Eczema covering my hands - help!

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Its stress related, I know what causes it.

I've been using various moisturisers (mainly under cotton gloves overnight so it stays on iyswim), but its getting worse rather than better - now its stinging regardless of what I put on it.

I've been reluctant to go to the doctors with it, partly because it involves actually going, and partly the prescription costs!!

Will they actually give me anything different to what I am doing now (not had eczema cream since I was a child, and can't remember if the creams have something in them, or if they are just moisturiser type things anyway).

I need something or I will claw my hands off.

It's!

Hydrocortisone cream should help with the itching-get thee to the docs!Or you may beable to get it over the counter.

also take some anti-histamines, like piriton, which will help with the itching

thank you - I'll call the docs, seems easier than traipsing to the shops for them to tell me I need a 'script anyway

I can't take antihistamines - they either send me hyper (with weird heart fluttering) or to sleep

Cream from the dr will have steroid in it, but it will work. It is the only thing I can do when mine is bad. If you don't treat it you will scatch and it will get infected (or at least that is what happens to me) so better to treat now.

The moisturisers usually contain lanolin which many people are allergic to so that in itself can make things worse. I'd use aqueous cream which you can buy from the chemist and a prescription steroid cream til it settles.

lmao - it hadn't occurred to me it could be a reaction to lanolin - been soaking nappy wraps a lot the past few weeks!

I had really bad dermatitis for months after ds was born - all the handwashing etc. I finally got it licked after the doc prescribed Betnovate cream - a steroid but not hydrocortisone - and Epaderm (v. greasy but soothing) to put on over night. I'm sure it would help with eczema too - they are more or less the same thing aren't they? BTW the tube of cream and the tub of Epaderm were enormous so certainly value for money. It will be months if not years before I've used them up. Portions of hydrocortisone you buy over the counter are tiny!

Got eumovate

He said that just basic hydrocortisone wouldn't have touched it

Go to the doctors - see what he prescribes and then check if you can get it over the counter cheaper. I get excema on my hands so I sympathise - it can drive you mad

How wierd, this is the third thread on this kind of eczema in the last couple of days!

I have just the same kind of eczema (and know just what you mean about wanting to claw your hands off, esp at 3am).

For now, try getting some Eurax cream, as it does stop the itching, and Aveeno might also calm it down. Eurax isn't that expensive, but the Aveeno is a bit expensive (£6 for medium tube) but worth it.

For longer term help, I've said what works for me in this thread, which also links to the other one.

But I wonder if there is some kind of pollen thing going on, though, wierd that everyone's is kicking off at the moment.