Eczema is 'changing'

[HexBramble]

DD(6) has had occasional patches of eczema on the creases of her knees and elbows. We manage it with aqueous cream, the occasional application of the weakest hydrocortisone cream (bought over the counter) and diprobase.

Her skin is really sand-papery and it doesn't really soften with the creams we apply. We don't apply it religiously though. I've tried Aveeno too.

She's had a flare up recently, so behind her knees are sore, as are the other hotspots, but she's having patches that are totally new - shoulders, inner thighs, side of red ankle. They're itchy, dry and sore with her and the Aveeno I popped on to try and soften it, really really stung her .

The weak HC cream is helping somewhat but I'd really like to know why it's flaring in these odd places. Also, what can I do to help things?

Thanks.

I feel for her. I was like that as a child. Get the random patches checked out in case they are ringworm and not eczema. A black light is used to diagnose as ringworm glows under the light.

If it's more eczema I really recommend regular oatmeal baths. If you do not do this already, put a handful of pinhead oatmeal in the toe of a stocking or tights and knot it. Put in in the bath and use it as a sponge. Glutinous soothing liquid will come out and wash her with it. Use no other soaps etc.

Some people don't react well to aqueous cream. Have you tried swapping for almond oil instead? I know medical people are very wary of steroid creams but I have used them for 37 years and have not had thinning of the skin. It's a possible side effect, not guaranteed. A Swiss determalogist also told me that when the instructions say a thin layer, they actually mean about 2mm thick, not a sliver of hydrocortisone. Before age 5 I used eumovate and after 5, betnovate. The ointment sticks around better than cream.

Good luck.

TiedUp, thank you. I'll start with the oatmeal in the morning then docs hopefully Monday for eumivate.thanks .

We had the same but resolved it by giving up cows milk.

aqueous cream shouldn't be used as a moisturiser only as a soap substitute.

I've had excema all my life and recently saw a doctor in a hospital who specialises in allergy. Turns out I am allergic to flipping egg white.

My excema has disappeared since I exclude egg white and all products containing egg white from my diet. Literally within three days of excluding egg white my excema patches and blisters cleared up.

I strongly suggest seeing an allergy specialist before you start cutting out major food groups without knowing which is causing the excema.

Excema and asthma are linked, so it's worth getting a dx now.

Good luck with it, try and get an appointment ASAP.

Came on to say the same as Tiedup! Oatmeal is fab stuff - really works. Always have it in but none of us eat it, it's just for sore skin! Occasionally I'll have a treat and do oatmeal potatoes but it is generally seen as a 'medicine' in this house!

I'll definitely do the oats - am digging for old tights as we speak!
Yes, meant to say that the aqueous cream is used in the shower only.

I'm always hesitant re the doctor and asking for allergy testing - the breakouts are so small. I'd really hate for them to flare up and, I suppose this could happen any time.

Is the allergy testing through a blood sample?

I would definitely recommend an allergy test. They can do a blood test or a skin prick test, which is really easy and quick

I was allergy tested aged 4. Dog and cat dander, dairy, egg whites, beef, wheat and cod. All common allergens.

I've spotted another patch this evening - she pointed out a little something in her scalp and it's definitely another small patch of eczema . It's surrounded by loads of dry skin too. I can't believe I didn't spot until now. Gutted!

What's the best shampoo to use when scalps are effected?

You can get scalp treatments from the doctor - same stuff just in a bottle that's easy to use on the scalp. Just used betnovate scalp treatment on mine and it's fab! I now can't use aqueous cream, e45, dipto/double base and neither can ds, we can both only tolerate Aveeno. Surprisingly the only washing powder we can use is Ariel! Any others break is out. Both allergic to animal hair. Had the allergy tests but both allergic to the Elastoplast..

Hex, just get down to your Gp and have her allergy tested. It's a simple drop of blood test, or a series of scratches on her arm/ torso.

Much simpler than winding yourself into seven shades of knots about which blardy emollient to use and how many scaly patches she has...

Knowing what's causing it and eliminating it from her diet/ environment is a much better solution considering that she could have asthma and excema in a few years if you don't find out what's causing it. Asthma kills. Get her tested.

I want some feedback please. Here's an update:-

Her skin isn't any better. Over half term, she was milk free because she didn't like the taste of the lacto-free milk. The random patches of eczema disappeared. The patch on her head turned to impetigo and was treated with oral AB's. She is ALWAYS complaining about her tummy - around the belly button region and occasionally under her left ribcage.

Since school restarted, she has been back drinking milk at school (am annoyed - school were told - another story) and her skin is breaking out again - shoulders, armpits, inner thighs. I spotted a really nasty sore patch behind her ear this morning , the size of a 10p piece. I feel terrible for her.

Last night , I came close to calling out of hours because she said she had terrible pain under her left ribcage. She finally went to sleep and after a double dose of movicol, had a poo about midnight (I lifted her to go to the loo).

She looks terrible - pale with dark eyes and she's normally a blonde, blue eyed peachy skinned girl. She's bad tempered and snappy and seeks me out in the night for cuddles.

Docs today (with my Mum) and they've given her more steroid cream and oral antihistamine. They've checked her tummy and said there's no problem there. I'm so confused.

Do I keep with the Movicol? Why is she still having stomach pains??
Her skin is sore and rough and I just feel that I am treating the symptoms instead of getting to the root of the cause.

My poor little girl.

makemineinapot DD has been given the betnovate scalp treatment but she was in agony when I applied it. It really stung her badly, to the point that I don't think I can apply it this morning. Did it stung with you?

Bumping for advice

Not sure about underlying causes sorry but we had real success with pinetarsol bath oil (I was dubious) which got rid of the smaller patches and a stronger hydrocortisone for the nasty patches. Nothing cream-wise helped apart from those two things. Cutting out all bubble baths etc and using an ecoball for washing were good. Anti histamines and hanging washing inside only didn't seem to help.

I have seen a book about eczema recommended on here, will try and find what it's called.

DS is now 5.4 and its disappeared as suddenly as it came ( after about 2.5 years).

My son used to have really bad excema and we used epiderm, as a soap substitute and as mostrizer. That helped the most.

It's completely gone now though, we moved out of the UK and so his diet and environment changed completely. When we first arrived it got really really bad and I was worried that the sun would make it worse, it can reach 35 degrees here in summer. It has completely vanished though, he can even wash in harsh soap and nothing, he drinks full fat milk straight from the cow. I can't help thinking food additives have a lot to do with excema, as we are now living off the land. So I would second the food allergy test.

The book is The Eczema Solution by Sue Armstrong

Mixed reviews though good ones too - I haven't read it so can't comment myself.

These threads just illustrate how different it is for everyone. Even the medical profession have no idea. I searched for an answer and tried so many bloody creams and everything and now it's just gone with no reason why or change in lifestyle and its summer here with heat, pollen and harsh suncreams. Baffling. I don't mean to sound negative but don't beat yourself up - if it stings then I wouldn't repeat something but definitely try the milk thing again or get some testing from your GP.

Good luck !

My daughter periodically gets eczema flare ups on her neck and face, behind her elbows, knees and ears. I have tried loads of creams in the past few years including those on prescription. Steroid creams are necessary for bad flare-ups but the best product bare none I have used for day to day management is Avene Xera-Calm from Boots. It is expensive at £16.50 but a tube lasts ages and I find it mosturises the skin like nothing else. My daughter also used to complain about the burning sensation when other creams were applied but it doesn't happen with this. We haven't had to resort to steroid creams since using this. Might be worth a look (although, of course, not everything works for everyone- Aveeno was rubbish for us but lots of people are evangelical).

www.boots.com/en/Avene-Xeracalm-Cream-200ml_1461274/?cm_mmc=pla--google--PLAs-_-Boots+Shopping+-+Category+-+Beauty

I don't have eczema, but I do have dry skin. If it gets really dry, and then I apply moisturiser, it really, REALLY stings for about 20 mins. I assume this is the dry skin rehydrating and shifting. The more I apply the moisturiser, the easier it gets. Can you apply the moisturiser really, really frequently - like on waking, just before school, when back from school, before bed. And a lunch application at the weekends?

Go back to the GP get better care from them or ask for a refferal to a demoto.

dont remove large food groups from diet without medical advice.

dont rub nut oils in broken eczema skin on a child that you suspect may be allergic to some foods.

aquaous cream is a used as a soap, not to put moisture in the skin.

small/ low dose steroids and lots of moisturisers are the key here.

if suspecting allergens, start with environmental ones, which are common causes, dustmite tree pollen, hay fever, mold

if you consider that food is the issue, you may need to ask for a immunologist refferal. But, trying /changing daily eczema routine via prescription from gp is a more sensible approach.

For eczema I second the poster who recommended the French brand Avene. There is another brand called A-Derma that does an oil for cleansing dry skin that I highly recommend.

I will try everything recommended here, I really will.
Bananaandcustard, your advice is great too and I will moisturise, moisturise moisturise. My greatest concern is the vicious discs of wet eczema appearing on her scalp. The steroid lotion is excruciatingly painful so am loathed to keep going with that. I.m so concerned for her head...

has doctor seen this scalp eczema? may need different treatment.

what is your daily eczema routine?

check with doctor that skin isnt infected as its a common problem with broken skin.

keep cool as possible.

give more water as often people who have eczema is dehydrated.

apply all creams in direction of hair growth.

good luck hope things improve.

The doc gave this stingy betnovate lotion which made her scream I agony. I can't put it on again. I can't do that to her.

I've filed her nails really low and I scrub her nails daily with a nail brush.
I moisturise her skin twice daily, apply hydrocortisone to the hot spots if they are looking sore. I bathe her in oilatum (used oats in tights before that), and I wash her hair once a week in simple shampoo.

I'm jut about keeping up with her body, but her scalp is really, really worrying me.