping trying every thing vitmam e oil seems to help on the hands after the soak on the hands. At night I use gold bond on my hands to stop the itch GOD bless you all I hope this helps

By Anonymous. on Tuesday, July 06, 2010 - 08:58 pm:

Hi everybody, i am only 13, but have suffered with eczema since i can remember. I have been to the doctors a couple of times and he gave me some cream. When i was younger i didn't use it, so it got worse. But now that i am older i have started to use it. But as it has got so bad it is not clearing up very fast. It is on my ankle, so i cant wear sandals or any shoes that show my ankle, unless i wear tights, but as it is summer it's too hot. Could someone please tell me what other methods there are to get rid of eczema because it makes me very sad and self-concious. Thank You x

By lolly on Sunday, June 27, 2010 - 08:54 pm:

Been suffering with this problem on and off for years.Thought it might be Atheletes Foot but after finding this site im not so sure now.Reading about Dyshidrotic ECzema and all its symptoms,I think I might be suffering from this.Still would welcome any advice or tips on alleviating the itching,burning and soreness.Long suffering Lolly.

By lolly on Sunday, June 27, 2010 - 08:45 pm:

I have been suffering with hot burning ,itchy feet.When i scratch them red bumps appear which turn into blisters.The itching is driving me nuts especially at night during this hot summer.Been soaking foot in salt water and using a fungal cream.Am at my wits end!! Anybody out there suffering with same symptoms,will go back to my GP soon . Lolly

By hands and feet on Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 07:17 pm:

I just bought calendula cream today and its quite good, try that, hopefully it will help. Dont let the blisters break/dont scratch them, it will spread the inflammation.

By Painfulbeauty on Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 04:23 am:

I am 26 years old and am a female. I am suffering from eczema on both my feet and fingers. It is breaking out in small blisters and they rupture and spread like wild fire. MY right foot is so infected that I can only wear flip flops and I am embarassed by it. It is on my fingers so that I do not want to touch people. What can I do? I have tried Trimincilone and it does not work any more.

By randy68 on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 08:04 am:

My son is 14 years old and has developed eczema on his feet that has gotten progressively worse. We use steroid creams and aveeno lotion but it doesn't help much. He recently received a steroid injection by his dermatologist that completely cleared it up. The dermatologist said he could receive one every 6 weeks but I'm sure that's a bad idea. How often would it be safe and which shoe is the most breathable?

By AdefeleKfep on Sunday, March 14, 2010 - 10:05 am:

Authentication Error

By breaca on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 09:00 am:

I have been reading all your posts, im suffering same problem with my left foot, I have tried steroid creams and stuff from doctors but i cant use it when my skin is all cracked and sore, it doesn't seem to help at all. It just keeps spreading and gradually getting worse. I use compeed whilst at work because they keep the pain and itching away like a dream but its not a cure and they are very expensive. I ran out of them 2 days ago and today i am in so much pain form one singular crack in the skin. Its ruining my life, i limp at a silly angle which is ruining my foot and making it nearly impossible for me to walk, it means i cant work when i am in this much pain.

By Sheryl on Friday, August 21, 2009 - 11:58 am:

My son has suffered from eczema since he was 2 years old....we have used all the steriod creams...moved to Protopic that did not work. He also had uv treatments that helped but the eczema always flared up. Finally three years ago he began to use Elidel (sparingly as it has a warning label) it clears the eczema up completely and he nows goes for many many months up to 6 months eczema free. When he does flare up we use a little cream and then it is gone. His new issue is eczema on the bottom of his feet because he plays hockey....I just ordered drymax socks and hope that the socks and Elidel will clear things up. I will keep everyone who suffers from foot eczema updated.

By Caren on Saturday, June 13, 2009 - 09:57 pm:

Hi everyone! First of all a GIANT SIZE HUG to all eczema sufferer's! I've been reading down this board and it seems we're all equally as desperate and frustrated. HANG IN THERE! It's reassuring to at least know that we don't have to suffer in silence or isolation thanks to websites like these! (Thank you website creator!)

I was misdiagnosed by two doctors with hard skin on my feet and after attempting to remove this hard skin in the bath and facing several nights of excrutiating burning pain and 10 days of not being able to leave the house as it was too painful to walk, I returned and saw another doctor and was told its eczema.

I'm 36 and have never had eczema before!

By wheatfreecured on Thursday, October 02, 2008 - 04:31 am:

Sarah,

Asked to be tested for Celiac... it is a blood test and a skin sample test.. where you have your worst skin irratation... google celiac disease... which is a gluten intolerance.... if you do google it... look under images for what the skin irritation looks like... also, do you have any digestive issues.. bloating... itchy elbows...ask her to test for it... you have nothing to lose...

By Sarah on Wednesday, October 01, 2008 - 02:24 pm:

Hello,

I got a referral this morning to a skin specialist. So I'm hoping they will find out more.

The Doctor thinks it could be a food, considering how I've developed allergies to food recently.. My skin in general is very sensitive.. But we'll just have to wait and see. She mentioned about having a food skin test but said it's not very scientific in terms of skin anyway.

What kind of things should I expect at the skin specialist?

Thanks,

Sarah

By Afshan on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - 05:34 pm:

any1 who has eczeema, try it it worked for me. Drink around 3-4 litres per day. In the morning and nights put on african shea butter where the eczmas taken hold. Dont use the refined ones. My brother got me a few pots from some american company which get it from ghana. I think its wisefire trading or something. And yeh, if it gets dry in the day time put it on then as well. Am 15 atm and i had it for 11 years, finally all nearly gone away woooo! And thats only after a month!!!

By Sarah on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - 11:13 am:

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the response. I go around barefooted most of the time as I don't like the feeling of socks on my feet constantly. I take my shoes off at work and stuff as to let the feet breathe but always get a little self concious about it.

I had a feeling a support bandage would cause my palm to flare up again, but I'm no longer wearing it and both palms are identically bad/peeling/cracked again.

I'm allergic to a lot of creams as well. Last night my Mum made me put on some body cream to stop my flaky skin in general but I woke up at 2 in the morning itchy as hell so I'm gathering I'm also allergic to that cream also. I can't use Vaseline or E45 because I flare up in hives.

The Doctor gave me Diprobase which is the only thing I seem to be able to put on my body at all. I've used this way before I even got told I had eczema so that I could rub it on my flaky skin on my face. I can't wear any foundation makeup because my skin is so flaky it just shows up the loose skin all the time and there's nothing I can do to get rid of it :-/.

Is it possible that this could be an allergy to food? We swapped from non-bio to bio detergent a few years back, is it wise to swap back?

I noticed when rubbing the steroid cream onto my feet that I had a hard time healing up my soles in general anyway.

I can spot little red, dry patches on my legs also, they don't itch, but they're there. I'm guessing this is eczema also :P.

Thanks,

Sarah

By Peter on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - 07:45 am:

Sarah,
Try going around barefooted as much as possible to see if that helps and keep your feet moisturised with something like zinc and castor oil cream. I notice that your covered hand was worse and it makes me wonder whether your eczema could be caused by the dreaded yeast spores around us. If I have had to wear shoes for some hours my feet often swell and become quite inflamed looking, but soon after going barefoot normality is restored. My eczema first erupted around my shins and ankles beginning with small red spots and I thought it might be our poor innocent cat passing on her cat fleas!

By Sarah on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - 12:07 am:

Hello,

Was recently "diagnosed" as having eczema. This is the first time in my 22 years of life time of suffering of anything with the sort.

I get it on my ankles, the tops of where my toes are and on the soles of my feet.

I also get it on the palms of my hand and around my wrist slightly.

I get those little bumps between my fingers too. Those are nasty . I am also convinced I get it on my hairline and in my eyebrows, now that I've been diagnosed, as I get very similar outbreaks there.

But what bothers me is that I was prescribed a steroid cream and I was told to use it for only three weeks. I did that covering my hands and feet with cotton each night before bed and then I stopped using the cream as instructed.

I am posting here tonight because I feel really down. My feet are flaring up again and so are my hands. My right hand especially because I had to wear a support bandage for my wrist which I hurt recently.

The Doctor didn't really think it's a wise idea to use the steroid cream all the time, because it was so strong. But I'm having to resort to phoning her again to see if I can use it to clear up this latest bit of eczema.

I would just like to know being new to this and all if there is anything I can do to cope better. I am frustrated with myself because I couldn't resist the scratching or peeling off the layer of skin on my sole and consequently now the sole is cracked, bleeding and totally unwalkable on. My palms crack in the same way.. Right on the "life lines" as well. These are difficult to heal up because I'm always stretching my hand in some form or another. I think one time when the skin cracked there it took around 2 and a half weeks to heal up because it kept splitting constantly and bleeding.

Is there anything I can do to support myself in staving the eczema off?

I have suffered with bad skin all my life, but never eczema. Only recently in the past two years have I developed brand new allergies to stuff I was not allergic to before.. Such as Chocolate & now I have very sever hayfever which gives me asthma like symptoms in Spring/Summer is the best way to put it. I blame my Dad and his genes because he developed an allergy to chocolate at around the same age as I did when he was younger.

I am quite frustrated as things do seem to get from bad to worse from me. I hope you understand and are patient with me because I am brand new to suffering with eczema and really I would just like some advice on what I can change to help myself. The worst is the itchyness. It's horrible & I find it very hard to resist the urge as I get some kind of strange satisfaction as well out of peeling the skin off (It sounds weird I know).

If I could survive the mental thing, would it help? I tried it once for 36 hours, but it ended up too much and when I did finally scratch it was a relief and I scratched really hard too :-/. Actually, that's how I hurt my wrist, scratching the soles of my feet so hard lol. It isn't funny no, but maybe it's a sign .

I do have a cat, just so you know. I have had her for 15 years and I've grown up with her, so removing her is a no no. I have been away from her for a period of time and my eczema didn't get any better, it just stayed the same.

I think that's pretty much all the info I can provide. Is there a vitamin or supplement I can try?

Thanks,

Sarah.

By Bill on Thursday, May 01, 2008 - 06:25 pm:

I am 48 years old. I have had eczema all of my life. For the last several years it has been contained to the tops of my feet. My best guess is that I have an allergy to some chemical found in shoes.

I have tried several treatments. The most effective is as follows: Before going to bed, put TRIAMCINOLONE 0.025% CREAM on your feet. You need a prescription to get this medicine. Use plenty of cream. Once the cream is on your feet, wrap your feet in Saran wrap. Then put on some cotton socks. In the morning you can take the socks and Saran wrap off, but don't wash any remaining cream off.

This treatment is more effective than using the cream alone because the plastic wrap actually forces the medicine deep into your skin. If your feet are badly broken out, you made to do this a couple of nights in a row. The cream will keep working for a few days after the treatment even if you don't apply any more. This treatment has cleared up my worst foot eczema at least temporarily many times. It may seem a little weird to wrap your feet in Saran wrap, but nobody can see it under your socks and this is the single best treatment I have ever used.

Another helpful treament is soaking your feet for about 10 minutes in very warm water - as warm as you can stand it - mixed with vinegar. I use about a 20% vinegar mix. This helps to reduce the itch and soak away some of the dead skin that results from the scaling. This too sounds weird but it works and nobody has to know. Do it a couple of times a day if you can, but even once a day will help.

Another treatment is the use of Gold Bond cream. This does NOT help heal the eczema, but it will kill the itch within seconds of application. There are times when you may need to use Gold Bond or the itch will make you lose your mind.

Oral antihistamines and steroids can be helpful, but are not a good idea on a long term basis. Antihistamines make me drowsy, and still don't help the EXTREME itch that foot eczema causes. Oral steroids can help reduce swelling, inflammation, and itching. They do however have side effects that you need to talk to your doctor about.

It is very important for someone with foot eczema to get as much air to your feet as possible. First, wear nothing but 100% cotton socks. These cotton socks are now available in many colors for men and women and don't look any different than any other socks. The reason that they are helpful is because cotton allows more airflow than the fibers that most socks are made of.

Second, if there are times when you don't need to wear shoes and/or socks, then don't. The more times your feet are open to the air, the better.

Third, don't let your feet get wet, and if they do, get them dry as soon as possible. If your feet get wet and you're wearing your shoes, the water is likely to allow more chemicals from your shoes to get into your skin, which is the cause foot eczema for many people.

Finally, you may sometimes have pain from the eczema instead of itch. This is likely to happen if you scratch. Scratching is a BAD idea, but sometimes it happens. Also, sometimes areas that have blistered will hur later. For the pain, you can take aspirin or Tylenol.

The good news is that these treatments do exist and will help you. The bad news is that in my experience there is no getting rid of eczema forever. You may go for months or even years without an outbreak, but most likely it will sooner or later come back.

By Vanillav on Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 01:52 pm:

I've been having issues with eczema on my foot. I have genetic eczema I inherited from my father (my sister has it as well). I had it on my foot as a teenager and thought it was athlete's foot it left and has come back several times throughout my life. I now live in Texas and at 33 my foot has "broke out" again. I was given Clobetasol lotion by the dermatologist, which helped my legs, but my foot is still very red, itchy, scaby with tons of "water blisters" underneath!

I'm going to try the chelated zinc I pray this helps!

By dad on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 02:19 pm:

I hope I didn't send this twice but didn't see it the first time I sent it. We tried everyone's advice. I gave my son one zinc pill in the morning and one at night before bed. I then bought cool drymax socks and have him wear them everyday for the last two weeks. At bed I put Neosporin on his feet with lots of Aveeno lotion on top of Neosporin. I bought the no chemicals tide for his clothes and did all this and every other night I put the doctors medicine on his feet and Aveeno lotion on top of it. I have seen 50% or more improvement on my sons feet so I hope this information will help someone.

By jean9v on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 03:49 pm:

Dad,

I do not know anything close to Doctors... but I do know that from my own experiences... that they do not know everything... I have been given creams... told to cover things with plastic wrap... you name it... only to find out that it was an allergy so to speak... with the internet you can do your own research and drill down to what it could be.... I also believe in herbal suppliments...and straight vitamins compounds... if you need vitamin B-5 , for example.. my son had acne... and found that his body needed more B5, that he was not getting from his diet just like many teenagers...after 4 mons... you can see the change... his skin is better.
Has your son had this rash all of his life or just recently, the last couple of years...? Have you looked at images of foot rash on the internet... just by googling foot rash...then clicking images... I am sorry if it seems like I maybe talking to you like you are clueless... I am on a site for celiac sufferers... that you have to do a lot of hand holding and the majority, will wait until you do or look things up for them.

You have to take the bull by the horns... I have a question: Since you live in the States, has your son's High School trainer... had a look at his feet ? or the Team Doctor... my son who is also in 2 sports... did play basketball... has both a knowledgable trainer... and a team doc on hand... the trainer may have seen this before... or can find out more information... our trainer is a part of the Uni. of Pittsburgh Medical Center... and has a wealth of knowledge and has specialist that he can consult or send the athlete to see... use everyone's set of eyes, that you can... you maybe surprised...Keep in mind that I consider eczema as a label... not a condition...

jeannine

By dad on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 01:35 pm:

jean9v Thanks. It helps to talk to people that know more than our doctors. So, far all the doctors know is to give you a cream and that don't really help.

By jean9v on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 09:17 pm:

Dad,

Glad to see that you live in the States, best of luck to your son... I came across this site:


wrongdiagnosis.com/symptoms/foot_rash/causes.htm

read each of the diagnosis...sometimes you discover that you can solve the puzzle...

There has to be answer... if it is just on the bottom of his feet... and for him miss an opprotunity to go away to a school because of this... would be a shame... do not take eczema as the answer... there has to be more to this... it is an allergy to something, whether it is detergent, his own sweat... or a food or medication.... or a lack of a vitamin or nutrient or too much of a vitamin or mineral.... research what you can.

jeannine

By dad on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 12:41 pm:

Jean9v. Thanks I will check into that. Infact I'm going to take him to the doctor today. But it's mainly on the bottom of feet untill warm weather. All I know is it's tough for him to deal with all the time. He will play college ball and have many offers from out of state and right now I'm scared to send him away with his feet like they are. But thanks I will check into your info.

By jean9v on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 12:40 am:

Dad,

I am going to tell you my story... and you can decide.... for years... as long as I can remember I had what they thought was eczema on my ankles... it was so itchy... I thought that maybe stress brought it out... and it may have been part of it... I would scatch until it would stop... I was always in the process of trying to heal... long story short... for 40 years... on the ankle... then the elbows... I would clear it up for a short while... only one place at a time.. then I was 46 and it came out on my neck, my back my stomach behind my knees.... coming and going... but never completely gone... I finally went to a new doctor.... his guess mind you.. .his guess... was celiac... I can not tolerate wheat .. gluten... I went on a gluten free diet... no white flour, barley wheat oats... in 3 days my itch was gone... within weeks I started to heal... from the inside out... my ankles you can barely see the scars... my elbows and back etc.... almost brand new.... so consider that it maybe a food allergy... go in google and type in celiac, skin rash... look under images... see what you think... or try the gluten free diet... you can google that as well.. always consider... the eczema is just a label for just about every unexplained skin condition...

jeannine

By dad on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 05:22 pm:

It's tough on him at times and I have to get on to him to not itch it because it makes it red. But yes it's tough on him. I took him to a local doctor for years and the doctor had no clue what to do with it and I had never delt with anything like this before so it was tough on him for years. Finaly I got smart and started taken him to people that knew what was going on and it help. No color socks just white seems to help and change two to three times aday helps. Keep feet cool and lots of lotion and it still is very tough. I hate it because I can't help him that much but I told him we are in a day and time where they will get some help for this problem.

By jean9v on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 04:54 pm:

Dad,

Is it very itchy... and weepy...it is scaby.. then weeps... does he feel as though his only relief would be to...scratch it to the bone... and basically does just to stop the itch...

jeannine

By dad on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 12:52 pm:

Bottom of Feet the most. But it goes up to his ankles at times in the summer. He has had it since he was little and it took me this long to just be able to control it and I stay on top of it daily. We are always looking for better ways to deal with it. He is a very good athlete and it makes it even harder to deal with it because all the games. But the medicine cream first and then a thick layer of aveeno lotion is what I do for him every night and it seems to help. I put at least a 1/2 to 1 inch layer over medicine.

By jean9v on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 03:15 am:

dad,

is it on his feet or his ankles...

jean9v

By dad on Tuesday, April 01, 2008 - 04:57 pm:

I have a son that is a athlete and has eczema on his feet really bad. After all these years the only thing that seems to help him is every night I put a layer of aveno lotion about a inch thick on his feet to soak over night when he sleeps. When I use medicine cream I put it on and then apply the inch thick aveno lotion on top of medicine and it seems to help some and I lay a towel down on the bed so it don't get all over the place. I feel for anyone with eczema because I know how my son hurts every day with it.

By stephenb on Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 10:41 am:

Hi, i've had eczema on my feet esp left foot for the last 10 years and it was nearly gone six months ago, completely gone from right foot, and only small patch on left foot but is now back with a vengeance due to the winter. I have missed work and become depressed because of it. The only way I can be comfortable is without shoes and there aren't many jobs you can get that let you walk around barefoot. If my desk wasnt in the corner of the office I wouldnt be able to even sit still for my shift. I have tried everything, the chinese herbs you boil do work well for the itch but its so hard to keep up, its hard enough to fit in a cooked meal and shower in the evening and this is like having to have an extra one of both. I hate it soooo much!!

By rrkiper on Monday, December 17, 2007 - 04:39 am:

I see many postings of desperate people, and I know - I have been there. My 6-y-o daughter has struggled for a long time with eczema and we have discovered some things that really helped. (It's shocking how the regular doctor, the pediatrician, the dermatologist, and the pediatric dermatologist had NOTHING to offer in the way of this kind of advice! It was all trial and error to figure it out. But this is what really helped her.)

1) laundry detergent - use one with no dyes or fragrance, use half as much as you should, maybe even triple-rinse or put vinegar in the rinse, and in extreme cases use none at all. Remember to do this for bedding too.
2) dust/dust mites - remove upholstery from bedroom, wipe all surfaces, get a dust-mite cover for pillows and mattress, and if possible get hard floors. Use an air purifier at night.
3) animals - get rid of pets, and keep away from animals for a month to see if that helps.
4) food allergies - so hard to pin down sometimes, but this can be a big factor too. Skin tests might give some clues.
5) skin care: rinse off in the shower every night before bed, but don't use soap. Cover skin with oil before showering if it's really bad. Moisterize every morning and night (we like Aveeno lotion) and DON'T SKIP.
6) materials - wear all-cotton clothes, especially at night but basically always.

With these measures, not even with making any diet changes, we can get her well enough so that she does not need ANY steriod creams or benadril. When she gets a flare up, (we get lazy with skin care, or she's around animals with fur) then we do need to use benadril at night. I use the hydrocortisone .5% sometimes but I have to be really desperate to use the stronger steroid creams the doctors prescribe so freely.

For night itching, I find that sometimes we can avoid medication by just giving an oil massage and being gentle and reassuring to get her to sleep.

We have also learned some things about the nature of the condition which help understand it:
1) it's hard to really use the scientific method to try this/try that and see how the condition changes, because of the delayed nature of the response. One time her skin was in great shape and so we got two small furry pets. Over the course of about four months she got slowly worse and worse. Can it be the pets, we wondered? She got so bad we got rid of them. Over the course of another four months she got better and better. The pets were definitely the cause!
2) It just gets worse because of stress or sickness sometimes. For example, her skin ALWAYS gets bad when we travel no matter what the conditions are of the place we are visiting. So, if you have a pet and you take a trip to see if the eczema gets better away from the pet, you might not be able to tell.
3) Regular exposure to allergens, even if minimal, can really keep the condition flared up. We got rid of our dog and wondered why she didn't get completely better, just a little better, but now I realize it was her weekly exposure to our friend's cat which made her stay flared up.

Keep praying and asking God for wisdom into your life or the life of your child! This is a total systemic response and has different triggers and causes between people. It requires wisdom to figure it out.

By beatyneils on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 - 05:25 am:

hi,
i had a bad experience with psoriasis and eczema. i tried many medicines but for no use. but doctors suggested me to go for natural and herbal medicines, through which i got cure in less than 3 months. psoriaway medicine, which cured me.

you can get that medicine at fastpsoriasisrelief .com

By nca on Friday, September 14, 2007 - 02:12 pm:

HI

My 9 year old also has very severe eczema on her feet (it affects the whole of her foot including the sole) and hands. Recently it has been popping up in different places on her body. She often finds doing games at school very difficult. Luckily her school are very understanding as she is very allergic to chromate which is found in leather shoes and concrete. She has to wear different shoes and sometimes trainers and has plasters on her fingers which makes writing painful. She is also unable to wear her school jumper because of the wool content.

Her eczema is so severe that she is now taking strong oral medication as a last resort and using very high dose steriod cream, after going through different steriod and non steriod creams and having a course of PUVA treatment.

The dermatologist has also recently prescribed a sedating antihistamine as she was awake during the night itching and making the condition worse, don't like using it but means we can all get a good nights sleep and helps her concretration at school. Might be worth seeing if this could help your son.

I have spoken to the school staff about the problems and handed them in a big list of where chromate and nickle is found. I then send a post it note into school on the days when things are even worse.

The school are very understanding of the problems, unfortunately my daughter is becoming very frustrated with the situation, especially as it is taking so long to gain any control of the eczema, seems to flare up most days, at the moment as she is having to have regular blood tests to monitor the meds.

Let me how you get on.

NCA

By Suzanne on Friday, September 14, 2007 - 10:14 am:

Hi Jenny,
With regard to your sons school.Have you tried getting a professional in to speak to his teacher about how eczema can cause difficulties when concentrating etc?
My daughter has just started school and I have found that her teacher has no real understanding of eczema.I feel as if I am regarded as a neurotic mother so have asked her derm nurse to come in to speak to staff.School nurse was also very willing

By Jenny on Thursday, September 13, 2007 - 10:27 pm:

my son is 9 and he has excema on his hands and feet and arms legs and BUTT some on sides of face and back of neck. this making school hard to deal with teachers ask why he isn't focused in class and I have done just about everything : ( I worry about his future and what he will be able to do he is also allergic to colbalt and he has trouble sleeping and always itchy!he has had excema sense birth and on the hands and feet sense 5yrs old.

By nca on Friday, August 03, 2007 - 12:29 pm:

Thanks, tried walking around in bare feet, does not make much difference. Now finished PUVA treatment. Visited GOSH and have been prescribed azathioprine due to the agressive nature, severity and state of feet. So now hoping for a breakthrough. will be a few weeks before we know.

By Peter on Wednesday, August 01, 2007 - 01:50 pm:

Does it help if your daughter goes around bare-foot? I suspect it would been the same as PUVA, but you have nothing to lose.

By nca on Wednesday, August 01, 2007 - 10:45 am:

my 9 year old daughter suffers from severe psoriasis on the soles of her feet and finger tips, and has also developed what looks likea type of eczema on the tops of her feet and in between her toes. She is also allergic to chromate and nickle and we purchase her shoes from greenshoes (website) who make shoes without the chromate and will send samples for you to test before purchasing. We have tried all the different strenght of steriod creams which make the condition worse, she is constantly crying and upset by the pain in her feet and being unable to undertake the sports activities she likes. We are currently just about to finish a course of PUVA treatment, which has only slightly helped the soles of feet but as the treatment has progressed the tops of her feet have become worse and you can see them flaring up. The soles of her feet seems to flare up during the day and causes her great distress. She often feels it is only her and gets very distressed over it. Our local dermatologist has been brilliant but has asked us to go to see another dermatologist at GOSH so fingers crossed.

By Mitch on Sunday, July 08, 2007 - 11:19 pm:

People with genetic eczema:

Please try this:

Take 50 mg of Zinc orally per day.

Chelated Zinc is preferred.

You can purchase this cheap at any vitamin store.

This treatment has put my eczema into remission.

Restrictions:
Do not do this if you are pregnant.

Also, you may want to start taking a multi-vitamin
as well.

If you try my Zinc treatment, please report the results (and your case history) to me.

-Mitch.

By Drachelis on Friday, December 15, 2006 - 06:55 pm:

Hi folks, I am in the UK and I have just discovered this site. I was diagnosedwith PTBPF resin allergy on my feet four years ago - started in the middle of my foot and spread outeards until it looks like I have a red shoe mark right up the sides of my foot.

I have taken immune suppressants ( ciclosporin did for me - made me so ill that I had to give IS's up all together) - I have also had the light treatment - PUVA but I am very fair skinned and the light actually burnt my feet and made thm worse.

I now wear shoes that have been made for me by a chap who makes historical shoes for re-enactors - I also buy vintage 1940's and 50's shoes on ebay because the resin wasn't used then.

I use aqueous cream and foot soaks to keep it down - but I find that stress plays a part in flare ups.

I will give zinc a go - haven't tried that yet.

I cope most of the time - but it is so limiting - ( I can do the splits at 56 but can't put my foot to the floor!!!)

It is so nice to have found a place where people understand.

Actually - how many of us are there in the UK who suffer from foot eczema? If there were a goodly few we might be able to lobby the pwers that be to have this substance banned from footwear maybe.

By Mitch on Sunday, October 01, 2006 - 04:25 am:

ZINC! ZINC! ZINC! ZINC!

I have what appears to be a treatment for my case of eczema.

I am now 10 days into the treatment (as of September 30, 2006), and the results have been AMAZING.

Background:
___________
I first showed signs of eczema in 1999, at age 31.

It disappeared for awhile, but by 2002, my hands, wrists, legs, and feet were cut to ribbons.

I finally went to a Dermatologist, who diagnosed me with genetic eczema.

The Dermatologist really had no idea how to treat this thing.

I did a one time high concentration cortisone cream treatment in 2002, which completely healed
me for about a month.

Knowing cortisone was a temporary fix, with possible side-effects, I never went for another cortisone treatment.

So, twice a day I applied basic Aloe Vera cream purchased at a 99 Cent store.

This permanently removed the symptoms of eczema from my wrists, legs, and the palm side of both my hands.

The back of my hands were no longer cut, but thousands of "water blisters" covered them, and stayed permanently.

However, my hands rarely itched.

My feet were much improved, but they still itched and had permanent rough patches and cuts.

No over the counter "treatments", not those anti-itch cortisone containing tubes, did a thing for me.

Zinc Treatment:
_______________

I recently went casting about on the Internet for some new ideas.

I found a website by a guy who had been a successful Rock & Roll drummer, who put his eczema into remission by taking Zinc.

(I seem to have lost his website).

He recommended Chelated Zinc, Zinc attached to an amino acid, which is absorbed by the stomach faster than pure Zinc.

I bought a bottle of 100/50mg capsules at a Vitamin store for $7, and began taking 3 capsules a day (150mg) for the last 10 days.

Results:
_______
As of September 30, 2006, 90% of the "water blisters" have disappeared from the back of my hands.

My feet are approximately 85% less inflamed and less itchy, and the cuts on my feet have mostly healed.

Also, my hands feel softer, as if they are oiled properly.

I am still applying the Aloe Vera cream twice a day.

Notes:
_________

I have done extensive research on the ingestion of Zinc.

Apparently, there has never been a study done with eczema patients ingesting 100-150mg of Zinc every day for a reasonable period.

This is crazy.

However, it seems that many websites I visited promote Zinc creams as a way to put eczema into remission.

Also, many websites I have visited indicate medical professionals are well aware of the success of Zinc in treating eczema.

In fact, these clinically oriented websites bluntly state that "anecdotally", Zinc can put eczema into REMISSION.

Warnings:
_________

If you are pregnant, don't take Zinc.

100mg of Zinc per day appears to be the safe limit of Zinc intake.

I will no doubt soon lower my intake from 150mg/day to 100mg/day.

A Request:
__________
I am requesting that eczema sufferers, especially genetic eczema sufferers, try this treatment, and post the results on this message board.

I do not know if Zinc will work for people who have environmentally caused eczema, such as those whose eczema was caused by exposure to chemicals,
but I welcome you to try it anyway.

By cs2thecox on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 11:37 pm:

I think this summer is the first time I've had eczema on my feet (normally it's just the inside of my arms and behind my knees a bit) and it's driving me mad!

Mostly I just keep my eczema under control with aqueous cream and over the counter anti-histamines when the itching gets too unbearable. But it doesn't seem to be budging the stuff on my feet.
On my left foot, it's just on top of my big toe and the one next door. It's weeping at the moment even though I don't have any shoes on and haven't been scratching. Nice. (Luckily my feet are hidden under my desk and I'm about the last one left in the office.)
On my right foot it's on the top of my foot just up from all my toes apart from my big toe. Very odd - it's like one foot's worth of eczema shared between the two!

Has anyone had any joy with over the counter (can't be bothered to go to the doctor - I know I don't want steroids etc) creams for weeping eczema?

(And in this hot weather (UK - hottest July ever or something) I'm scratching more in my sleep than I ever have before. If I don't keep my nails really short I wake up with that lovely goey combination of skin and aqueous cream under my nails in the morning and bleeding in places. My arms were so scratched up the other day that someone was worried I was a self harmer! I don't like to take drugs that make me drowsy as I wake up feeling terrible, so it's all about keep the nails as short as possible. Sounds obvious, but often overlooked!)

By sophia 92 on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 12:35 pm:

hi i m on of those too
i have a history of eczema on my feet for 6 years and sometimes i find myself crying cause it s bsoring to put cream and redo the bandages around my feet every two hours, day and night of course and it s so hard to get good staff from professionals, anyway, f one day i find the remede, i ll be so happy, good i m not the only one, welcome to the club!!!!!!!!

By treacle on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 01:01 pm:

hi kat i have suffered for the last ten years with pomplyx which is a form of eczma on my feet and hands..it is hard and so painful at times..chin up you just have to keep on..

By Peter on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 08:43 pm:

I think you have answered your own question. It would seem that going around barefoot is the only permanent solution. I can only suggest that you do this at every opportunity and apply lashings of Dermol lotion or E45 cream as and when!

By Kat on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 03:15 pm:

Hi Everyone

I have just descovered this site. I live in the UK. I suffer with really bad eczema on my feet and have had it there for about 4 years. The only thing that seems to improve it slightly are "zipsocks" these are actually designed for leg ulcers. But I have tried various creams and ointments and nothing has worked. I have had patch testing an am ilergic to Leather & nickle. I recently used a ointment called Pro topic which did help initially but I find that if I dont wear my bandages then my eczema comes back really fast. I dont know what else to try, I know the hospital were on about trying UV light, has anyone had any success with this? Its hard as at work I have to wear black shoes as I need to be smart and I wear socks, but I dont know if anyone has any alternative suggestions as I cant help but think socks and shoes make it worse. The sun clears it up within about a week but then it comes back again!!! I wear bandages over the impregnated socks in, they have zinc in and I think this helps. Im also epileptic so I cant try a lot of herbal remidies. Any suggestions would be helpful!! The itching is driving me mad and I can bearly walk as I have eczema on the soles of my feet. Any suggestions would help me lots!

By pam on Sunday, April 23, 2006 - 08:57 pm:

Hello,I am 58 and have just had my first problem with eczema on my feet.I am miserable.The foot doctor gave me many creams that did not help and a 5 day steroid.This line has made me feel lucky that I have not had this all my life.Any suggestions are going to be tried.I am ready to end this!

By daniela on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 08:57 pm:

Please help me, over the past couple of months a red rash has been spreading on the soles of both my feet, its becoming more painful by the day, especially when i wear high heels, i have tried creams and exfoliaters for feet but they are not working, i would prefer to be diagnosied online rather than having to go and see a doctor. Is there anything that i can buy over the counter at a pharmacy which may help? 25 years old female!

By jodie on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 11:13 pm:

i hav had eczma on the soles of my feet and the palms of my hands in the past. i went to a chinese docter and found that my usual GP had diagnosed me with the wrong thing! the creams he had given me made my eczma worse! the chinese doctor gave me tablets and a range of herbs that i had to boil up and wash with. it really helped!! after 6 weeks most my ecxma had vanished!

By thankuall on Monday, August 15, 2005 - 07:55 pm:

my 8yr old has eczma real bad on face, elbows and neck...what is an overthecounter drug or medicine I can give her...nothing seems to work, but prayer...theharoldz@bellsouth.net

By Seths Mom on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 05:32 am:

Okay, as a mother of a child with eczema... I would pee on a spark plug if I thought it would help...I came across this site (keyword:grandmas attic - google). I have yet to try it...we are currently...one layer of glaxyl base cream with one layer of aquafour cream (to seal in) and wrapping in damp gauze (bottled water) and have had excellent results.... ...hopefully we can get this under control....please advise if this works...I will try to (hard with a four year old)....
recipe:

Cabbage Wrap for eczema / psorissis :Take outer leaves of cabbage and swill well under running water. Gently pat dry with clean cotton cloth or better still air dry.
Spread leaves on a board or table so that the inner side of leaves face upwards (inner side of leaves must face up as they contain the most valuable nutrients with less chemicals).
Bruise the inner sides by rolling out with a rolling pin. This ensures that cells and nutrients are broken. Then wrap the leaves around the affected part of the body ensuring comfort. Secure with a bandage or cloth. Assistance to do this may be necessary. Leave on for at least an hour. Remove leaves.
Note: Be prepared for an awful smell. This smell confirms that the toxin drawing properties of the cabbage has done it's job! Don't be surprised to notice how much better the eczema is.
Submitted by : Sheryl Callard, holistic therapist

By nighthawk4523 on Monday, August 08, 2005 - 03:30 pm:

Well, I have had eczema since I was 15 years old and I am now 27. I know all too well about being self-conscious about wearing certain clothes or foot wear. I really dislike the summer months because I sweat and that only increases the itching and winter isn't too bad, I just have to be sure to keep my skin moisturized. So to all of my fellow eczema sufferers, hang in there and be good to yourselves.

By Buster on Saturday, June 04, 2005 - 02:26 am:

I think I have a mild eczema--on my ankles and lower calf mostly, flares up maybe once or twice per year, if I don't control it, on further the leg but milder...I think something triggers it that makes that area of the skin become more "sensitized", like maybe a "no-see-um" insect bite, or maybe it's stress, lack of sleep, or overwork-ha? but in any case when I scratch it--I can feel that the skin is over-"sensitized"..if it spreads-the skin will just start itching--I scratch- it gets red-more I try to rub, but revert to scratching, finally there is a little "bump"-it was there all along--it really itches and seems to cry-out for more scratching....once the bump is "capped" (opened) the small area stays red and the opened bump does not "weep" and scratch it anymore and the over-sensitized skin on that particular place indicates-"leave me alone"- but the itching resumes and same process in other places on the ankle-leg area...occasionally on the upper foot.....
THINGS I HAVE USED--that work:
1=Domboro powers mixed with water that creates a type of solution--dip paper towels ( or light cloth ) and wrap the area and leave on as long as can...if it has gotten pretty bad--this can really relieve the itching- which most stop to promote healing...
2= I now use, over the counter,(Benedryl rub-on stick or ( CVS generic ) liquid of a topical analgesic: diphenhydramine hydrochloride 1% or 2%, and skin protectoran: Zinc acetate 0.1%====
this ultimately stops the itching and protects the skin enough to where the healing process ca take place....
3= I find just plain calamine lotion will help relieve the itching-if nothing else on hand...and for me, at least, it's not poison ivy or oak...for some reason that stuff never has made me break out..
Once, as a broken ankle healed, ( broke it in a fall ) a doctor had me use an "air caste" around my ankle, to support the ankle at work,
needless to say this crap broke out beneath the "air cast"--It was angry red, broke out and itching real bad..I thought it was infected, went to the Doc, he looked at and felt it, and said "no" its not infected--stop useing the "air cast" as some people just cannot wear them
you have ( some kind of big word like ) "Heat hydrothermia" (not sure if that's the correct word)--( but was just like this other, only worse, that has bothered me from time to time since I was a teenager )he said put vaseline on my ankle to promote healing...man it still itched...so I mixed the Domboro power with water and dipped paper towels in it and wrapped the ankle and
that really relieved the itching-had to keep doing it and finally it went away.......

By Jenna on Monday, May 02, 2005 - 03:48 am:

I've heard some great things about this http://www.eczema-psoriasis.com/
Just ordered some myself as i live in Australia.
My eczema is pretty good now controlled by cyclosporin and occasional cortisone tablets (no not the greatest medicine to be on) but my feeet are the problem. They itch so badly i leave open cuts on my feet and then they get infected with this weird infectiont hat leaves clear tiny bubbles which if i dont pop turn into very painful pus bumps. Horrible. Makes me hate life. anyone else

By gene on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 03:15 pm:

HI I AM 50 YEARS OLD AND MY MOTHER IS 83 IT SEEMS WE BOTH STARTED GETTING EXCEMA AT THE SAME TIME ON OUR FEET AND ELBOWS. MY MOMS FEET ARE SO BAD NOW THEY HAVE CRACKED SOARS THAT BLEED AT NIGHT WHEN SHE SCRATHES IN HER SLEEP. SHE HAS BEEN TO THE DOCTORS OFFICE MANY TIMES AND SHE ALWAYS COMES HOME WITH A CREAM THAT DOES NOT HELP. I HAVE IT ON THE BACK OF ONE HAND AND ON BOTH ANKLES AND SHINS..... PLEASE ADVISE!!!!!!

By Mike on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 10:07 pm:

i've been trying for several years to figure out what my skin condition is. usually around midnight or later, (i'm often still in my office at the time) i start itching terribly on the tops of my feet, the backs of my fingers or along my forearms, sometimes in my scalp. this occurs pretty suddenly and at the same time of day, but not every day. sometimes i feel the urge to cough or sneeze about the same time. i assumed that there were gnats, fleas or dust mites in my office that were biting me. after reading some of these posts i suspect possible eczema. it's an INTENSE itching followed by scratching until i cut the area open with my nails, revealing a clear liquid substance. after that it usually stops and a slight infection develops, and the sore lasts for weeks. recently had surgery on my foot and had the problem under and at the edge of the bandage. anybody think this might be eczema?

By Larry on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 07:20 pm:

For two years now I suffer from itchy palms and soles of my feet...it is most severe in the morning and often starts on my upper forearms around noon.

The itch is well under the skin..unscratchable, with no rash or lesions. I have been taking a mild allergy drug for it for 2 years (diphenhydramine hydrochloride - 3-4 a day)If stops the itch after a while...the doctors (I've seen 4) don't have a clue what's causing it.

Is the drug I'm taking potentially harmfull? Does anyone out there have any idea what may be causing the itch???

By jon on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 04:17 pm:

I have had eczema on my feet since I was about 14, now I'm 28. I have found that Betamethasone Cream has worked tremendously.

By RLM on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 03:29 am:

I just found this place never thought to look on the net for someone like me (I feel like a freek). I never had problems until I turned 30 years old but now I have it on my feet,hands and legs I have been to so many dermitologists and allergy specialists they keep say that I should be able to live with it but every day I find it increasingly hard to get through the day....

By kim on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 06:12 pm:

Gigi- wrap your feet in gauze and wear breathable shoes (Nike makes some good ones) with cotton socks inside out. This will help walking on that foot more bearable. If you want, put a bandaid on the blisters first. You have to let them dissapate on their own- they could be subcutaneous hives and not blisters. Do they look like they are well under the skin?

By carrie on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 08:35 pm:

I itch so badly on my legs from eczema I sometimes go into a frenzy at night... the only relief I can find from the itching is to use Anbesol liquid - yes the tooth pain oil...xylocaine I guess... I mix it with my moisturizer and apply to the itching zones... This treatment does nothing to heal the eczema but offers immediate itch relief and keeps me from going insane... seems to work much better than the lanocaine cream in the drug store....

Hope this offers some help to some of you

By andrew on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 12:47 pm:

Have a look at http://www.aloehealthuk.com/ - The Propolis Creme is very good for eczema and also psoriasis. We use it on our 5 year old son and it is as effective as cortico-steroids without the side effects!

By Al and Viv on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 04:09 pm:

My wife has suffered for years and has bad eczema on her hands and feet to the point where she is unable to sleep and itches the skin off which makes it worse. She's gone to the Mayo clinic which really didn't help. we've come to the conclusion that a lot of the problem is from bug bites, which raises the histimine levels so she does take anti-histime tablets and she tries to stay away from bugs. Hard to do when she loves gardening. When it gets real bad on her feet she wraps them in wet towels. In the winter time, it tends to ease up, hence our belief that bug bites are a contributing cause. Hope this helps someone else out. AL

By gigi on Tuesday, August 17, 2004 - 07:02 pm:

hello.i have eczema on my right foot so bad that i can't walk on it. i have two bubbles that look like they are going to pop at any minute. any suggestions on what can be done for this?

By gigi on Tuesday, August 17, 2004 - 07:01 pm:

hello.i have eczema on my right foot so bad that i can't walk on it. i have two bubbles that l;ook like they are going to pop at any minute. any suggestions on what can be done for this?

By tanika on Monday, July 19, 2004 - 04:33 pm:

Hi! I am 22 years old. I too suffer from eczema. I have been prescribed Clobesstol Proprianate for my eczema. Currently I have it on my feet,toes,ankles, and elbows. The cream I used helped tremendously but it always come back. Now I have to deal with the fact that I will have eczema for the rest of my life. I never wear sandles because I'm afraid I will be looked at like I am a freak. So I wear socks and shoes everyday and I know its not healthy for my eczema, but I feel more comfortable when I go out in public. "Why have I been cursed with this", is what I ask myself everyday. I'm about to graduate from college in a few weeks, so I have been dealing with this throughout my whole college career. I always wanted to wear the cute clothes with the cute sandals, but I couldnt. Everytime I look at someone with sandals on I always look at their feet. Why can't that be me. They have nice ankles and feet, why can't I? So to everyone who has been diagnosed with this painful fungus I feel your pain. It's hard to live a normal life when your're always wondering what if.

By Cheryl on Friday, July 16, 2004 - 03:35 pm:

Finally, I found a group of people who understand what I have been going through for 3 years with cracked, bleeding feet! It is like walking on razor blades. I have tried everything both Rx and over the counter products. Bag Balm (found in the pet section; used for infected cow udders) seems to be soothing. I soak in a warm foot bath, cover the feet with the bag balm then wrap in saran wrap and put on socks. I am able to sleep and wake up with moist feet. It doesn't take long after showering, for them (my feet) to dry out and hurt again, but at least I get a little relief. I will continue to monitor this discussion board for more ideas in dealing with this horrible condition. Thanks!

By Bernadine Thompson on Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 09:27 pm:

For all those who suffer with eczema on their feet. I have recently had a cream prescribed for my 6 year old daughter (who had infected eczema on her feet) which is Protopic 0.03% ointment. It took about 2 weeks to clear and certainly did the job.

By Jan on Friday, September 26, 2003 - 03:18 pm:

I have had eczema on my feet and hands since i was a child and now 33 years old an fed up trying to find something that works.

Has anyone ever used an emollient called epaderm. If you have can you please let me know what it is like and if you had any success with it.

I live in the canary islands and have nobody to talk to about my condition. I can actually tell the doctors more than they can tell me. If anyone has any advice or new ideas please let me know.

I find the site excellent and would like to say thank you to all the other sufferers and carers who have put ideas on here. I have tried a few of them and now get a great nights sleep. Again a big thank you to you all.

By omnipitent goddess on Monday, July 21, 2003 - 08:11 pm:

Would like more info on how to...with parafin wax.TIA. lauralkurta@msn.com

By Mike on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 06:06 am:

To Claire,
I have had this all my life as well. I get it on my hands and feet, not so much my hands anymore. My feet begin to burn and become very hot and itchy in the spots where it starts. It starts out as small blisters and bubbles under my skin and they form lumps that spread. It’s a nightmare and has effected my life in many ways as well as my career decisions.

> Things that have helped me: Please take note:
1. Do not ever scratch the skin no matter how much it inches, it will just multiply with in seconds and is the most horrible feeing in the world. "Do Scratch Ever"
2. You must keep your feet "cool", and I repeat COOL is very important
3. the Feet must have air...air..and more air.
4. There is a shoe made by adidas called (ClimaCool) This shoe has vents on the Botton, top, sides and can be washed. It is the coolest shoe I have ever used. This shoe is so good that I’ve actually bought 3 pairs in one day.

http://www.mcnopoly.com/shoes/adidas_climacool_running_shoes.asp


6. Wash your feet, and again let them get air.
7. After taking a shower, put Zinc Oxide Ointment on the skin, it will keep your own sweat from irritating the skin.
8. Buy expensive white socks from a sports store that is designed to pull the moister away from your skin. Adidas makes a line of sockets that are called (clima cool) I beleave just like their line of shoes. These socks are woven specially to keep your feet cool and dry.Niki also makes these socks as well as a few other brands. they are about 7 dollors a pair (US dollars)

The secret is keeping the feet COLD, not always so easy though.

good luck with this, god bless as I know what your going through

By rhyta on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 08:32 pm:

I have had eczema on my feet for over 3 years now. I can relate to those who have suffered with the itching and wanting to peel the thickened skin off. Currently, it is managable but still there.

Since going to the dermatologist several years ago, I found that Eucerin cream is best. I put it on numerous times throughout the day. If I have sore cracked areas, my doctor prescribed bactroban as an antibiotic. Earlier I had used Neosporin and it made things worse. The Dr. told me I was allergic to it and it made the rash spread.

If my feet are stinging because of dryness, I wet three paper towels in warm water and wrap them around my feet. I then take some baggies (the gallon size) and seal my feet up in them. I leave them on until the stinging stops. When I have been in bad flare ups, I leave them on overnight so I can sleep.

I also have eczema on my hands so I buy cotton gloves and wear to help seal in the eucerin. I cut the fingertips off so it is easier to do things. I have to use them discreetly at work when my hands get too dry. I wear a full pair at night so I don't scratch in my sleep, or if I do it won't make it bleed.

The main thing I believe has lessened the severity of my eczema in the last 4 months is my GP changed my allergy medication. I had been taking claritin but switched to clarinex. Within several weeks, the severity of my itching had lessened and the skin seemed to be healing with less fluid building up under the skin, less thickening. But it still is there and I would like to get it healed.

I want to try Elidel to see if it will make it any better but am waiting to see dermatologist for it.

Hope some of this might help someone.

Hang in there everyone

By Krystal on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 03:45 am:

I am 16 years old, and I have eczema on my legs. They leave scars all over them, and it hurts to shave-badly!!! The itch seems to worsen at night, and when I drink/eat milk products. I have tried Meleluca lotion, which works very well, but my mom stopped buying it.My older sister also has it. Is there something else I can use to help stop it. Or at least, the itch? Please help!!!

By nina on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 10:01 pm:

I have suffered eczema for many years and am currently on Neurol. Although, my eczema is much better I still have to make sure I cover myself with Diprobase at least twice a day. Instead of central heating at home I haveoilfilled radiators which I do not use unless it is very cold as I find the heat makes my eczema worse. At work the heating and air conditioning is controlled by a central system.

I have been told that an ioniser and humidifier at both home at work could help my skin. However, as this items are quite expensive, I wondered if you have heard of any research into this or know of anyone who has benefited from their use.

By jean on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 10:54 pm:

my son currently has infected eczema on his legs and arms. He has had three courses of antibiotics and one course of steroids. We have tried emollients, creams , baths etc all of which seem to irritate it rather than ease it. He is just starting on a herbal remedy. we are waiting for an appointment with a dermatologist so we though we would try the herbal remedy. Has anyone had a similar problem - no results? Any advice would be of great help.

By kimiko on Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 11:04 am:

I have eczema on my feet so badly, my dermatologist says the symptoms are more like psoriasis than eczema. The biopsy says eczema, however.I did lightbox treatments for a year...one foot is better and the other is not.
It feels like subcutaneous hives that itch like He**. I don't have blisters or lesions, but the skin is very thick and dry. I do 2 lukewarm footsoaks a day with olive oil and aveeno oatmeal bath soak for no more than 20 minutes. then after towel drying i put burts bees honey lotion for babies and cetaphyl lotion. sometimes if i am in a lot of pain, i put neosporin w/pain relief on too, after the soak. this is good to prevent infection and i love the pain relief. if i itch so much my feet are raw, then these steps do not burn. if i don't have any open skin, i do a parafin wax treatment at home before bedtime which softens the skin. i notice if the skin is soft, then the flareups dont occur as often. the hard part s not scratching or removing the thick skin. now i want something to eliminate all of this. ie a CURE. i loved reading this board- my husband lacks sensitivity in this part of my life b/c it has been going on for half our marrige and he is burned out. thanks to everyone who posts!!

By Grants on Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 10:30 am:

We have a two year old son who is covered from head to toe with some form of eczma. We have been to the doctor, and all they suggest is steroid creams. We do not believe this is good for our son, can anyone recommend an excellent specialist here in New Zealand,

By Linda B on Monday, January 14, 2002 - 08:06 pm:

I am eighteen years old and have had eczema since birth. It used to only be in my joints and on my neck but during the last few years it has spread all over my body. My biggest problem is the itch, I've tried hypnosis, acupuncture and chinese herbal remedies as well as all the prescription stuff I get from my doc, but with no great luck! At the moment I take Valergran to make me drowsy (the itch is worse at night), i take 3 a day and I still feel itchy, any suggestions. Also to claire with eczema on her feet, I find it really helps to first soak my feet in the potassium promaginate, cover affected areas with steroid such as eumovate(elecon if its really bad) slap on loads of Diprobase(moisturiser) then wrap feet in Viscopaste wraps, hope this helps!

By Karen on Wednesday, September 12, 2001 - 10:32 pm:

Vitago, is what it's called? I am Asian and have been fortuante enough to outgrow my childhood eczema (palms, feet, and shins) , but I always wondered why I never tanned where it had been. On my palms and soles it is unnoticeable, but there are mottled white patches on my shins.

One thing that seemed to help my skin problems was a zinc spray--but the spray worsened my sister's. But the only thing that kept the eczema from recurring was a total change in diet (elimination of dairy, more fresh fruits and vegetables, less junk food), which reduced cleansed my body from the inside out.

Also, I think some Melaleuca products helped me: Pro-vex and the vitamin pills. The provex was an antidioxant and it made my eczema flare up really badly for a month as my body cleansed all the toxins, but after that I didn't have a problem with severe itching (unless I slipped up and ate something bad).

One treatment I had tried that helped some was a paste made of activated charcoal powder and virgin olive oil, applied to my skin and bandaged, left overnight. It was quite soothing and supposedly helped draw out the toxins through the skin. I think it helped some, but mostly what ended up happening was that the top layer of skin got dried and temptingly loose, and I always scratched it off too soon before the skin underneath would heal completely. It was also very messy--the black powder gets all over the sheets and floor and doesn't wash off in the morning. I stopped this after the other treatments began to work.

By Sab on Monday, September 03, 2001 - 12:50 pm:

My 2 year old, Katie, is a quarter asian (I am half) and I have noticed that she has very uneven pigmentation over her body. I'm not sure if this is vitiligo or due to the eczema. We've got a hospital appt tomorrow, so I am going to ask about this.

By eczemavoice on Thursday, August 30, 2001 - 10:42 pm:

To anonymous with vitiligo - have you heard about the vitiligo society?
Apparently asians/west indians are more likely to get loss of pigmentation where the eczema has been. We have expereinced this as well. Anyone else?

If its not one thing then its another...

By Diane on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 11:46 pm:

I find Aloe Vera Gelly very good to put all over the feet. It is expensive at £9 50 a tube, but if it gets rid of it, its worth it! Also try not to scratch I know that's easier said than done, and use cotton sheets. Check out the web site www.aloevera.co.uk
Another lady wrote above about wet bandaging that might also be worth a try.
Good luck

By Anonymous on Saturday, June 30, 2001 - 11:18 pm:

My son has what appears to be eczema on his feet, the specialist dismissed it and said he would probably grow out of it. The symptoms vary, but mainly he gets very dy skin on the pads of his toes which then cracks deeply and really hurt. At the moment the skin on the bottom of his feet is peeling off like parchment and the new skin is very tender. I am encouraging him to wear open shoes so his feet don't get sweaty and smothering his feet morning and night with cream. Could he be having an allergic reaction ? He also has vitiligo on his body - this too has been dismissed by the specialist ! Any ideas ?

By me on Thursday, May 10, 2001 - 09:37 am:

I used to have eczema that bad on my hands. Made it hard to write or do much of anything. The only thing that really worked for me was to keep them dry of water as much as possible and to slather on lanolin twice a day. After It improved, it was easier to deal with. I've heard some bad things about lanolin, so you might want to read up on that, but it is the only thing that helps me when my skin gets that bad.

By Anonymous on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 12:25 am:

My daughter has bad eczema on her feet and we find that wet bandaging at night gives a lot of relief and improves the skin greatly.

By claire on Saturday, April 14, 2001 - 01:10 am:

Please can anybody help me i am a 2o year old female who suffers from eczema very,very badly on my feet. i have tried creams such as betnovate, eumovate and have soaked my feet in potassium promaginate. This is not helping. It has got to the stage that i cannot sleep and the pain is so bad it makes me cry, i walk with a constant limp where my toes are so swollen, i am under a specialist but there is not much more that they can do for me. i am unable to lead a normal life as i cannot wear sandels or go out like i used to. is there anyone that has suffered this before?