DD's eczema. Nothing is working (pic included)

[Fairygodfucker]

Dd is 13 and has this seemingly unsoothable eczema. she seems to get these sores which open up and go quite deep into her skin. These sores do eventually heal (after a few months) and leave scars. They seem to be confined to her hands/wrists and legs up to and including her knees.

The GP seems to think despite trying many many creams that don't appear to work that her eczema should be managed within the GP practice. I'm thinking that she should be referred to a dermatologist. We have an appointment on Monday with the GP and I'm looking for advice as to wether I should push for a referral or is there something magical that has worked for anyone else with stubborn eczema that we haven't tried yet.

This is her hands a few days ago and to be fair they were looking better then they had for a while but several sores have opened up since then

I did a bit of googleing about this last week. Have you tried oats in a pair of old tights in the bath, never tried it myself but it's supposed to be really good. Aloe Vera juice directly from the plant is also ment to be good. I read diet can make it worse particularly dairy products I think, so that might be worth looking at

Ask the dermatologist about wet wrapping.

My husband suffered badly - he was medically discharged from a job with excema. This helped him.

I should add he can't use aloe vera makes things worse, so be careful.

I recently spent a month in hospital because of my whole body looking like your daughters hands.

It looks like it's infected, so maybe you can get some antibiotics.

In the short term I would buy some emmolients and cotton gloves and some cotton bandages. 50 50 is good but messy but really
moisturises well.

Maybe some antihistamine Incase there is an allergy. If you give it at night it may help them to sleep.

Don't cut any food groups out unless your told to. I was told by a dermatologist food intolerances rarely cause eczema.

If push for a referral.

Aloe Vera and oats make my skin worse so be careful.

I'd be pushing for a referral. It doesn't seem like the GP practice is "managing" her exzema particularly well - how long has she had it for?

Push for a referral to a dermatologist. There is a chance it is not eczema, but some other skin condition, in which case ezcema treatments won't help. If it is ezcema then they will be better placed to recommend a medication regime. I also agree with a previous poster that it sounds infected, the GP could start off with a broad spectrum anti-biotic which should hopefully have some affect in a couple of days.

The GP is talking bollocks about managing it in the practice, once she's seen a specialist it can be, but not yet. Good Luck, if your own GP won't refer you, is there another GP you can see?

It's not being managed properly if it looks like this. Definitely push for a referral for the poor kid.

It's not a cure as such, maybe just something to soothe and manage until you get a referral, but try this. My niece had the worst eczema ever. Layers of skin peeling, bleeding, pussy, it was heartbreaking to see it on a baby like her. This really made a difference quite by accident whilst DB and DN were holidaying with my DM in France.

DD had eczema until I changed our washing powder to, unbelievably, Arial Bio.

I had made the mistake of using no bio laundry liquid and eco washballs at low temperatures. This caused mould to develop in the washing machine. After a couple of high temperature washes using bio powder (not liquid) the mould disappeared, my washer started smelling nice again, and the eczema disappeared completely.

Thanks everyone. I have tried oats and aloe Vera (and a ton of other creams and lotions, prescribed and over the counter) but nothing seems to make even a dent in it. She has had eczema since she was a couple of months old but it's been like this since she was about 7 or 8 years old. She did have a diary free diet for about a year as part of investigations into bowel issues but it didn't clear up during that period. I did wonder if it may be a sunlight reaction as she only has it where her sleeves and skirt end but she has been wearing trousers for the past 3 years and her legs are still affected.
Thanks again. I will insist on a referral (after more antibiotics) this time.

Hi, this might be worth a go, if you've not already tried it of course. Even if it's just soothing until you can get referred. A friend of mine tried it, and it's made a big difference to his eczema. You never know...

www.lush.co.uk/products/dream-cream

I agree you hold push for a referral. Sorry to push another product at you (eczema can get very expensive!), but after years of itching, my daughter tried Salcura, which had been recommended on here, and said it was the best thing she'd used. We got a spray+cream pack onAmazon. Good luck, it's such a miserable condition.

as someone else said that might not even be eczema, I think you need to insist on a dermatologist referral, or pay to have one privately which would be about £150, they could then write to your gp explaining what creams you need. Sounds like your gp is fobbing you off

We have been exactly where you are. My advice -
Don't try any complementary therapies - definitely not lush, too harsh.
Do push for a referral, take a copy of the nice guidance and tell doctor how disruptive it is to her education and leisure time. This is what finally prompted our referral.
Get antibiotics, oral and body wash and fucidin- which is steroid cream with antibiotics
Take these pictures to the dermatologist so they can see how bad it gets
Insist on allergy tests
Try anti dust mite bedding, Hoover and wet dust every day or two.

Hope she gets better, it's heartbreaking when their skin is so bad - our ds has some terrible scars on his back from eczema which was ignored for years (which they said was because we weren't putting enough cream on). One appt at the children's hospital dermatology a and within half hour she was testing for allergies, putting him on new cream - gave him vitamin d supplements. He has improved so much since then, it's unreal.

So she has had eczema her whole life and not been referred. Fuck me that's shit. I hate how Dr's often fob of eczema as just a bit of sore skin and you just have to live with it.

It may not be life threatening but it's awful and miserable and sore and affects sleep and self confidence etc.

I get eczema like that on my hands, I have had special uv treatment at the hospital that helps a bit.

Does she take antihistamines etc to help with itching?

Slithering hands in cream and wearing cotton gloves overnight may help.

Btw tell the gp you want a referral, they can't refuse.

Yes you need a referral.
Could it be related to washing hands or contact dermatitis type condition?
(Stupid idea but could it be cleaning fluids at school where she rests arms and legs on chairs/tables?)
Poor girl. Eczema is bloody awful.