Eczema - wits end

[Derdu]

Hi
Looking for a bit of advice please 🙏🏻
I’ve never had eczema before but developed it behind one ear six months ago. It has been driving me nuts ever since. Really painful, bleeding, oozing 🤢You don’t want to see a pic. It’s hard to clean and sleep on and makes glasses wearing a literal pain. It became infected and I had three courses of antibiotics- the last one seemed to do the job - infection gone but its not healed. Non steroid cream does nothing. Steroid cream just dampens it down but it still hurts/ bleeds and doesn’t really heal over. I didn’t change shampoo or washing powder or diet. Otherwise fit and healthy.
I don’t know what to do? Any words of wisdom before I go the full Van Gogh and cut off my own ear…

I would a dermatologist, GPs aren’t great with skin.

However, If steroid cream is dampening it down only then either it’s too weak or you aren’t using it long enough. What are you using?

You also need to moisturise twice a day.

Oh sympathies, that sounds painful. Have you had steroid creams with microbials to tackle the infections? So fucidin (for example, I think that’s a mild steroid plus microbial, you might need stronger) rather than just a steroid. And are you using an emollient so it doesn’t get dry/crack as it tries to heal? Dermol is anti microbial so might be worth asking the doctor about?

Creams and possibly antihistamines to help with the itching .

I sympathise OP it's horrible! Things I've found out through having chronic eczema.

You cannot let it dry out. As soon as the moisturiser is absorbed put more on. You are going to go through pots and pots of emollient but you need to keep on top of it.

Check the infections aren't fungal - likely given the location. Treat accordingly.

Change your diet. I know you said you hadn't prior to the flare up but dietary changes do help. Common dietary causes are dairy, eggs, strawberries, citrus and tomatoes.

I would ask your GP practice if they have a GP who knows a lot about eczema. My adult son has had it since he was 1, thankfully our GP at the time put him on a steroid cream called Elocon, he has to fight GP to get it on repeat every time, as I presume it’s expensive, but it works, once the flare up is better, he uses aqueous cream to shower to try and keep the skin moisturised. There are lots of different steroid creams, you just have to find the one that works.

@theduchessofspork It’s such a pain. It’s Daktacort? And a plain 1 % cream. Maybe I need something stronger. It starts to burn
within a day without a steroid. I’ve been using the creams on and off for weeks
which is probably not good…

@Magicmagician I haven’t been moisturizing it a lot. Mainly because it feels gross behind the ear and gets into my hair. I’ll have to up my game. They gave me dermol wash but it burns really badly 😬

Is the 1% just hydrocortisone? As that’s pretty mild - I’d definitely go back to the doctors (and good advice by @Mindymomo to ask if there are any who specialise in eczema in your practice)

@Blink360 thanks so much for the advice. It’s in such an awkward place to treat. I
will start to take note if something I eat makes it particularly grumpy

If it's weepy ask them to swab it to check if it's bacterial or fungal. No amount of steroid cream will help until whatever is causing the weeping is fixed.

Sorry cross posted

@Mindymomo thanks so much, I wasn’t aware there were different kinds of steroid . I’ll read into it 🙏🏻

Oh that is really weak - it’s just hydrocortisone with an anti-fungal thing you can buy from a chemist? That isn’t going to get rid of it once it’s properly set in.

Take a photo of the area and send it to the GP they need to prescribe something stronger which you must use systemically twice a day, once it’s gone you do a few more days (cos it will still be in the lower layers of skin), generally these days they recommend you then taper it off after that otherwise there can be a bounce back reaction and it reappears.

You also need to moisturise religiously twice a day with a thick moisture cream or balm (get something eczema friendly). Moisturise 30 mins before or after the steroid so you don’t interfere with it working.

Keeping moisturising twice a day for a good 3 months after, and then once a day for a year. Eczema massively dries skin out which makes it easy for it to come back.

With a stronger steroid it’ll be gone in a couple weeks 💪

I get eczema behind my ear too, and it can be so sore.
Boots do a plain 1%hydrocortisone OINTMENT (be very specific with the pharmacist, ointment, not cream, and it's often out of stock), which for some reason works when all the creams in the world have failed. I think it's essentially so greasy it stops the crusting and actually allows it to heal.

@theduchessofspork thanks for the confidence boost. I will definitely
go back and ask for something stronger. This approach is definitely not working, I know it’s not a serious thing but it’s getting me down and feels yuck all the time. It’s shockingly angry.

@Mumaway that’s a brilliant
tip- thank you. I think I may have to take out my stud earrings and risk them closing too. It’s so painful to sleep on when everything’s so angry. Sympathies to you too. I mean- where the hell does it come from
behind the ear?!

Just suggesting Hope's Relief cream with manuka, licorice etc- has worked for my family.

This is also very weak as steroids go, so u think it’s best the OP see’s her GP to be assessed to see if she needs something stronger which would have to be prescribed

I agree ointments are better than creams though.

Betnovate or Elocon is the only thing that works for my daughter. Hers gets very weepy behind her knees and arm creases. You definitely need a stronger steroid cream and keep it moisturised.

I would a dermatologist, GPs aren’t great with skin.

Agree. My DD had “eczema” for YEARS, we tried all the GP ideas (different GPs) and various OTC ideas, diet diary etc. No benefit, steroids helped a little but not much. Saw a dermatologist and it turns out she has keratosis pilaris which was causing itchy irritated skin. So not really eczema at all. Do push for a referral to a dermatologist, it may be a wait but they know so much more (unsurprisingly!) about skin.