The Itch Scratch Cycle
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Re: The Itch Scratch Cycle
Hi,
I have had eczema since I was 2, I am now 44. I coped well i guess with quite bad eczema as a child, i had it on my neck most of my childhood, and the face and arms and different places. I have it bad now on my soles and palms for 8 months. I've had big cracks on my tips of fingers and soles before too. My point is your eczema may be mild and predictable now but one day it might turn bad in later life and switch from mild to bad. It too can switch from safe areas where you can cope with it and maybe enjoy the itch as some have said. But one day it can move to areas like the hands, feet and neck/face which make it a different animal. I never thought the stubborn eczema on my wrists for example would ever shift to my palms, I assummed the palms was a barrier until I felt it pushing its way onto my palms one day in my early 30's.
If my hands and feet itch bad I find hot water especially running hot gives the relief from the itch but not the damage scratching does, also never scatch dry skin, try to rub moisteriser first if you have to scratch. Also I press in my finger tips when I get a bad itch rather than rip the skin to pieces, as ripping the skin off palms and feet isn't good for doing everyday tasks like walking and holding things, or doing a manual job as I do. I have started soaking my feet in dead sea salts, which i find heals the skin somewhat, although any crack or broken skin will sting with salts but I dont let that bother me I bare through the stinging saltiness.
Darryl
I have had eczema since I was 2, I am now 44. I coped well i guess with quite bad eczema as a child, i had it on my neck most of my childhood, and the face and arms and different places. I have it bad now on my soles and palms for 8 months. I've had big cracks on my tips of fingers and soles before too. My point is your eczema may be mild and predictable now but one day it might turn bad in later life and switch from mild to bad. It too can switch from safe areas where you can cope with it and maybe enjoy the itch as some have said. But one day it can move to areas like the hands, feet and neck/face which make it a different animal. I never thought the stubborn eczema on my wrists for example would ever shift to my palms, I assummed the palms was a barrier until I felt it pushing its way onto my palms one day in my early 30's.
If my hands and feet itch bad I find hot water especially running hot gives the relief from the itch but not the damage scratching does, also never scatch dry skin, try to rub moisteriser first if you have to scratch. Also I press in my finger tips when I get a bad itch rather than rip the skin to pieces, as ripping the skin off palms and feet isn't good for doing everyday tasks like walking and holding things, or doing a manual job as I do. I have started soaking my feet in dead sea salts, which i find heals the skin somewhat, although any crack or broken skin will sting with salts but I dont let that bother me I bare through the stinging saltiness.
Darryl
Re: The Itch Scratch Cycle
I know the feeling! I really hate when people tell me to stop scratching. Like, I know I shouldn't scratch but you have NO idea what this feels like so stop giving me directions that don't help me one bit. Plus its the only thing that actually makes me feel momentarily better and all your instructions are doing is making me feel worse.
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