Eczema help

[WhatIfWhatIf]

I have quite bad eczema on my face at the moment which is really starting to get me down. It goes between being irritated, inflamed, sore/itchy and flaky/scaly. It means I look dreadful most of the time and I can't even wear make up to help.

I've always had eczema which seems to come and go but I don't remember having it this badly on my face before and definitely not for this long.

Any ideas for what I can do about it? Any recommendations of good products that might either help or not make it worse?

[reader77]

Have you tried Cerave face wash?

[Wolfiefan]

Mine is awful on my face at the moment. Resorted to steroid cream and even steroid tablets.

[WhatIfWhatIf]

It's horrible, isn't it? Trying to avoid steroids as am still breastfeeding but think will go and see GP very soon if it continues like this. Have really had enough. Are the steroids helping at all?

Thanks for the recommendation, reader, haven't heard of that - does it help?

[GoadyMcFuckFace]

Bit controversial but the only thing that ever truly clears my eczema up is the sun...
I also suffer on my face so feel for you.

[LuckySantangelo1]

The aveeno range is great for it. Plus I agree with the poster who said sunshine works. I get it on the back of my neck & a few days of hair up & in the sun helps loads. Plus it seems to make it less itchy.

[Youvegottobekidding]

Both my kids get eczema, my DD had a really complicated bad flare up several months ago, where she had to be referred to the dermatologist at the children's hospital. It was seeing the senior dermetologist nurse that made her better, I would definitely recommend seeing your GP & requesting a referral to Dermetology dept.

[WhatIfWhatIf]

Thanks very much for your replies.

Sadly the Aveeno range doesn't seem to work for me - it even seems to aggravate it more.

I was also hoping that the sun would help but no luck so far, despite the recent good weather and a week's holiday in the sunshine.

Sorry to hear your daughter has had a hard time with it Youvegottobekidding but glad it's better now. What was it that they did/recommended to help?

Will call my GP in the morning for an appointment.

[Statelychangers]

Would consider diet - diary, sugar and wheat are my triggers, I've been covered in eczema for years, on my face was awful and it's only since I took control of my diet and stress levels that things have really improved Also stress. You need to try to prioritise sleep too. Not easy when you are feeding your baby. Creams may help but they will not fix the problem.

[Neeko]

A post came up on my Facebook recently about using coconut oil for it. The actual post was for coconut oil from Aldi but I'd imagine any would do. Might be worth a try.

[Youvegottobekidding]

DD had to have steriod creams, the affected areas had to be dressed like a burn (it was really bad - but it was atopic eczema that got infected which resulted in eczema herpeticum) so loads of steriod cream & just by packing that on, with the right course of antibiotic, it improved overnight.

While her skin was still recovering, we used the zinc moisture wrap bandages every night for a while, the steriod creams are gradually reduced & not abruptly stopped as that can cause another flare up or reddining of the skin.

She uses cetraban as her emollient, double base is a shower wash & dermax shampoo.

So because her eczema was so infected, she was on antibiotics & antiviral meds, but the dermetologist nurse just seemed on it - the consultant actually got the nurse to see what to do with DD! Didn't like the thought of putting so much steriod cream on but the nurse said in dd's case we had to, but it wasn't on her face - but there is a much milder one for the face.

I hope you find something that helps soon, as I said before perhaps it's worth getting a referral to see a dermetologist, at least then you're seeing a specialist, who can then prescribe the right treatment.

[Kathysclown]

I have had two really bad flare ups of eczema on my face in the last year, and the only thing that cleared up the second lot was putting nothing on it apart from Cetaphil Moisture lotion (not the cream). Even now six months on, I wipe my face softly with water and then tap on a thin layer of Cetaphil. I am too scared of triggering another outbreak by using anything else. Worth a try?

[YorkshireTeaGold]

Hi. I had this really badly round my eyes after I had Dd2, i looked like an eczema panda. After googling and reading eczema blogs I saw great reviews of thiswww.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/dr-organic-manuka-honey-rescue-cream-60083586?&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CNuUsLzQss4CFVRAGwodyqsIZA

Dr Organic Manuka Honey Rescue cream. I piled it on and it worked really well. It's so annoying as some things that work for others make it worse for you but I do recommend that. I've also discovered chantecaille foundation from Space NK which actually makes skin better when you're wearing it.

Dr's is a good place to start so I hope you get it sorted. It's horrible. Xxx

[Brillenbar]

Only thing that works on mine is clarins sensitive skin range especially the oil

[WhatIfWhatIf]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions and advice, much appreciated.

[MeadowHay]

Hello, I also have eczema but I only get it on my face in cold weather - I find the higher temperature, difference in air pressures and also the sun help improve the skin on my face so I don't get eczema on it, but it seems that doesn't help in your case.

For moisturiser on my face, at the moment I'm using one from Simple with SPF 15 which I quite like. I also like their cleansing lotion, I have used that before but I specifically wanted a facial moisturiser with SPF in it. I have never had my skin aggravated by anything in the Simple range so would recommend them but obviously everyone is different. I also really liked the Magical Moringa moisturiser from Lush when I got a sample but it was very expensive so I didn't purchase it. I also really liked Cetaphil moisturiser but it is a bit pricey for me as I'm on a budget and like I say I wanted moisturiser with SPF. At the moment I'm only moisturising every other morning though on my face as I have acne and my skin is very oily, but in winter I would be doing it probably twice a day to cope with the eczema.

When I have a flare up on my face I use hydrocortisone cream, it is a steroidal cream so you have to be very careful and don't put it anywhere near your eyes. You can buy it OTC but you're not supposed to use it on your face without consultation with your GP really. And the GP can prescribe stronger strengths of it than available OTC but for your face probably a weak strength is better anyway to be on the safe side.

Also I find stress triggers my eczema although not much you can do about it this, as well as lots of toiletries so try to avoid anything that aggravates it (obviously I know that's common sense!).

If you get eczema on your scalp as well or the back of your neck I would recommend trying Head and Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo and their conditioners, the zinc in it fights eczema, it's the only thing that keeps my eczema on my scalp at bay and also means I can have nice, normal hair and not have to use an expensive product advertised for eczema. When I do get scalp flare ups I move to Oilatum shampoo and if that's not strong enough then I go for Polytar as the next step up, both of which I get on prescription from my GP when necessary.

Sorry for such a long message, unfortunately most of the time with eczema it's just trial and error I think, to see what works for you. Oh also I'm finding the B. products from Superdrug to be very gentle and they don't aggravate my skin if that's another range you want to try, I'm currently using their micellar water and their make-up remover wipes without any problems.

[UncleHerbie]

If you're GP will prescribe it, ask for Protopic which isn't steroid based and can be used on the face. My face was covered in eczema on my 40th bday but fortunately for me was already seeing my consultant dermatologist that day. Sobbed my heart, was in an emotional mess. It stings a bit at first but really works. Good luck 🙏🏾

[Antoninaisintheroom]

My 6 mnths old DS suffers with it. I went to GP with him after one night he basically sucked the skin off his thumbs The things I got for him from doctors (Oilatum for bath and some gel like cream) made it worse. He used to have some flare ups on his cheeks which I would treat with NEutrogena Dermatological Cream here and in general his skin is just a bit more fragile, but after using what doctor prescribed his skin started breaking, seeping, it was terrible. Finally I stopped using them. I went back to Neutrogena and it works brilliantly. His skin is still fragile, but using the cream twice a day keeps eczma at bay.

[Cakescakescakes]

1% hydrocortisone cream twice a day for 7 days. Small amount. That's what sorted mine out. Pregnancy gave me bad eczema flare ups on my face.

[Wolfiefan]

I've just been prescribed protopic. Hoping for good things.