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Hello everyone,

My name is Chryssa, I am 19 years old and have recently been diagnosed with eczema.

To be honest, I am increasingly worried about the condition as it is affecting parts of my face, neck, most of my back and is starting to spread down to my legs. Feeling so alone in my suffering, even though I have the support of my parents, it is still very difficult to do anything. Taking exercise (or even moving around anywhere), having washes, keeping myself warm (as I am quite a cold-blooded individual anyway, who gets cold extremities) just infuriates the condition and it gets soo sore that I am on the verge of screaming. I am yet to find anyone that I can truly speak to and as I am in my final year of A-Levels, with exams coming up very soon, it is making the condition (and my ability to get through the day) that much worse and more difficult.

I have been to the Doctor numerous times, to collect topical creams, moisturisers and potentially soothing gels but nothing seems to work and it has come to the point where I am now, most specifically, trying to reduce any movement and not washing as frequently because of the pain I experience every time that I do so. I really am at a loss as to what I should do; it seems to be too unbearable to get through any day.

I would really appreciate any advice you could offer; I truly don't know how much more I can take of this.

All the best to you all,

Chryssa

p.s. please forgive such a heart felt opening message; it is just that I soo desperate for any advice or support with this...

Hello Chryssa

I'm so sorry to hear you are really suffering. Eczema is tricky to treat - that's a fact. If your creams and moisturisers aren't working you MUST go back to your doctor and seek more help and advice and get him/her to prescribe different creams. Also, have you been prescribed a soap substitute or shower/bath wash? If not, this is really important as using a special product like this will prepare your skin for your other moisturisers and help with absorption.

I really do feel for you - particularly with your exams coming up.

I do hope you will find some comfort and help in these forums - there are so many people on here who have a wealth of experience that they can pass on to you and I'm sure some of it will help.

Try to stay positive (easier said than done I know) and use this community to lean on and to ask all those questions you need to ask - we will try to help you as much as we can.

With very warm wishes
Deborah Mason
Founder of talkhealth

Hello,

I am new to the forum myself but have went through exactly what your going through right now. I believe I beat it and will try to make sure it stays away and doesn't come back. I would like to talk to you in a one on one basis, you telling me exactly what is going on with yourself. I am creating a study and I am seeing what I did, helps others and if it does, i'll be updating my website all the more about it.

So before we go on, I would like to ask the following and you simply need to say yes or no or a quick sentence.

Is any parts of your body weeping or oozing?
Are you using Steroids Cream?
Are you using a Ointment or Cream?
Do you take Fish, Vegetables and Fruits?
Are you using Fragrances?
Have you been checked for any Allergies?

We'll start with those Questions as it will get to the basis of what you might or might not be doing. I hope to help you as soon as possible

Hi Chryssa! I have been in that position for about a year now, it started on my scalp, spread to my face, legs and arms. It was HORRIBLE, I hated myself, refused to go out with friends so I could stay in and not let anyone see me and my condition. I felt singled out, and not knowing anyone who was going through the same thing was incredibly hard.

Recently, I had had enough, I refused to live with it anymore! So I researched A LOT to try and find things to try. I found a few REALLY helpful things and I hope you try them because they have helped me SO much.

First of all, it may be something you're allergic to that is causing your skin to flare up. Maybe you're eating something new and quite a lot recently, or maybe your body is just deciding to respond to it now. Go to the doctor and ask for a food allergy test, and if they say it has nothing to do with it, shout, scream and do what ever you can to get one! Because I have read so many stories of people who changed to a dairy/gluten/wheat/etc free diet and their skin is great!
In fact, I'm one of those people! I haven't had a test, but I'm testing myself by getting rid of things that seem to be making my skin react. For example, the other day I had mint cake and BAM, skin was red and itchy like mad a few hours later. So, maybe you could also keep a food diary to see the connection between the foods you ate and the skin reacting. My skin is great now! And soon I will introduce each of the products back into my diet, and see which one makes my skin bad. So then I can get it out of my diet forever and live in peace!

Also, change EVERYTHING that has a smell. Laundry detergent (I suggest Surcare, washes clothes great and has no aggrivating ingredients which make skin itch badly), change your shampoo to an anti-dandruff shampoo (Eucerin is great! After a few washes it really helps the skin) and also do NOT use any soaps on your body, they aggrivate skin like crazy! (Eucerin also do a body wash which is great after a few uses). Also bedding can be quite rough on the skin so try and get cotton bedsheets

I have been through this and I am going through as levels, I know exactly how you feel! I hated myself so much.
Try and give my suggestions a go because if they work it will feel amazing!

Keep us updated on what happens and new things you try, and maybe we can suggest new things if other things fail
Good luck!!!