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

Your GP sounds brilliant and what a relief to have a diagnosis. Is it impetigo, i wasnt sure? Vvv common with eczema sufferers. My DDs cleared up with fusidic acid. Great stuff. if it is impetigo its almost imposs to avoid when skin barrier is so weak. Can i also suggest you look at eczema society website? Its really helpful: from laundry powfers (i use 'attitude') to bedding to emollients/ treatments/ latest research. And i called them once and they were great. You sound lovely OP, and i hope it clears up soon.

Dream cream from Lush. They deliver

My dh had the most appalling eczema flare last year on his hands. The thing that started the healing process was ultrabee exeskin. It isn't cheap but it goes a long way. Nothing else had been working - Aveeno, child's farm, e45, all his usual go to products. He put it on at night with cotton gloves over and within a few days it was improving.

@p999 no not impetigo that's a different thing. Intertrigo

It's such a relief to have a dx! I'm bonkers anyway but I really was thinking I was going around twist!

Basically I'm allergic to my own sweat!

Gp has prescribed a stronger corticosteroid cream with antibacterial and antifungal agents included - that's so embarrassing to write!

But yes, those of us with sensitive skin (gp even correctly guessed I'm a redhead! Said most of the other patients she's seen recently with this are too - this is not identifying there's a lot of us here. Quite an odd experience for me as I'm used to sort of "standing out" as everywhere else I've lived redheads were rare) are more prone to this apparently.

Writing that prompted me to google and right enough redheads are more susceptible! Ugh!

I love my hair but the problems being a redhead has caused me medically are ridiculous!!

I have 2 aunts and an uncle who are also redheads, uncle and 1 aunt regularly suffer with impetigo, and like me generally have crazy sensitive skin.

I remember once my uncle had a minor sporting accident and was in hospital, nothing too serious but one of the nurses missed once that he couldn't have regular dressings/plasters (he's allergic to the adhesive) and replaced a dressing with regular dressing and was shocked how quickly his skin reacted and basically turned into a great red welt within like 90 mins!

I will look at eczema society site thanks.

I have to be SO careful what I use and once I find a product that's "safe" I stick to it religiously!

Laundry detergent (non bio gel is best), shower gel, deodorant, shampoo...

Can't use highly perfumed stuff, latex, nylon... nothing like that

My most hated words are "new improved formula"

@IhearyoucallingMarianne yes it's not all intertrigo some of it is "regular" eczema and when I've sorted the intertrigo I'll get on sorting the eczema in order to prevent getting the intertrigo again

I see someone else has mentioned bleach in the bath..
I have also used this, with success.
I have also used hydrocortisone on eyelids (per GP) but just for few days

Yes sometimes we have to go outside the recommendations to achieve health. There are down sides to all meds/treatments it's balancing the pros with the cons.

Child's Farm unscented baby cream is the only one that works on mine and my daughter's exzema prone skin.

And during a particularly bad bout of exzema on her chest, which nothing would shift, including steroid cream, I used Child's Farm nappy cream out of desperation and it was gone within a couple of days.

Had a better night last night - seems cool & dry is the way to go so piling on the zerobase was making things worse.

So I'm sticking to only applying that after washing first thing and otherwise keeping as cool and dry as possible.

Prescriptions to treat arriving soon, gp warned cream may sting a bit but worth it to get rid of this.

From googling zinc oxide paste (basically nappy cream) seems to be highly recommended too so I've ordered some in next supermarket delivery and also some tena pants as normal pants very uncomfortable to wear at the moment as elastic edges rub painfully.

Yes, but I think there is a role for steroids. You are right though, and they shouldn't be plastered on. And if you follow doctors advice, they are safe Last time I spoke to a dermatologist, eczema all over my body - I refused steroids because only the very strong ones work on me, the positive effect is temporary, my skin flares very badly when I come off them (gradually makes no difference) and using them long term isn't recommended - he said why not? I'm not convinced following doctor's advice is always a wise strategy - you have to know whether your doctor is clued up. They might be experts in skin but they aren't experts in your skin. One size does not fit all.

If you ever need aveeno I can buy it from the supermarket I work at and send it to you op if that ever helps you out.

@GreenGreenGrassofSloane I'm the last person to say blindly believe drs but for the most part they'll give good guidance on this kind of thing in my experience - but I agree they can be very bad for acknowledging/listening to a patient who informs them they don't respond "typically" to either ailments or treatments.

I definitely have fallen in that category for a few things myself.

You're absolutely right not all patients are the same.

Prescriptions delivered. I have trimovate cream which I've never used before - anyone able to say how bad it will sting? Nervous about this

Also stronger painkillers thankfully so I might be able to get a decent sleep now as it's worst at night.

Plus I've been tensing up a lot in anticipation of pain caused by this which is making the pain I have from my disability worse plus muscle spasms etc so they'll help with that.

Based on experience over last 24 hours I'm hopeful this can be remedied fairly quickly now I know what I'm dealing with!

Been suffering for weeks but it's hard right now as gps not seeing patients in person and I really thought it was the eczema playing up and so the drs and nurses I spoke to about it before yesterday took me at my word.

I was lucky yesterday's gp knew the right questions to ask and had noticed a rise in patients presenting with similar.

We have 2 with horrendous eczema, and Roche posay lipikar syndet ap+ is a body wash(18euro for 200ml), it says on the bottle 'even for newborns' and my God it has saved our family!! It is moisturising and soothing and in the depths of winter transformative!!( they used to have flaky dry rough itchy skin. We also use the cicaplast c5 balm (about 7 quid)which has been amazing, have even used when the scratches were open and it didnt hurt (once used e45 with non open scratches and my 10 year old started screaming). Are getting Moogoo balm (brand for anti irritation, quite costly but everyone raves about it, think is about 19euro) today because while cicaplast soothes isn't making a dent in it, my youngest arms have a permanent purple raised look even though they're now shorthand apparently not itchy most of the time. Are also using antihistamine daily. It's not a small thing OP, since my son's eczema has improved he said everything's easier!! Best of luck

@Graphista if you’ve been given useful advice then hang on to that Derm because there aren’t many good ones! I only went to see one to get allergy testing but it was fruitless - I’ll have to pay to get one done privately.

Hemp cream from the body shop worked really well with my daughter.

@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.

E45 contains lanolin, which is a well known allergen-I can’t use it for this reason

Well...

Just one day into treating and it's clearing up really quickly!

2 patches completely gone already, feeling much better, got a good sleep last night.

The difference the correct dx makes!

That's great news!

We use emollient cream and zinc oxide, but another thing is we are really careful which washing powder we use and rinse the clothes and bedding really well. I find its usually perfumes and brighteners that trigger an attack.