To ask fellow eczema sufferers or parents of for some tips/help?

[Graphista]

Minor I know but one effect of the lockdown for me is I've been unable to get all my usual products that I know my skin is ok with and my eczema has gone nuts!

Been using zerobase which helps a little but still experiencing a lot of itching, badly dry flaking skin which is proving hard to resist peeling, which leads to burning soreness worse at night so it's been affecting my sleep

Spoke to dr and I now have as well as the zerobase antihistamine tablets and corticosteroid ointment

I'm thinking best to use these before settling for the night?

Would appreciate knowing from others if that's a good idea. Also the zerobase comes in large pump bottles, I hate waste and feel sure there's more available in the bottles than when they're seemingly empty? But they're pretty solid containers so I can't figure out how to open, wondered if there was a trick?

Also any other tips for soothing my skin would be very very gratefully received

Even if you're simply experiencing similar would be comforting to know I'm not alone.

I know in the grand scheme this is as I said a minor thing but it's driving me nuts!

Also hay fever has kicked in last few days so I'm hoping for happy coincidence that the antihistamine will help that too

[SpiritEssence]

I use aveeno and it's really good and can buy it in most supermarkets.

[Graphista]

I've used aveeno before but I'm having trouble getting hold of it.

Thanks for replying though.

I'm supplementing with Nivea. It's much lighter and not as effective but helping me else out the zerobase.

I use the zerobase on the worst parts and the Nivea on dry but not cracked areas

[MorganKitten]

Coconut oil is getting mine under control

[SapatSea]

The antihistamine tablets might make you drowsy (unless they are non drowsy formula)or slow, so yes, best to use at night. I think using emoillient cream (zerobase) at the same time as a steroid cream can dilute the effects of the steroid, so better to let one settle on the skin for a while before applying the other. The zerobase/ emollient can also be used as showercream and face wash to wash yourself, this really helped my DD when she had eczema.Use the emollient often. Also, keep using the steroid cream even when the skin is clearing up, it's best to get completely clear skin and maintain it like that for a few weeks before reducing application.

We found Dermol500 better than cetraben and zerobase, it was more moisturising and has a bit of an antibac effect according to the dermatologist (which might help with lessening infection risk on peeling or broken skin), she was also very keen on doublebase (which spreads beautifully as it is more gel cream like). Diprobase is also a good moisturiser/emollient.

[Dreamersandwishers]

Yes to using it at night, it might help to take a cool shower first and stick to natural fibres in bedding, pjs etc.
I understand what you mean about the bottles but have not successfully broken into my diprobase.
I found Amazon useful as they did have most of the things I use.
Finally Piriton (not Piritese) works well for me at night as it makes me drowsy as well as subduing the itching.

[SapatSea]

Meant to say you caan get most products by post from retailers such as Amazon, Chemistdirect etc

[formerbabe]

I think I know the tubs of cream you mean with the pump dispenser as my ds had a similar brand. I took one apart and it had a base in it which pushed the cream up, there wasn't a single scrap left in it.

[ItsSpittingEverybodyIn]

I swear by the Aveeno Skin Relief cream, it's the one with the dark blue band on the bottle, I have got it from Amazon during lockdown and its cheaper than I normally pay! I use it religiously on dd, if I run out, after a couple of days her skin flares up so badly.

[ItsSpittingEverybodyIn]

I will add that even E45 sets her off usually, so there must be some magic in the Aveeno. I use piriton if she feels itchy at any point.

[Lolly86]

My daughter has just come out in eczema in last week so probably old news to you but fucidin h cream has really helped clear up her particularly sore red areas and then dermol for everywhere else

[Conquistadora]

Not quite about the eczema as such but I’ll add to the above that my antihistamines always give me heartburn unless I take them with a full glass of water to wash them down well x

[NiteFlights]

Don’t know whether this is any use, and my eczema is very localised, but when I take probiotics it improves very noticeably. I usually take capsules but also drink kombucha and kefir. Might be worth a try.

[MotherofKitties]

A combination of Vaseline Intensive Care moisturiser (coco butter one), Eumovate hydrocortisone cream, and Lanisoh nipple cream keeps mine under control.

I appreciate the nipple cream is an odd one, but it's super hydrating and non-reactive to even the sorest, most cracked skin.

Hope you find something that works OP x

[ArfArfBarf]

I find this “soak and seal” method really helpful.

nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/bathing/

I don’t use any product in the bath.
It always makes a massive difference to my skin and I try to get into a bathing routine whenever it flares up.

I’ve used zerobase before - I can also recommend Aveeno (Eczema therapy) and CeraVe (moisturising cream) as alternatives.

[ItsSpittingEverybodyIn]

Lolly, fucidin H is an antibiotic cream with hydrocortisone in, it's most likely the hydrocortisone that helps.

[RitzSpy]

If you are tempted to pick at your skin you need to keep it covered as much as possible - out of sight out of mind. Cotton leggings and long sleeved t shirts.
Daily dead sea salt baths help my skin, I also use CeraVe moisturiser.

[Drogonssmile]

Same as @ItsSpittingEverybodyIn the dark blue Aveeno from Amazon. It's the only over the counter moisturiser that works for me and my kids.

[DennisTMenace]

I find that creams containing petrochemicals just don't work on me and the kids. Feels more like they sit on top of the skin and remain greasy, when the plant oil ones sink in more. No idea if it's true or the science behind it! For the kids I found Salcura bioskin junior outbreak rescue cream worked miracles, so started using it myself too. There is an adult one too, but I can't be bothered with separate products.

[Chuchyduck]

Diprobase is the best moisturiser I’ve used for my skin, and I’ve tried almost everything, including ridiculously expensive ointments from Australia, for example.
When you are screaming with the itching, get a soft towel or cloth with ice,or a bag of peas wrapped up, and hold it on for a while. It numbs the nerves and stops the itch.
I often put diprobase on whilst my skins damp, after a shower and that helps a bit.
If your skin isn’t too sore and you have used fresh coffee, try doing a gentle rub with the old coffee grounds. This helps my hands so much, when they are split and cracked with the excema.
I’m never without eurax, it’s fantastic for itching and helps a lot with my excema.
A bit of exercise every day seems to chill me out and I think helps with mine, which is really effected by stress.
If my hands are bad, I slather them in diprobase, and wear my cotton gloves to bed, like an odd version of Mickey Mouse.

[Chuchyduck]

I don’t use steroids any longer, as whilst they help in the short term. My skin becomes so delicate and starts to split and tear, so I just avoid them.

[VictoriaBun]

What are people using around their eye area ? I'm using the Aveeno eczema one which helps a little but it's not going away.

[Graphista]

I've not tried coconut oil before not sure if I'd be able to get any. Is it special for skin stuff or same as used for cooking?

@SapatSea you've somehow answered a question I didn't ask but would have! Yes I wasn't sure how to combine the different skin creams. The zerobase I usually apply after I've washed in the morning while skin still damp seems to work best but been applying Nivea at night

Re "use the emollient often" - again the problem is getting hold of it! I already went through a large tub in a month and dr was a bit funny with me about that but my whole body is so dry and sore and that's only applying to very worst cracked/sore/weepy areas.

I was already thinking to keep using until skin healed for a few weeks (if I ever reach that point! Feels unlikely at the moment)

Dr offered an alternative emollient but I was wary as what's set me off is changing what's going on my skin! I'll get eg same hand wash for a week or 2 and things start to improve then I can't get that handwash any more and I have to use a different one and even when it's one I've used before ok it's setting me off!

I really only wear cotton done that for years, very rarely wear other fabrics, special occasions only.bedding cotton .

I'm housebound and normally use amazon but lately their delivery times have been shocking so I've been relying on supermarkets alone

@formerbabe yes I think same one, you can see the plunger going up as it's used?

@ItsSpittingEverybodyIn I have so many times had e45 recommended to me and I cannot use the stuff makes me worse!

@Lolly86 Fucidin is I think anti fungal? Don't think I've any infections (yet trying to prevent!)

@Conquistadora I take all meds with milk for exactly that same reason

I've tried probiotics in the past but they don't agree with me but I appreciate the kind thought

@MotherofKitties we do tend to try anything don't we? I'll consider those

@RitzSpy I try! Often I don't consciously realise I'm doing it! I cover up but neck, face and hands still exposed.

@Chuchyduck I've resorted to placing ice poles on itchy/hot parts this week!

I can't exercise as disabled or not in any meaningful way.

@VictoriaBun I'd like an answer for that too as one of my worst areas is the skin under my eyebrows.

[JustOneMoreStep]

@VictoriaBun I've struggled massively with eczema on my eye lids this year and the best emollient has been superdrugs own vitamin e eye ointment. I have also had to have some 1% hydrocortisone for my eyelids prescribed but it's cheaper to buy over the counter. The best bit of advice for me though has been to get some sterile water for contact lens and some cotton wool pads and clean each eye area at least 3x a day before applying creams using a new cotton pad for each eye. I wasnt convinced and thought that terribly wasteful, but got desperate and tried it and my god the soothing. I think we dont realise how often we touch our eyes even without them being sore, so for us it's likely to be worse and all the daily pollution irritates them. Put the sterile water in the fridge for extra soothing when they are very sore too! Helps me anyway!

[VictoriaBun]

@JustOneMoreSleep

Was your hydrocortisone 1% prescribed from your dr. I thought it was a no-no for around the eyes ? I could have dreamed this, but I thought it can cause cataracts .

[RitzSpy]

@Graphista wear gloves on your hands, bamboo feel lovely but they are more pricey. Today I put a sticky plaster over a bit of eczema on my hands, you know the bubbly kind of eczema - to stop me picking and squeezing at it - just took the plaster off and the blisters have gone down. And if my eczema is so itchy I can't sleep - I shower it with incredibly hot water (a lot of people do this) - I do this rather than scratching and at least I get to sleep. Now I know I'll get shouted at that hot water is drying but when my skin has been bad I have done this every night and still achieved good healing.
Rather radically I do not use much moisturiser on my eczema - my skin is not dry, it's inflamed, itchy and raw and it's only when my skin is no longer inflamed and red that I will start to moisturise but only once a day.
I firmly believe that we have to treat our eczema on an individual basis, learn to read your skin...it does not all respond to litres of moisturisers being liberally applied - or maybe I'm the only freak who has skin that doesn't like it - I doubt it.