Patches of dry skin popping up all over body

[shancat23]

Hi,

I've suffered from eczema since a young age, getting it mainly on my joints. As I've gotten older, I've tended to have eczema purely on my hands, for which I use a steroid cream. However, over the last half a year, I've started to get dry patches elsewhere, which aren't quite as severe as my eczema but still itchy. It started with getting random patches on my forearms, and more recently I've started to get dry patches next to my mouth and even on my lips. I've not changed anything in my routine, and my usual steroid cream doesn't seem to stop the problem. I've also used vaseline around my mouth but this doesn't seem to cure the issue. If it does go away, it tends to resurge a few days/weeks later. When I visited my GP, I was just given a different kind of cream which hasn't made much difference. What would you recommend trying to resolve the issue?

[Julie Van Onselen]

Hi Shancat
Dry skin is a classic sign of eczema, and even though your eczema has been in your joints until now, the whole skin can be affected by eczema and the condition can change in nature at anytime in life. I would suggest you step up your emollients and getting into a good moisturising routine for your whole body. Use a medical unperfurmed emollient liberally at least twice a day and also use as a soap subsitute. If dry skin is treated daily with emollients this can prevent an eczema flare.