Skin nasty (photo). Help!

[Fordian]

I’m 60+. No major health stuff; overweight, yes.

I developed eczema 2-3 years ago for the first time in my life, I think due to stress at work. I think this is photo is of eczema. I lather moisturiser on my legs and abdomen where it’s bad, but nothing like this, and prescribed steroid cream. But this isn’t getting any better.

It’s not cellulitis (I’m also prone to that, but my other lower leg). It itches like mad periodically, hence the scabs (sorry), and is very slightly ‘oozy’ (also sorry!). But I’ve seen ‘old lady legs’, lagged in weepy bandages, usually as a result of diabetes of chronic heart disease. I worry my leg will turn into that…

Any ideas what else I can do? I’m aware there’s zero chance of getting an NHS dermatology appointment this year, so I’m willing to try sensible alternatives before paying ££ to go private 😬

Thanks for any input.

Please note the photo will take a while to be uploaded.

It’s red and inflamed. If warm or hot to touch and/ir painful then maybe infected. See GP as may need antibiotics.

Do you have a tinea (fungal) infection in your toe nails? Sorry if its just the angle of the pic, but your toe nails look short, thickened and yellow indicating a potential medical issue. When did you last have general blood tests with your GP for diabetes, thyroid, iron etc?

Possibly varicose eczema, needs a GP visit and as mentioned by a poster above, general health MOT.

If you send that photo via an econsult to your GP I am sure they will see you.

GP will definitely see you for that. You may need an antibiotic steroid cream
Often there is a hard balance with keeping the skin moisturised and too wet vs drying it out to allow the weepy bits to heal and scab..

Perhaps try hibiscrub. From amazon. It's antibiotic and I've used it when my eczema gets infected or too much to handle

It does look like a patch of eczema. What steroid cream are you using? And how long have you been using it for? It might be that it’s not strong enough to settle it down and you need a stronger one. Ask your GP!

It could also be that there is superinfection with fungus or bacteria needing antifungal or antibacterial treatment and that’s why it’s not settling.

It’s good you’re slathering on the moisturiser, keep going! Try not to scratch.

It’s not going to turn into an “old lady leg”, totally different issues behind that!

A GP should do the “steroid ladder” with increasingly strong creams before a derm referral. Has that happened? If not, go back to the GP abd they should prescribe the next strength up.

In lots of area there are specialist clinics you can be referred to for various “minor” things. I’ve was referred to specialist dermatology clinic and have the appointment this week for eczema not responding to steroids. Think the wait was three months. Much shorter than the hospital dermatology lists (I have waited well over a year before for a previous hospital derm referral) so don’t assume it will be hospital dermatology wait times.

Yes, I do have fungal nail infections, unfortunately!

Are you taking terbinafine tablets for the toenails? If not, that will clear those up and potentially you could get them from
the GP at the same time. You have to have a liver function test before they will prescribe it to you. It would also wipe out any chance that it’s a fungal infection or secondary infection.

It does look like eczema, and you probably need a potent steroid to knock it on the head.

No, not on Terbinafine. Sort of scared of liver damage, to be honest. My ‘history’ like so many, isn’t purer than the driven snow, tho my last LFTs were all normal, 4 years ago 🤭

My toenails are entirely fungal, I know. But my eczema, never had a hint in 57 years- was very likely stress related (and my family has history in this regard).

However, a wholistic approach might connect fungal nails and this outbreak, certainly.

When was your last blood test to check for anaemia, thyroid, Hba1C (sugars), Vit D and other deficiencies?

I can't help with the leg but the toenails...
Wash your feet everyday with Hibiscrub and then put some Gehwohl Fluid onto each nail twice a day. You can get both from Amazon. It will need to be done for a couple of months until the nails grow out but you won't need the toxic anti fungal medication.

Recommended to me by a friends DH who's an NHS podiatrist.

I’m not sure that that is eczema. I think it’s cellulitis or something that’s causing your skin to thin . I wouldn’t ignore that at all. You need to see a doctor about that and the fungal infection