Help discovering cause of eczema.

[Rosieeeee]

Hello,
I'm new to both this site and to forums but I'm at my wits end so I thought I've got nothing to lose by asking all you experienced people.

I've had eczema my whole life and as a child it was particularly horrendous. As I grew older I started to out-grow it however about 5 years ago I developed a patch of eczema on my middle finger which has since spread to the index finger. Thankfully it's only on these two for now (although I think it might be starting on my other hand) but I've kept going back to the doctors and they just keep prescribing steroids which I've been using on and off for these 5 years now and I'm not happy to do so anymore. I'm at a complete loss because I was simply told "It's probably something [I'll] just have to live with." I'm not really willing to accept that answer.
My hand never truly clears up and I can't track a trigger for the flare ups but my hand is murderously itchy, to the point where I honestly could cry, and the skin often gets these 'splits' in them. The skin literally just splits open creating this massive cut which is impossible to do anything with - I can't put cream on it since it's basically an open wound, so I simply have to leave this open cut on my hand to heal itself. I've had enough of this, because, as many of you will sympathise, it's having a massive affect on my daily life. I can't straighten my fingers properly due to them being swollen and incredible sore which means I can't hold things or open jars or even wash my hands properly. It also occasionally flares up around my eyes and I'm completely exhausted with it all now.

So, after my little tantrum, I'm appealing to everyone in the hopes that you'll have some potential techniques for keeping it under control and/or ways of determining the cause of it i.e. keeping a food diary and cutting out food groups or finding out certain products that could be triggers.

Any help is massively appreciated!
Thank you in advance and I apologise for the essay I've written here.
Rosie.

[Marcie Mom]

Sorry to hear that, hugs. My daughter has eczema from birth and now mostly on her hands, we find that dry wrapping it seem to help, i.e. apply moisturizer and wear a tubifast or other bandage over. take care!

[Rosieeeee]

Thank you, Marcie Mom. I'd never thought to wrap my hands a night. I'm going to try it because I find that I'm scratching it in my sleep. Much appreciated!

[Marcie Mom]

Welcome and hope it'd give you some relief. Be careful not to apply strong steroid as occluding it with a wrap increases the absorption into the skin more than the steroid is meant to when formulated. Try first with moisturizer (then wrap) and see how your hands are the next morning take care!

[Lactobakilla]

I have had eczema my entire life, so 22 years and counting.
I have found there are 3 primary factors to keeping my skin clear.
Food & water, Environment, and fitness.

Start cutting out as much non-organic foods as you can, and start drinking spring water instead of tap.
Eat primarily, or only what is natural to the eye. if you have to read the ingredients to decide, think twice. then read the label and decide.
When you consume food that isn't organic you are consuming trace pesticide residues that can cause inflammations to your skin. Same with ground water. There are 51 trace pesticides found in ground water according to the USDA, you shower in that too. So invest in a chlorine filter for the shower as well. if you live in a warm climate, use organic coconut oil while you shower.
You can search a pesticide residue database online at http://whatsonmyfood.org/


Manage a clean environment. stay out of dust and wear fresh clothes always. I am also allergic to dust mites. dust is a guaranteed flare for me. Get some sun, the sun is a natural antiseptic and produces vitamin D. and clean, temperate air, Going from one extreme climate to another can cause a flare. generally heat is going to be more irritant. cold can be good, if you flare go into the cold and let it numb out. but too cold can cause dryness and reverse the effect. If you live by the ocean or can make it, go to the ocean! the high magnesium and mineral content will cleanse and heal wounds and hydrate your skin.
I'm moving to hawaii in a few months for this very reason. The ocean is healer!

Exercise and exertion is important. exercise will greatly increase how fast your skin heals. and the way you have been eating, along with the exercise you did for the day will work together while you are resting. Because sleep is when your body regenerates and heals the most. if you lack efficient rest and start to stress you can cause your immune system to crash and in turn invite your skin to break out!

For your hand, use small amounts or organic coconut oil to moisturize so it doesn't crack and coconut oil is naturally antibacterial. you can use raw shea butter to hydrate if you need something of thicker consistency. Before you go to bed, apply emu oil to your cuts and wrap your hand in gauze tape.

Bless! good luck in the journey.

[Rosieeeee]

Wow. Thank you for such an in-depth response!
It's difficult to get sunlight, since I live in Scotland, but I am going to start with the ocean because I'm a couple of streets away from the coast so it's very convenient.
What you say about using cold to calm a flare up was interesting and it makes so much sense so I'll definitely be doing that! And I have found that coconut oil doesn't sting so much when I put it on particularly bad flare ups so I will also use that and bandage up my hands.
I really appreciate your advice.
Good luck to you too and I am very jealous that you are moving to Hawaii!

[Marcie Mom]

Be sure to use the right type of coconut oil, virgin coconut oil; see the tip from dermatologist below:
http://eczemablues.com/2012/03/sensitiv ... conut-oil/

Take care!
Mei

[bethmf99]

If the eczema is quite angry looking, when I was younger my mum used to put a layer of Hydrmol on my arms which is a thick cream but is amazing at soothing the eczema. She'd wrap my arms in bandages and sometimes if it was really bad she'd put a light steroid like Eumovate on or heavy powerful steroid like Elecon which is also amazing at healing the eczema. Then leave it on overnight with cotton gloves on. It did work, I've got to say!

[Rosieeeee]

Thank you bethmf99!
I've just been using Aveeno and a little bit of steroid cream when it's quite bad for now but I'll look into those creams because my steroids are ineffective.
Thanks for the advice

[northeastguy]

Rosieeeee

I had Eczema on my hands for about 20 - 30 years ... it was terrible at times and then it disappeared and reappeared on my face/ scalp instead ... and yes its a nightmare as sufferers know.
I have a question for you; have you applied the steroid cream properly as prescribed ?, to try and hit/stop the flare-up, get it under control in some way, reduce your stress levels over it and then treat it by the other advised methods; avoid contact with irritants, wash to avoid infection, moisturise etc. etc. I have often treated my flare-ups 'in my own way' by applying steroid to minimally because of being 'scared' of them. Ultimately this achieves very little and prolongs the agony.
As you know, Eczema seems to have a mind of its own and does what it wants; whilst at the same time causing us lots of stress, to the point where the stress then just fuels the Eczema anyway !
It's difficult I know but try to stay calm about it and in fairness to GPs, Eczema is such a difficult condition to treat, it is so specific to the individual and affected by 'almost everything' including anxiety.

I hope I'm helping !!!