I suspect that your daughter does not scratch out of habit, but becuase her eczema is genuinely very itchy, and needs more intensive treatment. Does she have a good moisturiser applied several times a day? And an emollient added to her bathwater and a cream to use for washing instead of soap? (For a...

It is not usual for X-linked ichthyosis, with or without Calmurid, to lead to ulceration of the legs. I would therefore be concerned that there may be another explanation for the ulceration, unrelated to ichthyosis. Is your general health good? Are you on any regular medication? Is this something yo...

With regard to which dressings to use this would depend on the state of the skin. I think it would be desirable for him to be assessed by a team specialising in fragile skin disorders in order to determine which dressings would be most suitable. And with regard to creams - this would depend on the o...

Eye problems are very common in association with ichthyosis. In the UK we advise that all patients with the symptoms you describe should be under the ongoing care of an ophthalmologist with experience of this condition. We would also recommend that you see a dermatologist with experience of ichthyos...

Ichthyotic skin is prone to colonisation by many bacteria and yeasts, and it is these that are likely to be producing the odour that you mention. It the skin is painful or red or oozing it is important to see your doctor to have samples taken to look for infection, and to assess whether antimicrobia...

You are correct that if your father has recessive X-linked ichthyosis, as his daughter you will be a carrier. We will assume that your mother is not a carrier, in which case statistically half of your sons may be affected by recessive X-linked ichthyosis. The severity of the condition can vary to so...

With any type of bullous condition the skin will have a tendency to become raw. This is not caused by infection, but by the underlying structural abnormality of the skin. Of course raw areas can become infected, and the infection should be treated, the precise treatment depending on the nature of th...

In response to the first posting - it can certainly be very difficult to help imrpove the skin of the hands and feet, and I am afraid that there are no quick fixes. You mention that she has been seen by specialist dermatologists. Would you mind if I enquire whether the team looking after have a part...

Vitamin D deficiency is relatively frequently found in association with ichthyosis. It is a complex topic, and not well understood. Contributory factors include the tendency for patients with ichthyosis to keep the skin covered, and therefore to be less exposed to sunlight, and the impaired producti...