By kelly on Thursday, February 11, 2010 - 10:07 pm:

This is kelly again (actually it's Julia Kelly), already posted a question about eliminating dairy and does the skin get worse before improving.
Both my boys are intollerant to soya as well, but I have continued to give them this, especially my youngest as he is already on a dairy, wheat and gluten free. Is soya a trigger as much as dairy for ezcema ?

By Kelly on Thursday, February 11, 2010 - 04:13 pm:

When eliminating dairy from my son's diet will his skin get worse before better as it leaves his system

By jessicablue on Friday, October 16, 2009 - 12:36 pm:

Hi, I already posted a message under 2009 stories but thought I'd repeat it here as it is related to diet. I've had eczema for a few months now and I've never had it before. I also had a case of severe hives before the eczema which was also a new thing for me. I think these skin problems are related to a candida overgrowth when I was given antibiotics during my caesarean as I can't think of any other reason as I've been generally healthy before it. Anyway, I'm on Bee Wilder's healing naturally diet (google it). It makes sense as a way of letting your body heal itself in a holistic way. I've been doing it for a few months now and my skin was improving but recently I've had a flareup around my neck and chest. I'm hoping that it's just my body detoxifying. Anyway, there are success stories from this program, so I may recommend this program to others who are looking for a solution. You may realise that you have health issues related to candida, if you have a poor diet, and a history of overuse of antibiotics, allergies. It's believed that eczema is a way of eliminating these toxins through the skin. I hope this might help some people understand why they have eczema

By jojo1234 on Saturday, February 07, 2009 - 08:21 pm:

Tea contains caffeine and can be inflammatory for your skin. It is better to have herbal tea with no caffeine. Yerba Mate should be fine because it contains mateine instead of caffeine.
These herbs are supposed to be good for controling eczema:
# Lemon balm, valerian, and passionflower teas help calm emotional stress
# Stinging nettle, dandelion, burdock root are cleansing
# Chickweed, plantain, witch hazel, horsetail, and comfrey are soothing
Hope this help!

By jojo1234 on Saturday, February 07, 2009 - 08:16 pm:

I don't have eczema but I have psoriasis. My little cousin used to have very bad eczema and my whole family has an history of various skin disorders. So I guess there is a family thing going on and I think it is a good idea to ask your family what kind of foods they have problems with. It might help to figure out what the culprit foods are.
Have you also heard of the vega test? The vega test is like an electronic acupuncture instrument, which measures the body's electro-magnetic response to various testing substances. I know it helped lots of people and save time to know which foods you should avoid...
There is also this website, which gives lots of nutrition advice and other natural remedies that work for eczema. It is called optiderma.com

By Sarah on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - 09:50 pm:

Oh, and before I forget about it: Why should I not drink tea? My doctor told me that tea was good for the skin....
And if I make mistakes, feel free to correct me, English is not my mothertongue (I'm from Germany).

By Sarah on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - 09:48 pm:

Hi everybody!
I don't think that it's just okay to say: stop eating dairy and wheat and gluten and you'll be okay. That's not true. If I stopped eating everything people tell me to I'd just starve...
I also can't eat wheat because it makes my eczema flare up, but I'm perfectly at ease with spelt, and that also contains gluten.
And I just love chocolate :-). I eat an Austrian goat milk chocolate called Choco-Lisa. It tastes so good... And if you want to eat sweets, try liquorice. It contains some stuff that reduces inflammation.

By grrif on Monday, July 21, 2008 - 03:00 am:

No offence to anyone here, But Stop eating crap and it goes away.

No wheat, gluten, dairy, E number adds. Don't handle veg with Pesticides, Raw meat - NO TEA.

Boring maybe - but so is looking like a blisterd tomato. (I know)

By nevergiveup on Sunday, June 29, 2008 - 02:00 am:

Jayne, i agree with wheatfreecured. Afriend introduced me to a whaet free, gluten free diet also with good results. She suggested to google search celiac and eczema.Its been 3 weeks now, with only 1 bad episode. (spagetti and noodles) I also have a terrible allergic reaction to MSG. I get itchy everywhere with hives all over my face, neck, upper body, hands and arms. Drives me crazy, cant sleep at night. MSG cleverly disguises its many hidden names. You'd be surprised MSG in many foods we eat, from our daily supplements to chicken broths, chips, and coffee creamers. good source for hidden names is...msgmyth.com. The gluten/wheat free diet is worth the time in label reading. My friend said to try just chicken, rice, vegies and salad at the beginning. (notice salad dressing ingred). Drink water instead of pop. Cut down on coffee if its too hard to quit. I take hydroxizine evry so often, and triamcinilone/protopic. But another site, msgtruth.com will help you with remedies in case the hives accidentally happen. These sites provide a wealth of info.I learn so much from all you guys, and thought i'd just share whats been working these last 3 weeks. Its about time finally get to realax and enjoy life.

By Jayne on Saturday, June 21, 2008 - 06:24 pm:

Thanks will look into it

By wheatfreecured on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 12:27 am:

Jayne,

I would cut out the wheat and the dairy and see how you feel.... give it a week or two... if nothing... cut out the eggs.... and keep adding to the list... I would google: celiac and eczema.. if you have a wheat/gluten issue... dairy is can be the second step in the celiac villi break down process... once you heal from the celiac causes... you can reintroduce the dairy in small doses... research this... it may help for you to understand or it may complete the puzzle to your skin issues...
It took me 45 years for the information to finally come to me...

By Jayne on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 11:54 pm:

i've just been told that i have to stop eating wheat, eggs, cows milk, soya and umm i forget the last but i'm vegetarian too - how am I supposed to make a meal? nuts thats the last one

By emma r on Monday, May 19, 2008 - 10:02 pm:

vana my 16month old is on a wheat free, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, tomato free, citrus free,yeast free, diet. Im sure there is more but i often forget them off the top of my head!!! And his skin is lovely and clear. Perhaps you could try avoiding these things, also alcohol should be avoided too. I think he has leaky gut syndrome, have a google and see what you think!

By vana on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 12:28 pm:

At 21 I developed IBS after living in Singapore for six months, I returned to my home in Canada and shortly thereafter began experiencing signs of eczema behind my knees and on my arms. Two years later I moved to Switzerland for a job and as a result of living apart from my boyfriend was very stressed and developed severe eczema around my eyes, and on my legs.

Since then we've been reunited and I'm less stressed but my eczema won't go away. I can control it with Protopic and this works well, but now when I drink a glass of wine or consume certain foods (not sure what yet...) I get dark circles around my eyes (panda eyes!)My doctor says protopic is fine and doesn't thin the skin but I think its related to my IBS and possible food allergies/sensitivities.

I'm about to turn 25 and am tired of the pain and irritation of this condition. Does anyone have a similar story of IBS and Eczema? What foods did you cut out? How much should I cut out in an elimination diet- it seems everything is suspect!

By Emily on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 03:22 am:

I have had eczema since I was a teenager. I get it on my face, arms, legs, hands, neck, scalp, back, everywhere but my feet and the palms of my hands. The doctors prescribed me all kinds of ointments, creams, lotions, soaps, steroids, antibiotics, and antihistamines not to mention all the over-the- counter products that I've tried over the years. About a year ago, after I went to the doctors for a shot of Prednisone in my butt cheek for the eczema I had all over me, I looked for another answer. I researched diet changes I could make to help my situation. Many people think what I found is a superstition, but it is not. I have stopped eating foods from the nightshade family and I haven't had a horrible outbreak since. The nightshade family includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and tobacco. I know it is hard to give up some of those foods, who doesn't love spaghetti, pizza, mashed potatoes or french fries, but I love clear skin more. If I do splurge on some fries, I usually take some Prednisone that night and I prevent a bad outbreak, but if I don't I am sure to get an outbreak. This may not be the solution for everybody, but it has been a lifesaver for me. It has even helped with digestive problems. But no matter what always keep the stress down and a lot of lotion at hand.

By MAM on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 09:52 pm:

Steph

Have you been tested for food allergies and skin patch testing? If not I suggest that you ask your consultant for this to be done. Good Luck

By Steph on Sunday, April 13, 2008 - 05:53 pm:

Hi!
I'm a teenager and Ive got eczema on my face, around my lips, neck, arms and legs. All my life Ive been trying new things, and Im allergic to everything! All I know now is that diet makes the biigest diference. For three months now I haven't had dairy, sugar or yeast, and had 3 lites of water a day. I still have it, but not as bad.

By siblob on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 02:39 pm:

Hi
I've had eczema for 36 years - mainly on my neck and face. I've found that creme de la mer in the morning and demalogica super rich moisturiser in the evening works effectively to keep my skin moisturised. I know these creams are expensive but nothing else works for me. The body shop hemp seed cream cleared up the eczema on my hands. Have recently bought a juicer and now have a mixture of fruit and veg juices which is making a difference. i firmly believe, after years of trying everything and anything, that eczema is linked to diet. Hope this is of some help.

By MAM on Sunday, January 27, 2008 - 02:48 pm:

My son has had chronic eczema for years and numerous allergies. I know and understand how everyone is feeling : - ( Please google the following E numbers and you will see how bad they can effect sensitive skin and also the different countries that they are band from:

E102/E110/E123/E124/E129/E151/E171 and E216.

I only came across the above as my son was given a pre med tablet to help him sleep and he was really poorly, dry mouth, yellow eyes and up 5 times in the night itching! I checked what was different on his medication compared to previous and it was E171 (Titanium Dioxide)bare in mind E171 is in nearly everything from tablets/creams/toothpaste etc. For the last 2 weeks I have eliminated this (hard work I will say) but what a difference in his skin and he is also alot calmer in himself. Give it a go and hopefully you will experience some difference and peace of mind. I have mentioned this E number to the consultant but she had not heard of it but did say it was ok to eliminate it and see what happens.

By Stella on Friday, December 28, 2007 - 04:20 pm:

Hi folks!!

It's an interesting thread we have going here...Although I only eat fresh wholefoods, I didn't realise that I might be allergic to some. For example, in 2006 circa September/October, I started buying large caribbean avocados. I couldn't afford brown rice which was a staple part of my diet until then. I was also having a mackerel/salmon fillet daily with salad and kefir. Well, my skin just kept on clearing up all my itself. I have lovely photos of myself for my November birthday last year.

I've finished a music course this year and my skin flared up again as I had Chinese lunches every day - the healthiest shop around, it was.

At the end of the course, I slept loads and just had mackerel and cucumber slices every day with lots of water and fresh kefir and by September the skin had cleared up again...My friends were amazed at the big difference in my skin. It had even stopped exfoliating...

So I started eating carbs like rice, potatoes and crisps and chocolate and lo and behold, it was back. So I've deduced that I probably have candida - protein and salad starves it, carbs and sweet things like fruit feeds it.

I'm also doing a colon cleanse at the moment with Colonix. I used it before 2 years ago and my skin was a lot better. Obviously, the stress of the course didn't help.

This time I'm taking Colonix for 3 months (I did it for 2 months first time round) and have invested in a Jupiter Water ioniser to drink alkaline water...

I was moisturising my skin yesterday and noticed it was much softer than usual..only thing is, I'm not sure if it's all the fish and celery juice I'm having, the ionised water or Colonix...

At least my skin is getting better though and I hope all the people on this site get their eczema cured too...

Merry Christmas Everyone

Stella

By DreamL6 on Monday, October 22, 2007 - 09:17 am:

Hi,

I've had eczema for ten years now, and I've cut out prawns, crabs, peanuts, duck meat, shellfish, lobsters and cucumber from my diet. (all considered toxic to our skin by chinese people) I've also switched to body shampoos and body lotions that are fragrance free and would advise some of you to try it, my attacks have lessen to only right before my period and its been pretty good so far.

Ive also cut out another chinese vegetable but its not so common anywhere outside asian countries, and i'm clueless what it is in english, if there are anyone out there who frequently takes chinese veges, pls avoid a vege that is named "kau choi" (longetivity vege), it has a small yellowish green bulb on the tip and its stem is very very slim and about 3 inches long, no leaves. Chinese old ladies here all prevent me from taking it cause it is considered the most toxic thing to eat for people with skin problems.

I hope this helps, I'm still getting bits and pieces of honey like crust here and there, but its not like my full blown face+back+tummy+eyes+ears+arms+legs covered with crust and angry red bumps before.

By sue on Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 05:11 pm:

something thats really helped me out is cutting out dairy alltogether i was never tested but just gave it ago my excema still is pretty bad but i find it takes away the edge that creates itching therefore im less inclined to scrath also try and cut out sugary things and take cod liver oil capsles its alot to adapt to but for me its worked out really well good luck!

By KMC on Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - 10:44 pm:

I was recently tested for allergies, including food, and they said that I am not allergic to anything. I see a lot of postings about excluding wheat, milk, etc from your diet.. I'm wondering if the people that this works for, are you actually allergic to it (like it would show up in an allergy test) or could eliminating those foods from my diet also work for me? I feel like I am definitely allergic to something because of my ezcema (and my nose is ALWAYS stuffed) but no one can tell me what it is, therefore I obviously can't avoid it. Meanwhile, using steriod cream is the only thing that semi-works for me (although I know it isn't good for the long run!) Any advice about the food would be greatly appreciated!

By Renae on Sunday, June 17, 2007 - 05:18 am:

Hello Everyone!

I am a 24 four year old woman from the USA that has struggled with eczema for the last 8 years...on and off. I have been browsing the web nearly all day today to find anything new to try. I came across this forum this evening and have read through almost every posting in every section. I just need to say that I really appreciate all of the helpful tips and advice that people have shared on here. I HATE ECZEMA and the awful effects it has on a person. My eczema is out of control right now and the only thing that will clear it is prednisone. I can't get in to see a derm for another month so I need to find some way of getting relief before then! I am just wondering if those of you that posted with specific regimens for omega-3's and such have any idea of how much a person should consume a day to see any results? Also wondering if any one has had luck with probiotics and where does one find them? (are they prescription only, OTC like supplements, or at health food stores???) I appreciate any response on this matter.

I will pray for each of you tonight as I pray for myself. May God bless you all and may you be healed of this disorder!

By MAM on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 08:21 pm:

Hi NIkki

I saw a dramatic change in his neck and chest area within days honestly! He was at hospital on Monday evening for blood tests to check how much IG8? is in his blood and see if it is nuts. I have still eliminated nut products from his diet and have no nut products in the house. He is a different child and that is no joking. I will keep you all posted as soon as I get the results.

By Jimbob on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 03:20 pm:

Hi Nikki

I have a 2.5 year old with eczema and when we eliminated his allergies it took about 6 weeks for his skin to start to improve.

By Nikki on Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 12:03 pm:

Hi all - I am an Australian Mum with a 2yo daughter who has had eczema for over a year already. After doctors and steriods, I am trying an elimination diet. After 3/4 days, her eczema is the worst I've ever seen it. Does anyone know how long it takes for positive change? I've heard anything from 3 days to 6 months....

By MAM on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 09:33 pm:

Hi

I am a mother of a 15 year old who has had chronic eczema all of his life. Reading this site gives so much support to everyone with this awful condition.

After all of these years I have just connected that restricting anything with nuts or processed in a factory using nuts is helping my sons skin with astonishing results. The eczema was all over his body but in the last couple of year affected his underarms, chest and neck so bad that it looked like he had been burnt. Anyway, after a few days of holiday the skin was clearing and I needed to know how. Later that day within minutes of him eating chocolate I watched as he began to scratch slightly then as the itching got worse so did the redness and swelling of the skin. I was amazed! I cut out all of the above foods but realised that when he came out of the shower (a 3 minute shower only) the whole area was up again and the itching bad with long scratch marks turning yellow. Then I realised that the perscription shampoo (polytar) is not suitable for nut allergies etc. So we changed the shampoo to T Gel and guess what....no itching, redness etc. I am so pleased that I have eventually connected nut products with his condition. When he had the major flare ups his behaviour would change the anger/tempers/verbal and physical side of him be really bad he was like a different person. Now I have changed the above we have the lovely loving kind and caring lad back. His school work has improved so much after always receiving reports of him not concentrating and acting though he was in a different world. He has even been suspended from school twice because of his behaviour during these nightmare periods. Please please please look at nut products and see if there is any improvement to your condition! Any questions please feel free to ask me. Good Luck

By cocojane on Monday, April 16, 2007 - 09:18 pm:

hello there everyone,
This is my first post on the site. I have suffered with chronic eczema on and off all my life. homeopathy helps but its a long running commitment as the treatments push every thing to the surface so it gets worse before any improvement which can take years. I see a natropath/nutritionist and find my diet is very limited when my eczema is worse like at the moment(I have it all over my face hand and feet) I have eliminated wheat, cow produce, gluten, acidic fruits and vegetables, certain meats, seafood sugar in all forms except honey and mollases. i take fish oil, starflower oil, multi vits, herbal teas, anti candida remedies ect.......I could go on. Nothing shifts the eczema at the moment but i am gradually noticing slight changes. Its always far worse if I don't stick to the diet. something about keeping the intestines clear from candida. I believe suppressing emotions over time has creates my flare ups and its a way for my body to remind me to deal with issues. I've come to this conclusion because nothing else even the extreme elimination diet rarely clear my skin.

By wheatfreecured on Monday, March 19, 2007 - 03:36 pm:

Yes.........your diet is related....
keep a diary of what you are eating and your flare ups... could be the milk you are drinking.. they could have added something to it or it could be what the cows are eating... or you could be eating fruits or drinking something with a new chemical in it .. a preservative...

it is a mystery figure it out....

wrongdiagnosis.com/e/eczema/intro.htm

jeannine

By jenny on Sunday, March 18, 2007 - 04:09 pm:

iam 13 and have developed a red patch on my left cheek which i have had for about a year and redness on the whole of my top lip which ive had for about 2 years i have got steroid creams and loads of other things which help it for a while but then my face flares up again im really embarassed that i dont like going out anymore please hlp me or giv me some advice xo jenny

By anon on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 06:29 am:

What do people think of fish oil to reduce inflammation ? I've been experimenting with various amounts and types for a few months now and the results are inconclusive. There is definitely a change when I take fish oil, but it certainly doesn't cure my eczema. I have found that taking high doses (>12 capsules/day) will depress my immune system making me ill, low doses have no apparent effect, medium doses (4-6 capsules/day) maybe have a mild stabilizing effect (less chaotic eczema). I've read that flaxseed oil & the other vegetable-derived oils are of no use because their molecules are too short and the body has to synthesize the longer anti-inflammatory ones from them which takes many hours and has a low yield. That's why I've been using EPA/DHA fish oil and vegan v-pure capsules (from marine algae - very expensive).
I've noticed that some fish-oil brands increase my asthma. On high doses there's an 'edge' beyond which the immune system seems to severely impair, meaning that one will catch colds and other infections. On the other side of the 'edge' (<10 capsules/day) there is I think an effect on the skin which means one needs to use less steroid creams and the skin feels generally stronger and more reliable. However I feel there is a difficult feedback loop at work which makes it impossible to keep the right dose among all the other factors affecting the system, hence the variable results.

By leecw on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 06:49 pm:

Hi ive tried so many creams,oinments,herbal tintctures,list goes on!
i have found the chinese herbalists wonderful! but very expensive!!!! and lots of water!!

By Az on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 05:23 pm:

Melanie,

Colours can be a pain, but it might not necessarily be just that.

I have severe reactions with the Eczema round my mouth, just like you daugher did, with the colourant E110, which tends to be in red foods, but I also have a bad allergy to Citric Acid which is found in just about every fruit. So it could also have been the apple. I can only eat fresh fruit very occassionaly and only in small amounts...

I know it sounds odd to have fruit be bad for you, but do look into it. You never know!

By Craig r on Sunday, October 08, 2006 - 08:18 pm:

Hi, i have had eczema all my life. I recently started taking one fish oil capsoil every day.This contains omega 3,6 & 9. In less than a week my skin has almost cleared up.This works because the oils provide the essential fatty acids that your body lacks when having eczema.Also keep your skin moisuried over night.

By Alex on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 01:54 pm:

Hi Rob

Unfortunately I think alcohol in general is quite bad (doesn't stop me though!). I have eczema but not chronically. I seem to be keeping it at bay at the minute by taking Apple Cider Vinegar and I use Shea Butter to mousturise. I know what its like to have it on your face as I had perioral dermatitis and that was awful. So my sympathy goes out to you.

Anyway, back to the alcohol - I would say lager is probably the worst because of the yeast in it. Eczema sufferers often have an intolerance to wheat and yeast etc as they cause an imbalance in the gut which makes your eczema worse (according to some people anyway - thats not scientifically proven or anything! ).

I think the main problem with alcohol and eczema is that alcohol dehydrates your body which in turn makes our already dry skin drier. So if you make sure to rehydrate yourself with lots of water throughout the night and the next day, this should help. Also just try to drink lots of water as a rule anyway as I find it really helps my skin.

I drink wine and vodka - do you like white wine? (I think red wine can cause flushing). I know it might look a bit poncy to drink wine in the pub (!) but its an option for at home or drinking somewhere else? As far as I know spirits would be better than lager too.

Hope I have helped a little bit! Sorry I have no concrete answers for you! I would just say that trying to keep your body as hydrated as possible is a definite help.

xx

By rob on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 12:14 am:

I have suffered with eczema all of my life, it was all over my body when i was younger, then spread to my face at around 17. I am now 27 and seem to have my body flare ups under control, I simply use Sanex foam bath on a sponge to was my body all over during a warm shower then pat dry, I then apply a very small amount of Intensive care moisturiser over my body. Sleep with the window open!! Turn the central heating off!! It helps!!!

I know only suffer with flare ups after a nite on the beer, these seem to outbreak on my face, and just make my cheeks really red and hot! Any suggestions on drinks that do not cause this?? I drink lots of lager!!

By nicole on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 07:03 am:

I have had blemish free skin right up until my mother passed away last year. All of a sudden an onset of eczema has come on. It started on the back of one knee briefly then went straight to my chin and a little under my eyes and eyelid. I have had accupuncture and tried a cream and herbal tablets from a Chinese Herbal practitioner. I am wondering how much eczema has to do with stress, anxiety, leaky gut syndrome and your auto immune system. My belief is that it is internal. Maybe the grief and anxiety I have experienced has stopped my system from accepting certain foods that I have usually eaten. No topical creams seem to make a bar of difference.
I'm wondering if anyone else has had an onset of eczema due to anxiety or grief and did it last long or once this was addressed did it go by dealing with it internally?

By Brandi on Thursday, March 16, 2006 - 02:07 am:

Hello. My name is Brandi Comport and I was wondering about desensitizing. My doctor mentioned it and I mentioned it to my boyfriend. Currently and for as long as I have known him, has had an allergic reaction to something. His feet will break out into horrible rashes that he continually scratches. His doctors have prescribed him creams and medicines that do not seem to be working. He will literally scratch at his feet until they bleed. I was wondering if desensitizing could work for him or if you knew of anything else that would work. Please e-mail me babylee369@yahoo.com Thank you.

By Joyce on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 10:55 am:

Hi
I am a freelance journalist and I am looking for a case study for That's Life magazine. The case study will get £100 if we use their story. We are looking for A woman, age 45 or below, who has helped her eczema significantly by either eliminating certain foods or using certain products, and is willing to share her story with our readers. This will be for either 'change in me' slot or 'me and my food' slot in the health section. We will need two snapshots - a 'before' and an 'after'. It doesn't need to be a close up on your skin but the before needs to show you looking a bit glum or possibly without make-up and the after needs to be smiling and happy with apparently clearer skin. You'll also need to have a brief telephone interview with me. If you can help, please email me on joyce345@yahoo.co.uk Thanks!

By Jennie on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 11:07 am:

Dear Isla, I can relate! My neck gets so bad that I also have trouble turning my head. People often ask me if I pulled a muscle. I often wear my shirts with the collars buttoned up to the top, to hide the mess. My hands, face and joints all suffer the same. I've gone whole summers wearing stockings with my skirts.

One piece of advice, I found cold gel packs at a pharmacy for reasonably cheap ($5 Canadian at London Drugs). I keep two of these in my freezer at all times. Whenever I feel the urge to scratch, I grab an ice cold gel pack, put it in a cotton pillow case, and hug it whereever I need it. The spot goes numb within seconds. This gets me through some of the tough times, especially hot summers when the sweat makes everything worse.

My heartfelt sympathies to all of you. PS, does anyone else find it annoying how other people just think you have dry skin? and they give gifts of pricey, fancy lotions or moisterizers that are un-useable because they are loaded with perfumes, etc?

By Jonathan on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 01:29 am:

PS As a comment to the message before mine - my eczema also started at a very stressful time. So I wonder if that might be the trigger that pushes the bodys immune system over the limit? Just a thought, but for me once it's come out of the box it seems like I now have to be cautious for life. Actually not as big a deal as it initially sounds.

By Jonathan on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 01:25 am:

It's nearly 5 months since my last post and I'm still largely eczema free as long as I'm careful. From reading through the rest of the posts and talking to people the only advice I can give anyone is that if you are suffering from a sensitivity don't immediately think it's the same thing as anyone else. A colleague at work has a dairy sensitivity, mine seems to be wheat, yours could be tomatoes or berries, oranges, dust or washing powder. Try an exclusion diet for a while and see if there's any improvement, you'll find books on this at the library - and overall, good luck. It's hell while you're going through it but there may be a way out.

By Isla on Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 04:25 pm:

Hi, I developed excema at a very stressful time around 6 years ago, it started on my wrists and has now taken over my whole body in 2005. I'll be 30 this year and for the past 3 years this illness has really taken over my life. The worst affected area is my face, my top lip is either blistered and bright red or of course, peeling and falling off. My cheeks and forehead are red and inflamed and this leads to my neck which is actually swollen and so tight it hurts to turn my head. As a woman who has a job talking to people all the time it is getting to become soul destroying. It varies in location from ankles and calves to thighs and stomach and of course the nipples! My doctor actually shrugged when I arrived in full flamed glory a few weeks ago and he put me on Flucloxacillin which actually made the infection even worse. What I'm most worried about is the ageing effect on my skin as I am forced to use the strong steroids on my face. Some mornings my eyes puff and swell so much they almost close, and my neck also swells. Does anyone else encounter such extreme effects? I tried cutting out wheat and tomtoes but I find this has no effect. Is diet likely to be cumulative or would an allergy this strong expected to be instant?

By Alex on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 09:23 am:

What a relief that I am not the only person who suffers from eczema on my face! My eczema is strange because I suffered when I was younger with eczema (I remember having it from the ages of 7 - about 16). I used to get it on my arms and then when I was a teenager, I suffered around my eyes. Then all of a sudden, my eczema disappeared. I am now 25 and about 6 months ago, it started to flare up again. First of all around my nipple, then at the back of my knee and now all over my chin! I have been to the Doctors three times about it and she has given me Elocon cream which is the safest cream to use on your face apparently. It does work when my chin flares up which is about once every 2 weeks at the minute. As a few others have said, I find if I have a heavy weekend drinking then my skin suffers the following week. I don't know if I have suddenly developed an allergy to any other foods as the Doctor has never offered me an allergy test - does anyone know if you can demand these? I am in a private health care scheme at work and wonder if anyone knows if this is something I can get done on a private health scheme? I can cope with it anywhere else on my body but it does get me down when I get up in the morning and find it spread across my chin! Its so red as well! I already take Omega 3, have done for a while - this doesn't seem to make much difference with me. Does anyone know of any more herbal remedies? Just to try and stop me using my Elocon cream as much which worries me as it can't be a long term solution as it is a steroid cream.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! x

By Jonathan on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - 12:51 am:

Well it's 2 and a half years since my last post and in that time I've stayed largely eczema free and have still been able to drink beer - I'm a happy man. I still have to be careful with wheat or it flares up again. While I was still suffering I went to see a homeopath who recommended I also avoid mushrooms, oranges and too much sugar. She blamed it on candida.

Now I can't say for sure if she was completely right or not but I do know that I now eat a lot of live yoghurt or take probiotic supplements because it seems to help. Using that allows me to eat wheat on occasion and I can usually tell when it's time for me to avoid it again as I get severe heartburn. My reasoning behind all this is that I have problems digesting certain foods which then sit in my gut for longer and end up causing problems. I can't say it's scientific but it works for me. Acidophilous every day seems to help me, hope it can for someone else.

By Ursula on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 10:50 pm:

i have had eczema all my life and i am now 17 it doesnt bother me on my hand feet and behind my legs as such i have that under control, its on my face that brings me down the most, i was wondering wat were the best moisturisers or facial scrubs that would sooth the rashes i get.... i mean i feels as if i cant walk out my house if my face has a slight patch and this gets me stressed and makes it worse. email me on candy_box_confectionary_biatch@hotmail.co.uk

By bittersweet on Friday, June 17, 2005 - 09:07 am:

Hi. I have always had excema and been to numerous doctors and dermatologists, only to be given steriod cream, which shouldn't be used on your face - thats where I have excema, so it wasn't any help. Recently, I went to a health food shop and was told I should take omega 3 capsules to help the excema and dry skin. Has anyone tried it and does it help? Also, does removing eggs and dairy from your diet help?

Cheers.

By Keyvan on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 - 12:34 pm:

Hi every1,
my name is keyvan and i live in Tehran/ Iran. I have had eczema for almost 10 years and it has been hurting me so much. It is called Sebborehic Dermatitis wich is a kind of eczema. But you have to know that these things would help eczema so much: 1- Using honey instead of suger 2- Using cod liver oil capsuls 3- using vitamin b 3-
regulating your sleep time

May God cure every1 of us with his glory
Keyvan
Tehran- Iran

By Simon on Sunday, March 06, 2005 - 05:48 pm:

I have developed ecxema two years ago after a serious car accident. I have tried lots of creams and ointments but my skin is sensitive so it reacts to anythig too greasy by coming up in ichy bumps. The dermatologist gave me Doublebase cream in a 500g pump action bottle which realy helps after a bath. I still have flair ups and I am going to try to eliminate foods one by one to see if I am alergic to anything, Milk, eggs, nuts, citrus, glutin then soya. I Hope this helps someone.

By juelz on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 05:27 pm:

i'm at the age where i need some help with my eczema.i don't know when they are going to pop up.and when they do pop up they are every where.please give me some tips on how to clear it.

By Jean on Thursday, January 13, 2005 - 02:36 pm:

I have seborrhoeic eczema on my face and chest and it is getting quite bad. I know this is caused by yeast, and that sugar should also be avoided. But I love yoghurt and am unsure if I should eat it. On the one hand it has the 'friendly' bacteria but on the other it is fermented. Other people on this site have mentioned problems with yoghurt or dairy - could someone please say more? Thanks

By Vic on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 07:40 pm:

you can try demanding an allergy test or you can get them done privately at Bupa. Personally, as someone who had all the tests (including that one where you can't bath for a week - what fun) and tried massively restricted diets on the advice of dieticians, I'm sceptical. None of the tests told me anything I didn't know already. Except they all showed I was reacting to eggs. I tried cutting out eggs and it made absolutely no difference to my eczema. Incidently, because all my records then said I was allergic to eggs I had to argue every time I had a vaccination that; honestly, I don't have a reaction. I think that most allergy testing is a waste of time and money. You can try cutting out the biggest offenders for a while and see if you get any benefit, but personally I would concentrate on the other eczema solutions. Right, that's me off my little soapbox. LOL.

By Maria on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 03:19 pm:

My son is 7 and has recently come out of hospital after a secondary infection with dipobase and 0.5% hydrocortisone for consolation and is still scratching like a mad man, I feel so helpless. I have read the above comments and feel that my GP could have given me more advice can I demand an allergy test from the GP?

By Tara on Monday, December 27, 2004 - 11:22 am:

hi all

Not sure if you have this product in the US (I'm from Ireland and we have it there). It's called Eucerin and it is the only body/face cream I have found that actually cleared all my eczema. It contains urea, one of the body's natural moisturisers (I know it sounds gross but it's all manufactured in a lab). I also find that the shorter and cooler the shower you have, the better.

By Twiggy on Saturday, November 27, 2004 - 12:53 am:

thanks guys, i needed to hear that! I honestly cant believe how great my skin has been considering the lack of calories/ nutrients.
This elimination "diet" was recommended to me by a nutrition specialist that my agency paid for. it was her idea to eliminate these foods because my system was so messed up with some yeast thing, and then to slowly bring back different food groups one by one and monitor what happened. So i was meant to go back but unfortunately, i changed agencies (im a model) and im not paying the money. She recommended alot of foods that didnt have this crap in them, and gave me a list of brands and stuff but its just too expensive. With rent and everything else its so hard to give up this money. i hate my body! i realise i need to eat more carbs, so i will definantely buy potatoes (they are cheap) and maybe investigate into some breads and cereals that are suitable. I honestly cant cook so thats not really an option. I can toss a salad though! I also need to start taking oil supplements i used to take- a large bottle wasnt too dear at all, i just need to get around to it.
Perhaps if i can quite smoking, i could use the extra money to buy food (considering my main reason for smoking is to avoid the food i cant have!)
anyway thanks so much guys, & good luck with this horrid condition!

By nikki on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 02:50 pm:

twiggy, i eliminated exactly the same things from my diet and inevitably also lost weight that i couldn't afford to lose. BUT, it is possible to keep the weight up. For a start you can still eat potatoes and they are a good natural sourse of carbs so make sure that you eat lots of them! It did work out more expensive to start with but to be honest once you put the time in it really isnt that bad. I used to make my own soups and sauces (because most shop ones are full of things we cant eat!) and just be a bit more inventive about cooking. Like you say it is a lifestyle change and you have to be prepared to do it, but honestly once you start seeing the results it is so much eaiser. Unfortunatly, for me the results only lasted about a year before i started to flare regularly again, but even now I can control small elements of my flare ups by watching what i eat!
Stick with it!!!!

By ruth on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 12:22 pm:

twiggy - you have answered your own question here - it is a mindset and if you are not careful about what you are doing - you are going to run into other types of health problems - problems that can end up being irreversible. it isn't because you can't afford the food - its just that you don't want to spend the money. its not as high a priority for you as the clothes. whose idea was it to go on this diet anyway???- while your skin might be looking better at the moment - if you continue to lose the weight like you are - then it will get you in other ways. you need to get some professional advice on the diet you are on to make sure you are getting what you need from it as it may be deficient in some nutrients.

By Twiggy on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 05:44 am:

Im having a problem with weight loss as a result of the restrictive diet I am on. I have eliminated dairy, sugar and yeast from my diet. My skin has never been better, but im just a little too thin. My problem is that I cant afford all the special health food products. So basically I live on fruit and vegetables and tuna and crackers. I don’t have time to prepare special meals, and although my job is well paying, so is my lifestyle. I don’t know how posting here is going to help- maybe I need to change my priorities.. I just hate wasting my hard earned money on food.. but then I can spend hundreds of dollars on designer clothes. I really don’t think my mindset can be chaged. Right now I weigh 49 kilos and im 178 cms. Thanks!!

By adele on Saturday, June 12, 2004 - 03:09 pm:

omegega 3 has sorted out my 17 month old daughters excema. I give her junior essential balance, and grind a combination of linseed, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame. Her excema is much improved

By vinman on Saturday, November 29, 2003 - 05:11 pm:

My friend has helped his eczema condition dramatically by taking high quality dietary supplements. Omega fatty acids are especially helpful. Through this link you can recieve a free bottle of Advanced Omega. http://www.symmetrydirect.com/vbrodkorb/ Just sign up as a preferred customer and I will send you the bottle of Advanced Omega.

By mrleory on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 07:35 am:

Well i basically grew out of eczema had it since the age of 1 or 2. and i was allergic to all dairy products milk, eggs, nuts, chocolate, seafood, crabs, lobsters,shrimp, tomatoes. but u know what i find strange is that alot of people say thats its hard to stay away from those products well maybe i've been doing it since i was 1 and im now 23. its just easy i know i cant eat that stuff or ill be right in the hospital simple as that. eczema is a strange disease i remember when i was little i wouldnt dare touch tomatoes but as i got older i was able to eat it without a problem. that just boggles me sometimes. also with chocolate i can eat oreo cookies but cant eat anything else that contains chocolate. but the secret to containing your eczema is find out what u can eat and what u cant .also what kind of soap u use cause when i was growing up my mom would buy ivory soap which would dry my skin out to the bone. which caused me to itch like hell at night. boy would i itch. keep the faith everybody once u can master those things im sure your eczema will clear up.. god bless and take care

By dawnenea on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 07:21 pm:

I think my eczema that i have had all my life is related to citric acid foods or foods with lots of acidity. I have been staying away from those foods in the last few years and my eczema has cleared up a lot.
my mom had me to every dermatologist in town and they would presc ointments that didnt do any good . i hated the teasing i got in school.
I am 32 and I had it really bad in 6th grade. I remember eating a bunch of tangerines so lately when it is clear, I have tested that thought. I ate a tomatoe a couple weeks ago and soon after, I itched at night until my hands were red and oozy. My dad is also allergic to tomatoes. He breaks out around his mouth. anyway the best thing that helps is being out in the sun, and
Avon hand cream that comes in a white tube with blue lid and blue writing. it is pretroleum like. rub it in real good and then leave your hands alone until it dries. it may take a little bit but it does soak in . it feels greasy at first but I love it and i dont use anything else when it is really bad

By amanda on Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 02:13 pm:

Nottingham Support Group for Carers of Children with Eczema

Meeting held at Children’s Outpatients, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham 7-9pm on Wednesday

Present: Heather Powell, Colin and Kathy Gibb, Carolyn Simpson, Jane Hainsworth.
(Apologies: Sandra Lawton, Mavis Cox, Deena Smart)

Managing Food Allergies
Heather Powell showed us that managing various food allergies within a family is possible. Everyone in Heather’s family, apart from herself, has various allergies or food intolerances. Lactose and wheat, which seem so ubiquitous, are just a couple of the ingredients which she has to avoid. The effects of these food stuffs on her family can be hives, vomiting, stomach cramps, anaphylaxis or hyperactivity.

Some of the strategies Heather employs to good effect are:
Help your doctor to help you
Once Heather realised the impact of foods on her children, she researched the problem foods and then went to a specialist via her GP. She is able to get pasta made with rice flour and gluten free bread on prescription. More and more gluten free products are becoming available in supermarkets.
Find good sources for the foods you need
Heather buys sheep’s milk (very high in calcium) from Northamptonshire in lots of 30 litres, which she then freezes. But gradually other health food shops are selling sheeps’ milk. Sheep’s cheese comes in various forms (and we got to try some!) and you can also get sheep’s yoghurt and ice cream.
Plan ahead
Packed lunches are prepared every morning but ingredients need to be bought in advance and Heather has a rota of around about a dozen acceptable menus.
Adapt recipes
Heather brought various recipe books which she uses regularly including some from the Yorkshire Hyperactive Children’s Support Group. We tried her Savoury flapjack which is wheat, dairy and egg-free. It was delicious and the recipe is:
6oz rolled oats
3 large carrots (or 2 carrots and 2 sticks of celery)
2 teaspoons of mixed dried herbs, or 4 of fresh herbs
1 small onion
5 fl oz milk of choice or 1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons of margerine or oil
3 oz grated sheep’s cheese

Sweat the onions for 5 minutes in the margerine or oil, then add the grated carrots and cook for a further few minutes.
Add the milk or egg, then stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Press down into a greased 8” sandwich tin.
Bake at 190C for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
Mark into slices whilst still warm, then leave to cool before cutting.

These flapjacks freeze well and are excellent for packed lunches.

Be aware of the effects of additives
Heather has a little booklet which lists every E number and the common name associated with the E number, giving side effects. This booklet is produced by the Foresight charity (the association of promotion of pre-conceptional care). She also gave some information about Essential Fatty Acids deficiency which has been implicated in some eczemas, hyperactivity and multiple allergies and can be caused by consumption of too much white flour and processed food.

The meeting finished with thanks to Heather.

Next meeting: We will be learning resuscitation techniques and the use of the epipen.
We meet on 9th July, 7-9pm at Children’s Outpatients Department, QMC, Nottingham

By Anastasakis on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 07:36 pm:

re zone and children. I have a son who suffers from ezcema and I have not tried this with him. He is only 5 and I don't feel comfortable with diets and kids. I am still ezcema free and I feel that it is totally as a result of the zone. The Zone is getting commercial here in North America. But the creater of it - Dr. Barry Sears has a web site and you might find more information of it here - the address is ' http://www.drsears.com/ '. Good luck. I posted my first note to see if others had success with the zone approach.

By Anonymous on Sunday, April 06, 2003 - 08:42 pm:

i have had ezcema on my face for time, i find that having the water cooler in the shower really helps, i have tried eliminating foods from my diet to no effect, it is hard to just change one thing at a time, therefore leaving u confused as to what it could be, alcohol i feel does have a detrimental affect on my skin

By cst on Saturday, April 05, 2003 - 12:15 am:

The Zone diet - is this suitable for children ? are you still having success with it and is it easy to follow?

By kat on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 09:04 pm:

My 6 month old baby has eczema on her face,and we went to a cranial osteopath who does kinesiology as well to get her looked at. She is allergic to (in breastmilk) eggs, tomatoes, onions, milk, but cheese is ok, milk chocolate- plain is ok, wheat,nuts spices,peppers, and as he was only able to test for foods I could name at the time, I forgot to ask about sesame seeds, oh and add peaches, strawberries and oranges. I had eczema as a baby, then as a teenager, and it finally disappeared when I had my first child , who does not have eczema -Tiger is my second. Also heat makes it worse, as does tiredness. I find it hard to aviod all dairy and eggs,, although wheat avoidance was suprisingly easy.She is OK with rice and soya and a limited amount of tea, but as she is purely breastfed it is my diet that determines the condition of her face.
I am releived to hear so many people have had success with elimination of foods, so I'll carry on and be more careful with the eggs and milk!
Kat. Mum of Tiger- Lily

By lyn on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 11:33 pm:

My son is 4 and allergic to the following foods, potato, tomato, kiwi, egg, white fish, marmite and latex. I know other foods effect his eczema, when he is ill and does not eat his skin is silky smooth, as soon as he starts eating it all comes back head to toe. I've tried using a food diary but just can't work out the other foods effecting him. Does anybody else have similar allergies?

By Elsie Anastasakis on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 05:28 pm:

The ZONE and eczema
I have suffered all my life with eczema.
Now in my 40's I have been able to control it using the ZONE diet. I am curious if any others have tried the ZONE and seen favorable results. (to test if the ZONE was helping me - I have gone off the ZONE 3 times over the last 9 months, and each time the eczema came back with a vengeance). (The ZONE looks at the combinations of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the foods you eat and aims at controlling the production of insulin

By Anonymous on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 09:58 am:

Hi We saw the specialist yesterday. She is convinced that my sons allergic reaction was to Kiwi fruit NOT cheese. She said that the seeds in Kiwi are similar to nuts and he may have a problem with nuts too! Anyway, we dont get the blood test results back for 4 weeks so hopefully I'll know for sure then. I've had him off Dairy for over 2 weeks now and his eczema has really improved by about 60%. It's nice to find something that causes the symptoms rather than just trying to treat the reaction with steroids and stuff.

By Victoria on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 08:37 pm:

Hi,

After having a food sensitivity test a couple of years ago the good I am suseptable to are not ones that we currently hear of i.e Wheat, Gluten etc. These are Beef, Onions, Yogurt, Sugar and Chocolate. I have found it increasingly hard to avoid any of these foods especially Onions (can you believe it) and sugar. Does anybody else have unusual food intolerances, it would be nice to know that I am not alone.

By Anonymous on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 03:40 pm:

Hi

I am thinking about restricting Dairy products from my 4yr old sons diet. He recently had a bad reaction to cheese and a mild reaction to yogurt. I am waiting for an appointment with an Allery Specialist but don't know how long we have to wait. I bought some Soya milk today, but my husband then said he thought there were health risks associated with consuming a lot of Soya products. I fell quite sure that taking dairy out of his diet will help - as removing cheese has already dramatically improved his eczema but don't want to cause other health problems. Any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks

By ChrisC on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 10:33 pm:

Hi.
Tried to find info for you Anne but I was unsuccessful. The only thing I can suggest is to keep a diary (I'm sure you've been told that a million times before), it should highlight any patterns.

Zeah. Let me know if the test highlights (most be my word for the day) any foods or products you did not consider a problem before. Hope your skin is ok.

Johnathan. I've flown home to Ireland for the weekend and the first thing I had to have was a pint of HARP lager. After the first pint,I started to feel a bit uncomfortable and itchy etc. I think that it could be the wheat in the beer problem. It is impossible to get this beer in England so it is something that I always look forward too when I come home. It is a Friday night and I think an experiment is in order, to see if this is (part of) my problem.
So I'm off to the pub. For scientific purposes of course. My findings, if there are any, may get published tommorrow if I remember.
Cheers.

By Zeah on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 09:31 am:

That's an interesting test ChrisC! I may try it out sometime

By Anne on Monday, January 06, 2003 - 06:16 pm:

Hi folks
Most of the time I have a thick coated yellow
tongue. Is this a sign of food allergy.
On a couple of occasions I have tried to avoid
wheat and dairy and it seems to clear for a couple of days and then come back
How long does it usually take after avoiding the
food to see an improvement in your skin

By ChrisC on Monday, January 06, 2003 - 12:43 am:

Alright Johnathon?
Just read your message. I was told that I had an allergy to wheat and the only bread that I felt ok eatin' was wholeweat pitta bread (not the most interesting thing to have for breakfast). But it seems to work ok with my staple diet of falefel and fish.
And on the subject of beer, I was fine with GUINNESS. My herbalist also taught me an easy test to see if your body is weak to something. Try and stay with me as I explain.
Step 1. Find someone who is willing too feel as stupid as you will doing this test.
Step 2. Stand upright with right arm outstretched perpendicular too your body.
Step 3. Have your willing asisstant apply pressure to your right hand until you have to resist (i.e. until you feel that you are forcing their hand upwards). This gives you your level for the next part of the test.
Step 4. Introduce an item of food that you know you have a reaction to and repeat Steps 1 through to 3.
I was tested with the likes of milk and cheese because I knew I had a reaction too dairy products.
Hopefully what I'm about too tell you wont affect your results but in my tests a difference was clearly visible and initially I was dubious.
When I did the first test I could resist whoever was helping me. When I held a block of cheddar cheese in my left hand and then continued the pressure test on my righthand I found that the person was able to push my righthand almost to my waist, basically because my body was weakened by the presence of the cheese. (Sounds weird, but I would like everyone who reads this to try this test, it works).
Step 5. Test yourself again, with nothing in your lefthand, just to show that it wasn't tiredness that lead to your righthand feeling weaker.
I'd be interested in hearing peoples results of this test.
BIT OF ADVICE THOUGH. DON'T TRY THIS IN YOUR LOCAL PUB. IT LOOKS WEIRD. (but it makes for an excellent party trick - try it out on friends, copyright CJ 2003).
Cheers.

By Jonathan on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 09:25 pm:

I had mild childhood eczema which disapeared with age while my younger brother had to be taken off dairy for about a year because his was so bad. Now 24 years later, and I'm 33 - he's fine but I suffer. It started on my face about 3 years ago and has since moved to my hands. It definately seems to be wheat related. If I give up wheat for a while it eventually disappears and so after a while I forget, think I'm cured and start eating wheat again.... Anyway, just to say I'd recommend Waitrose for their lovely Rye bread and Sainsburys for their gluten free multigrain sliced loaf -which is the closest I've found to nomal bread. Both I keep in the freezer and just microwave I few slices when needed. I also have a big love of beer which is a blow but I believe Budweiser, which is a terrible beer but needs must, is wheat free being a rice beer. I've also heard that Kirin may be as well but this has proved hard to confirm. I use Spelt flour as well which seems fine. Any other food tips out there?

By ChrisC on Friday, January 03, 2003 - 09:19 pm:

Just been reading some of your messages and found them interesting.

Having suffered and struggled with my form of eczema for 5 yrs I heard about a herbalist in my home town in Ireland. ( I was straight on the plane).
She said that a lot of my problems were diet related. So now I'm off; dairy products, all meat, white rice and pasta, POTATOES (and I'm Irish?), peppers and tomatoes to name but a few.
So I have to start the day with a cup of honey, cider vinegar and hot water to get the gut working properly. Then the rest of the day is made up of fruit, fruit juices, fish, veg and tons of water.
I still use my creams; diprobase, fucibet and protopic (when I'm really bad) but I have a few alternative methods aswell.
Seaweed baths (especially real seaweed from County Sligo in the Repuplic of Ireland. Stinks the house out but very oily (I've got info if interested). I also use a paste of slippery elm which should be used on open sores. I've also tried Calendula tea applied to the skin, boiled rhubarb( but just ate it rather than putting it on my skin) and wrapped sores with the Kambuka fungus (which looks like a jellyfish and stings like hell). So I just stick with the slippery elm.
I have problems with stress which does not help. Usually stress brought on by my eczema which inturn makes it worse - you'se all know.
I've read that most of you'se suffer at night and I too used to dread the state I and the sheets would be in the following morning. I suffer badly on my lower legs and would rip myself to shreads every night. Now I wear clean cotton PJ bottoms tucked into my socks (washed with no washing powder) this seems to reduce friction which leads to irritation. But still cant find a similar solution for my arms. I've tried lots of things.
I also suffer in work, where I am allergic to something that I cant put my finger on (if only I could tell by just touching it with my finger). I dont want to change my line of work because I enjoy it, so I'll suffer.
Enough of my rant for the minute. I'll keep reading for more opinions and advice. I'm glad I was told about this site now. ITS GOOD TO TALK!

Cheers.

By Julian on Monday, December 16, 2002 - 07:45 am:

I had suffered from ezcema for 3yrs and I can't find a cure for it. I use 15 mins to take a bath but 30 mins to put the steroid cream on my skin.
It's very annoying.

I would like to ask a question.'How can I find out what I'am allergic to?'

I was very happy that this web gave me a lot of information about ezcema.
Thanks!

By Rose on Sunday, December 15, 2002 - 06:31 pm:

I haven't been on since July and there's a very good reason. Over the course of the summer I was in a horrible state. My eczema was getting so bad I actually intertained the idea of killing the nerve endings in my hands and legs so I wouldn't feel it any more. Well I went to yet another dermitoligest to get some emergancy protopic. That is where I belive I've found what I was looking for all these years. Why do I have excema, and how can I make it go away? He told me that there was nothing much he could do for me short of giving me some prednizone and protopic to stop the pain. I was ready to take a seringe from his draw and reak havoc to just stop the pain when he told me his family suffered from the same thing and that there was a cure. Many people who have excema suffer for so long because they don't know what causes it and dermitologists really can't figure it out. It turns out that alot of them had a desies called Candida. Basicaly your body is not able to handle certian preservatives and other bad things founf in our normal eating habits and toxins build up in the body. The only doctors I know of equipped to handle such things are holistic chiropractors. Now I know half of you just stopped paying attention because holistic means alternative treatment, but think about this. "Would you be any worse off if it didn't work? and more importantly what if it did and you could be rid of the pain?" I went to this Holistic Chiropractor and much as I suspected my immune system was in shambles. She set me on a regiment of ajustments like any other chiropractor, then removed the foods from my diebt that were agrivating the problem. (Basically everything but brown rice and vegetables because I had it so bad. But hey anythings is better than exzema right?) then she gave me some vitamin suppliments to combat the fungus infection and the rash on my skin. She also told me I had to excersise everyday to held drive out the infection through my pores. At first it got a little more agitated because I was forcing the cause of the problem onto my skin. But then.. then it just stopped. The pain, the rash, everything. It didn't happen over night mind you. It took about a month or so for the worst of it to be over, and even now I'm still on the diebt, but I don't have excema any more. Not to mention the fact that I'm sleeping better. The hardest thing to get rid of was the infection in my fingers. My family knows alot about herbs and since my fingers were infected I soaked them in hot water saturated with sage to draw out the infection. I decded to post this for everyone who it could help. Think about it, many doctors recomend saunas. The sweating helps drive out the infection but it won't go away completely unless it's done right. I really hope that at least some of you will look up some holistic chiropractors in your area. It's not a fast proccess but to be completely free of excema it is worth it! Please look into it.

By Zeah on Friday, December 13, 2002 - 05:15 am:

Hi, I'm 23 and I've had eczema since early childhood. I'm glad I found this site because often I felt that not many people knew what I was going through.

At times, my eczema has been so bad that I have been afraid to go to bed at night for fear of scratching myself to death in my sleep. Thankfully right now its under control.

I find that the best relief is to always drink plenty of water.

I've also found that stress seems to contribute to my eczema, and make me more likely to scratch.

By andy on Saturday, November 30, 2002 - 09:26 pm:

hi cath,did your doctor tell you the exact type of eczema you have?,i also suffer from facail e and know how much it can get you down,your right about cutting out drinking-you really have no option unless you can handle a flare up the next day,i`ve tried various diets(yeast free etc)and it can be a wee bit daunting when you find out what`s left that you can eat,they never really worked for me but do for some folk so i reckon are worth trying for a wee while at least,you can always say you gave it a go if it does`nt work out,i dont know if fish is banned from your diet but i find oily fish such as mackerel helps,plenty of fruit and as you say bucketloads of water,also try to cut down on sugar intake as much as possible,these changes to my diet seem to help me cath,i think we`re all different and what works for one person does`nt always work for another,keeping positive helps too,even when your skin is bad always remember that better days are coming...

By cathdiffley on Friday, November 29, 2002 - 02:32 pm:

I am 30 years old. Until I was 28, I had the most perfect skin. For the last 2 years, I have suffered from a condition which doctors initially described as dermatitus, then ezcema, and gave me loads of steroids, pills, etc etc. I took a short dose of these, then stopped. I still use the steroid cream from time to time, but rarely as I am wary of it. I have also gone to numerous homeopaths and done allergy tests.

Allergy tests said I have an acid imbalace and to try not to eat acidic foods, but that means practically giving up everyting.


I am now also taking Vitamin B and evening primrose oil, not making much of a difference. I fnd that after a few drinks, my skin gets really bad.

I find that by giving up drink, and drinking buckets of water, my skin is manageble, but still today I woke up with a big red face. At least I dont get the itchy lumps anymore but the red patches are so embarrasing and are starting to get me really down.


Can anyone help me?

By Janet on Thursday, October 17, 2002 - 11:48 pm:

Can anyone tell me what the Burghwood Clinic is/do and their details please?

By Ben on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 - 09:01 pm:

Hi,
Just thought I would share our experience with diet and our daughter.
Bit of family history - I had infantile eeczema which was treated by my grandmother with valderma (yeuck...the smell of wintergreen still hurts).
My wife does not have eczema.
My eldest daughter does not have eczema.
My eczeme vanished until I discovered that Yoghurt and mint set it off (at the age of about 20 ish) also Ark clothes washing liquid detergent (unfortunate as I washed evrey thing in it before I noticed...).
The younger daughter had eczema soon after starting playgroup. We were giving her blackcurrant flavoured juice to drink, so was playgroup. One week she was on holiday and we had no black currant squash. Her eczema cleared up... Suspecting that the blackcurrant may have had something to do with it we took her off it all together.
Result, until she had strawberries....oh look, another allergy.
The final clincher was a year or so ago. We got her completely clear before going on holiday, and failed to pack the betnovate. Went to the sister in laws. we went out for the afternoon and without our knowledge, the sister in law bought a ribena ice lolly.
The next day the daughter was bright red and itchy, and us without any Hydrocortisone....mutter mutter mutter.
Guess the point of this is that you don't always need a dermatologist to find out what the reaction is to. Just a bit of careful observation can often work.
She is now 5 and adjusted to the fact she can't have strawberry or red coloured foods - subsequent 'experiments' have shown that there are very few processed foods/sweets that don't have red colouring in...personally I think it is the colour rather than the flavour, but not being a chemist I cant begin to guess what sort of compounds set her off.
Ben

By Rose on Friday, June 28, 2002 - 10:04 pm:

By Rose on Friday, June 28, 2002 - 09:51 pm:

I had an emergancy trip to the dermotoligist today becuase of a strong infected outbreak that rendured my hands vertualy usless. I walked away with drugs and the order to eliminate Dairy, weat, and sugar from my diebt. *Sigh* Not such a good scentence, but I'm looking on the bright

By sheeri on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 06:53 am:

I can't eat eggs, so I just work my way around them. I can't even eat salad dressing with eggs in them, so I buy egg free salad dressing & mayonaise at my local health food store. Some store bought cookies I can eat, like oreos but just none which contain eggs, like chips ahoy. If I make any baked goods at home, I just skip the eggs & add 1/4 cup of water or even milk to the mix in place of one egg. Most of my recipes have turned out pretty good. Nobody really can tell the difference. I still love to cook, and just because I can't eat eggs, I won't let that stop me.

By Martin on Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 06:45 pm:

It's been very interesting to read everyone's experiences and , in a strange way, re-assuring to know that I am not the only one who suffers. At least in this way remedies can be shared. I have had eczema for about 5 years, I am now 44 but my mother tells me I had it when I was a child. Mine is confined to the palms of my hands and seems to go in cycles. They appear to heal then flare up again and the triggers I can identify are tomatoes , pasta and possibly tea which I drink loads of. I am a vegetarian and do lots of strenuous sport so I'm quite restricted in my diet but I have found that lots of water helps. Thick essential oils of benzoin or patchouli in EPO have also been soothing.

By jgmorris on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 09:51 pm:

Oh what a wonderful site - to share info on Eczema! I have feet/hands eczema and feel like cutting them off sometimes! Thanks so much for the messages on this board. The only treatments I've had is steroids and cortisone creams...I think I've supported all of the bandage companies in the world!
I've had the Eczema for about 4 years now - and the skin is thick, dry, white and cracks and bleeds on my very bad days. As long as I have socks on - my feet don't itch - but when I take them off - oh boy does the itching begin.

By copied across on Sunday, May 05, 2002 - 10:37 am:

By Lisa on Tuesday, February 05, 2002 - 01:28 pm:
My 2 year old daughter has had eczema since she was just a little baby. This past summer we had her tested finally for allergies. We found out there that she has a nasty dust-mite allergy and also a nut allergy. After some dust-mite proofing in her bedroom and getting rid of citrus juices from her diet, we have seen a noticeable improvement in her skin. We don't even need to put on her steroid cream everyday...that's a real switch! For a kid who had the creams put all over, unfortunately, at every diaper change,to only using it maybe 1-2x per week...well, we are thrilled! We still use Eucerin cream (the thick stuff) all over everyday repeatedly and Aveeno oatmeal bath treatment in her baths every other day. It's winter here in Canada and so far her hands only have a little redness. Her legs, knees and ankles are 100% better!
Anyways, maybe there is a connection with the nut allergy. But we never had given my daughter any kind of nuts before her allergy test...hmmmmm.
It's been great to have this website as a place to go to get other sufferers advice. Thanks!

By copied across on Sunday, May 05, 2002 - 10:37 am:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Elaine on Saturday, February 09, 2002 - 06:13 pm:

Yes there is, I've posted something about Oral Allergy Syndrome in the "Allergy" board category.
It might be one of the few causes of allergy to both foods.

By Vicky on Tuesday, February 05, 2002 - 04:01 pm:


Could anyone please tell me is there any connection between Peanut Oil and Apples. Is there anything in both.

Any help would be most appreciated


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Melanie on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 04:28 pm:

My daughter has been on a wheat/gluten free diet for the past 3 weeks and there has been a dramatic improvement in her eczema. She has also been taking cod liver oil capsules for the same amount of time. We don't know which it is but it is so much better that we don't really care.

By davinder on Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 10:18 pm:

may be of interest - from Health Media News

Eat yourself healthy
05 December 2001



Dr Brian McDonogh, a Medical Practitioner from Horsham in West Sussex, has pushed his prescription pad to the side in favour of nutritional analysis. Dr McDonogh was the first graduate to complete the University of Surrey&#8217;s Nutritional Medicine course, and he is already reaping the benefits.




&#8220;The course has enabled me to reduce my NHS drug expenses by more than 40% per quarter,&#8221; he said, &#8220;I also feel that I have a more effective route to help patients get to the root of their problem.&#8221; Dr McDonogh evaluates nutrition to determine if it can be the cause of problems like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), irritable bowel syndrome or arthritis. &#8220;These problems are often caused by an allergy to certain food products like wheat or milk, and in children it may represent the main symptoms of ADHD, including overactivity, impulsivity, restlessness and difficulty in paying attention&#8221;, he said. Dr McDonogh completed his Masters dissertation on The Role of Nutrition in the Causes and Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a condition that affects up to 5% of children in the UK.

Although ADHD is relatively common, surprisingly little is known about it. Drugs like Ritalin is widely used in treating ADHD, but Dr McDonogh, believes that the role of nutrition in each individual should be evaluated before embarking on drug therapy. &#8220;The role of a balanced diet should not be overlooked. Preservatives, colourants and flavourings can exacerbate the problem, and children often consume these when eating snacks like potato crisps, chocolate sweets or coloured sweets&#8221;, he said.

Dr McDonogh found that a lack of essential fatty acids, zinc and food allergies or intolerance can cause ADHD. During a consultation, he will evaluate diet, family history and signs of allergies to determine whether food could be the cause. According to him, many children with ADHD also suffer allergic illnesses such as hayfever, asthma or eczema, making allergy testing an important investigative tool in the assessment of these children.

He follows a basic a three-step procedure to treat ADHD: First, the patient should focus on nutritious food, avoiding food which might cause an allergic reaction or intolerance. The second step is to avoid additives like tartrazine and other flavourings and colourants. Thirdly, the intake of nutrients like omega 3 or zinc should be increased, either as food or supplements. &#8220;Oily fish is not hugely popular amongst children, but it is essential to supplement it in the diet, as the body cannot produce it. Dietary supplements can be used if preferred&#8221;, he said.

Dr McDonogh plans to spend one day a week at the Learning Assessment and Neurocare Centre in Horsham, where he will work alongside Dr Geoff Kewley, Consultant Paediatrician, to evaluate the nutritional needs of hyperactive children. He will also run a clinic from home. A GP referral is not required to make an appointment.


Notes:

1. The University of Surrey is a forward looking, professional University. Whilst it has gained widespread recognition in science and technology, it is a balanced institution, with flourishing programmes in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and law. The University has a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and learning.

2. The School of Biomedical & Life Sciences offers the MSc, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate in Nutritional Medicine. The subject includes Clinical Nutrition, but is wider in scope, covering all aspects of nutrition and health.

3. The Learning Assessment and Neurocare Centre is an independent clinic providing an experienced and comprehensive multi-disciplinary assessment and on going management service for children, adolescents and a limited number of adults. Patients must be referred by their GP. It specialises in a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders, behavioural and educational/learning difficulties. For more information, please visit www.l-a-c.com.




Source: University of Surrey

By jane on Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 11:49 am:

I recently tried a detox diet to see if I was allergic to any foods, this was mainly for dieting purposes and never imagined that I would find the cure to my lifelong eczema!

I found that caffeine was the cause, and since then I've had a mainly eczema free body.

Hope this is of some help to someone.

By Clair on Friday, November 09, 2001 - 10:01 am:

Deborah
We just had some RAST test results - it means radio allergo sorbant test (a blood test). We found allergies to milk, egg white and cats - which we're already avoiding. Our paediatrician arranged them.
Hope this is useful
Best of luck

By Kerry on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 01:51 pm:

Can Deborah or anyone else tell me what a 'rast' test is? My son had the limited number of skin scratch tests that the hospital stocks, but he had a positive reaction only to egg -- even then the specialist said he didn't think it was a factor! In fact we've had him off egg since then but we've been using hydrocortisone each day, because he was in such a horrible state, so although the eczema is better, but not resolved, we don't know why. We've also had him off milk (though continued with cheese and yogurt as they're processed) to see if that helps. He had papules all up his arms, which was all the specialist (an allergologist) was really interested in as he says they are more of an allergic reaction (rather than intolerance -- he appears to be pretty uninterested in the actual raw eczema, and seems only concerned with anaphylaxis, vomiting, etc.), and they have improved -- again, not sure why. Last week my son an erythema reaction and hives on his wrists (for which we had to give antihistamine) when he had soya milk with pea protein (other soya seems okay) and an organic vege soup which contained red lentils and peas -- we have long suspected peas and had removed them for a long time, but recently has shown no reaction to peas or beans -- I suspect the lentils. I feel it's pointless returning to the specialist as he obviously thinks I'm neurotic... anyone else feel that way?

By dvh on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 12:31 am:

Dear all,
I had had awful eczema pretty much since birth, and spent the next 20 years covering myself with steroid ointments and other creams. Naturally I was dissatisfied with this and wanted a solution that would stop it for good, not just control it. Thankfully I found one.

What causes eczema is not fully understood, but certainly environmental factors play a key part. In my case it was predominantly food allergy to most grains, and an underlying candida sensitivity. I underwent a strict dietry investigation and skin-testing at the Burghwood Clinic and once these problems were identified they were treated. I am pleased to say that for the last 9 months I have been eczema-free.

Unfortunately I am unable to recommend any dierty changes, as allergies etc, vary from person to person, and other forces at play. I am extremely glad I went down this path, and think it should never be discounted.

I hope everybody else will one day have the same success.

NB The skin-testing used by the Burghwood Clinic is a far superior technique of allergy testing to those generally used in the UK (despite being the preferred choice in the USA) and is also used to provide a desensitizing 'vaccine' to the allergens.

By eczemavoice on Tuesday, October 23, 2001 - 09:18 pm:

from jill's newsletter

Sainsbury and M&S

Thanks for nothing!
A few months ago I mentioned how wonderful Marks and Spencer were for producing a special range of school wear for sensitive skin. Dr Atherton from G.O.S. Hospital had even given his input before the clothes were manufactured.
Unfortunately this range has now been discontinued. M&S said that it was not due to lack of demand but the fact that it didn&#8217;t work as well as they had hoped!
Last month I mentioned how Sainsbury were selling food for special diets. However when I tried to buy the wonderful Kinnerton birthday cake, I was to]d that it was discontinued. Trying to find a cake for a 4 year old that contains no nuts or traces, was almost impossible. Kinnertton said they still produce the chocolate fudge cake, but no one will stock it.
This all seems to coincide with the closure of the Allergy department at G.O.S. Hospital. (Due to the Government).
Perhaps allergies are a just thing of the past.

By Jo Jo on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 06:24 am:

Drink oodles of water!

Drink water...drink water...for me it was that simple.

eight glasses a day, every day.

Didn't clear completely but so much difference.
The difference between having it 'under control' and going mad.

By Gareth on Thursday, October 04, 2001 - 10:23 am:

Davinder, it's my wife rather than me who is the 'expert', so I'll happily pass anything to her to review.

Cheers

Gareth

By eczemavoice on Tuesday, October 02, 2001 - 03:32 pm:

Hi again Sab
Please e-mail your e-mail to me on
info@eczemavoice.com and I will then send you the draft
take care - and thanks for your support

By Sab on Tuesday, October 02, 2001 - 12:07 pm:

Davinder ... I'm no expert, but I do know what seems to be working for our little one and it really can't be coincidence that her skin is the best it has ever been since being on her restricted diet.

I would be happy to comment on your food diary draft.

All the best.
Sabia x

By Kim on Tuesday, October 02, 2001 - 10:02 am:

To Heather
WHEAT has proved a huge problem for our daughter also. I use Spelt flour instead of wheat flour and she has no problem with that. Your little one may not show an allergic reaction to wheat but like our daughter may be highly intolerant of it. That's why I am not sure that allergy tests are that useful- I have read stories from people elsewhere on the net that say they have never showed reactions to certain foods but find that their stomachs/skin just can't tolerate them. And also most children seem to show up the same allergies like peanuts, eggs, dairy...
all the best
kim

By eczemavoice on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 08:59 pm:

You have a very good point Gareth!
We are currently putting together a food diary. Gareth/Sabia would you be interested in commenting on the draft before we put it out?
thanks
Davinder

By Gareth on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 12:11 pm:

Any health professional that says diet and eczema are never related is just plain lazy. Ask them to produce the research that they used to draw their conclusions.

By Sab on Friday, September 28, 2001 - 12:41 pm:

I have been constantly told by various doctors, consultants, etc, that diet has very little to do with eczema, but I strongly disagree. Back in June we started Katie on a dairy free diet and to date her skin is the best it has ever been. The eczema has not gone but it is so much more manageable. We also avoid egg as she has been rast tested for that and is highly allergic. I have also kept a food diary and noticed that her skin gets worse if she eats tomatoes, citrus fruits/juice and oats. The oats really make sense as I remember when she was 9 months old (she is 2 now) buying some Aveeno oatmeal bath stuff and her skin was really dreadful after using it. I noticed that if she eats oatcakes her skin is really itchy.

I just think there is far too much overwhelming evidence from sufferers to dismiss diet having an effect on eczema. I just wish the so-called professionals would take this avenue of treatment more seriously.

By deborah on Thursday, September 27, 2001 - 01:11 pm:

heather,
My daughter sophie has a problem with wheat soya peanut.

By eczemavoice on Thursday, September 27, 2001 - 12:18 am:

By eczemavoice on Thursday, September 27, 2001 - 12:17 am:

A friend of mine has also had success with Aveeno. Has anyone else tried it? And what was your experience? Admitedly she did also cut out tomatoes.
There was a big improvement in the eczema.

By Heather on Wednesday, September 26, 2001 - 09:12 pm:

Hi. I've suspected my baby'seczema was exaccerbated by WHEAT for a long time so excluded it despite it testing negative on his skin prick test.

By 11 months his skin was so good we thought we'd introduce a slice of bread each day to observe. Slowly but surely the eczema returned on his face and after 2 weeks it was starting to look angry again. We withdrew the bread and within 2 days his skin returned to normal.

Has anyone else had problems with wheat? [Incidentally soya's a problem too.]

By deborah on Sunday, September 23, 2001 - 06:52 pm:

scratchys mum,
See if your son can have some rast tests.My daughter had to wait till she was 3 to have them and has just had them repeated again.
If food is an issue these tests can help, usually peads.advice for,derms against.For instance my child was put on a soya based diet and as a result of the rast tests found she was a 6 on soya which is the worst you can be.
Rast tests go in 1-6 1 being ok 6 being very allergic.I would say anything between 3-6 you must avoid.If you need any further advice please email me.

By Scratchys mum on Sunday, September 23, 2001 - 03:46 pm:

My 2-year-old son has just been seen for the second time by a hospital allergist who has the opinion that food has next to nothing to do with eczema -- I don't believe that and would rather try to address my son's diet (and mine since he still brestfeeds) than continue with creams etc. Here in the UK York Nutritional Laboratory (see www.allergy.co.uk) will provide a test through the post anywhere in the world -- you prick the skin and drop the blood onto a special stick, then return it to the lab -- they perform an ELISA test and advise you within just a few days of foods that you should perhaps avoid or reduce. It sounds much more satisfactory than hit-and-miss elimination diets, but I wonder if anyone has any good or bad experience with York?

By Kim on Friday, July 27, 2001 - 06:10 am:

Thankyou JonTee - that is exactly our experience with our two year old. The elimination diet has improved her skin dramatically - we didn't see a result for about three weeks but now I keep thinking it can't get any better and whammo it does! And I have to say that I am not using any creams at all on her skin - sounds like madness I know but the improvement in the quality of her skin with the diet and a handful of salt in the bath is amazing. I also use bi-carb soda on her skin in the bath and it gives it a really smooth feel. She too is hanging out for a treat...next year maybe..although hers will be a chocie bear or similar and not a fine drop of red! goodluck and glad to hear someone else has had benefit with this treatment.
Kim

By JonTee on Thursday, July 26, 2001 - 03:51 pm:

Hello,

I have had eczema all of my life, getting noticeably worse around my late teens (i am 27), i have had various stays in hospital, and countless steroid creams, tablets etc, which I refused to accept were the only answer to our condition, About 12 months ago I walked out of the dermatologists office frustrated after receiving another batch of steroid creams, and decided to try alternative therapy. Firstly I tried Chinese Herbal Medicine (with varied results), after the CHM i started going to an alternative health practice for food allergy tests, conducted on the acupunture points . A phial of the food essence is placed into a machine and a metal probe is rubbed onto the acupuncture point,testing the body's resistance to it, '0' being 'an allergy' upto '100' being 'safe to eat'. During the first test I was shocked at the number of allergys i had (mainly the food i loved). At the end of the test i received a new diet cutting all of the foods out and also homoeopathic remedies to bring the body back into line. The diet was very had to live with at first being mainly fresh vegetables, rice and fresh meat (no alcohol) but The results were almost immediate. I have a re-test every 3-4 weeks to check the levels of these foods in my body, and shortly i will be ready to start introducing some of the foods (and alcohol) into my diet in moderation, I have not used strong steroids creams for ages. I cannot talk highly enough about the tests, and would be able to write for pages and pages, e-mail or post a message to me for any information i realise this might not work for everybody but it is worth a try...I wouldnt say my skin is perfect now but i know that the food allergies are definitely the governing factor between my eczema being good or bad..

JonTee

By eczemavoice on Monday, July 23, 2001 - 10:45 pm:

By Clair on Monday, July 23, 2001 - 12:35 pm:

Just a thought which might help someone. My daughter can't tolerate rusks - it brings out a red rash all over her cheeks, and I went to a talk on eczema recently and met another mother whose little girl had the same characteristic cheeks for the last week. I said about the rusk thing and she said she had just started giving her daughter them a week ago! My health visitor has said too that a number of mothers have had problems with them - I don't know what the dodgy ingredient is, my daughter is on dairy free, but reacts to all the varieties. Hope this helps someone

By eczemavoice on Saturday, July 21, 2001 - 04:13 pm:

By Christopher on Saturday, July 21, 2001 - 02:04 am:

Hi. I'm a new reader in the U.S., age 46. I don't see many people mentioning DIET. For me, the worst irritant is MSG - monosodium glutamate. I now read food labels very carefully. MSG can be hidden or disguised. Beware of anything labled hydrolized protein, disodium inosinate, or disodium guanalate. Try avoiding soy sauce and ketchup.

Another thing to avoid is NUTS, especially if you crave them.

STRAWBERRIES may have been responsible when I used to get water bubbles on my palms and fingers, so I stopped them and now get far fewer water bubbles.

BEER seemed to make me worse, so I stopped, and have recently stopped wine for a two month trial. I seem to be improving after 3 weeks.

I also have HAYFEVER. The best thing I've found for this is stinging nettle leaves (as written about by Dr. Andrew Weil). I've used the Solaray brand for 6 years with great results, though they don't seem to affect my eczema. I can use them at work and not get sleepy, and they're inexpensive.

Sometimes it seems that everything I eat makes me break out. I'm now wondering if it's not the foods themselves, but the digestive process. As an experiment (out of desperation), I'm taking Parazyme - an OTC digestive supplement - to see if better-digested food would lessen my outbreaks.

Has anyone else had good or bad results manipulating diet?

By Mia on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 06:16 pm:

i'm nearly fifteen and i have had ezcema All my life. Doctors have tried to treat it with steroids and bandages and lots of various creas but none of them work. Does anyone know of anything that does? send any remedies to bunniesandflowers@hotmail.com please

By muneke on Friday, July 13, 2001 - 05:03 pm:

do eggs worsen eczema?

By Naminder on Sunday, July 08, 2001 - 01:05 pm:

For eczema related websites check out the National Eczema Society site's links. www.eczema.org

By Robin on Wednesday, May 16, 2001 - 10:10 am:

I have had eczema for over 30 years (since birth) and I definitely am allergic to dairy products. However, it is the first time I have heard that one can be allergic to potato and rice. I live in HK and rice is a daily diet. Please let me know on robinmky@netvigator.com about this allergy to rice if possible.

Thanks

By Hugh Devereux on Monday, January 08, 2001 - 10:37 pm:

Our 2 year old son, has suffered from severe ezcema for most of his life. This has now been controlled through the use of bandages, liquid parafin and the occasional use of low dosage Steroid creams.

However he has had a restricted diet whereby he has been kept off dairy products, potato, rice and other complex carbohydrates. Which we beleive make him considerably worse.

We have monitored his nutrition with a dietician and ensured that his diet is balanced, even though this has been fairly difficult (Lots of soya formula milk).

WE are about to start on a carefully monitored trial of introducing rice, then potato and hopefully dairy, under careful monitoring, and assistance from the dietician.

We would be interested if anyone else has previous experience of Ezcema's caused by these types of diet (complex carbohydrates) or are we just kidding ourselves. Or if there is any advice for this type of introduction trial

Many thanks

By Naminder on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 08:36 pm:

Hi Rhyta,
have a look under the Creams and oils section , under Alternative therapies/oils. There is a thread about borage oil which may help you.
Or do a key word search under 'search me'

By Rhyta on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 06:53 pm:

Has anyone had any experience with Borage oil? It can also be called starflower oil, I have been reading online and found it was recommended over flax seed, supposed to be more effective.

I think some health food stores in my area (Western U.S.) may have it but I haven't tried it yet..Anyone heard of this?

Thanks!

By Duffy D on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:46 pm:

Honey is the BEST for eczema. Not only does eating it allow the sugars to be broken down faster than normal granulated sugars, which are non reducing, But honey applied THINLY to the area where the skin is broken after a flare up helps to heal it over a period of two weeks.

By Anonymous on Monday, September 09, 2002 - 07:18 pm:

Have been using Flaxseed Oil for 6 months now and have noted a remarkable improvement in my skin and have not had an eczema flare-up since I started using the oil. It has been truly amazing for me.

By Lisa on Sunday, January 20, 2002 - 12:15 am:

I was asked by an assistant at a local health food store to try to cleanse my body of toxins before pursuing any treatment for my eczema, I did and I was astonished to see a marked improvement in the appearance of my hands and face! I used Milk Thistle(1200 mg in the AM and again 1200 mg in the PM) I am so impressed by this herbal solution, I am a long time user of steroids to control a life time of battles with this illness. I am 38 years old and finally it looks like a light in this tunnel!

By Sue on Monday, May 21, 2001 - 01:05 pm:

Whilst eliminating foods such as dairy are essential to controlling eczema in my opinion, I also suggest that thought should go into what should be included in a diet and in particular essential fatty acids. Including oily fish and seeds will really help but often a supplement is also needed. You should ensure that the supplement provides both the omega-3 and the omega-6 group of fatty acids. Generally we are deficient in both but more so the omega-3 group (found in oily fish and flax or linseed). Both need to be in balance and do also need certain co-factors to be useful such as certain minerals. Eating a good diet with plenty of fresh vegetables should help. If you need to take a mineral supplement, it is best to consult a nutritionist who will determine the one that is right for you. They will also be able to look at all aspects of your past and present health, diet and lifestyle and come up with a diet and supplement plan that is right for you.
Good fatty acid supplements include UDOs choice oil and Essential Balance Oil which are available from health shops. Alternatively cod liver oil and evening primrose oil together will help. (Cod liver oil will provide omega-3 and evening primrose will provide omega-6).

By LULU on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 05:09 am:

MABEY THE CARAMEL? COULD THE CARAMEL HAVE ARTIFICIAL FLAVORING? OR THE NUTS? DID IT HAVE CHOLOCATE?

WRITE BACK

By Melanie on Sunday, October 27, 2002 - 02:07 pm:

As it's near Halloween, my daughter, who has eczema on her face and scalp, had a toffee apple. I know her diet plays a part in her eczema and she follows a wheat/gluten-free diet which seems to help the outbreaks, but does not completely solve them. Anyway, within an hour of finishing the bright red toffee the skin around her lips was really sore and it took a few days to calm the area down. I'm sure the colouring was to blame. Does anyone know what it might be as I could look for it in other foods if I knew what I was looking for? Also, it may be worth others who find that diet effects their skin to steer clear off toffee apples! Not difficult for adults, but unfortunate for children.