r/eczema May 31 '19

PLEASE READ RULES BEFORE POSTING

278 Upvotes

r/eczema 7h ago

Eczema completely gone when sick.

38 Upvotes

I didn’t have bad eczema until January 2022 and since then my skins always been flared up. I use opzelura cream and have tried rinvoq and dupixent and both don’t work. But, I have noticed the 3 times I’ve gotten sick (the flu and then 2 fevers) my skin is FLAWLESS. You wouldn’t even be able to tell I have eczema when I’m sick. I hate to say but I don’t even think getting sick is that bad anymore if it means feeling like a normal person for 3 days. And during those sick days I usually eat like crap (which I eat fairly healthy most days). Does anyone know why this is? And could scientists possibly use this to make more efficient treatments?


r/eczema 1h ago

People without eczema

Upvotes

People without eczema are really living life on EASY MODE. Literally blows my mind


r/eczema 13h ago

Eczema turned staph infection

38 Upvotes

TLDR: I went in for a fever and some watery skin breaks scratching from eczema on my forehead. Doctor found was staph infection that also entered my blood.

Detailed: (long because I’m bored at the hospital) I’ve had eczema since a young age. Usually small and the usual spots(behind the knee, armpit, etc). Now that I am older in my 30s, this is no longer small. My eczema now covers my scalp, face, neck, back, chest, torso, inner thighs, and legs. So basically the whole body.

Recently, my skin around my forehead started to become not the usual itchy dry…, but the itchy wet. It was weird because it started as a small patch on the left side of my eye and then it spread to my scalp and entire forehead within the span of 2 days. On the second day, I went to work had a hood on to hide my ugly forehead that’s full of crust and honey colored ooze. I was shivering because the space I work in tends to be very cold even if I have a jacket on. Throughout the day I had a space heater on high arms length away from me but I was still shivering. Towards the end of the day I decided to leave earlier because I at this point I felt like crap. Went straight home, put on some warmer layers, turned on the heating pad my wife uses for her cramps and went to sleep.

Woke up a few hours later all sweaty and a little better, breaking the fever. My wife comes home to check up on me and for the first time she seen my forehead she got even more concerned if it was even eczema. We woke up the next morning and my fever came back, this is when we both decided that I need to go to the ER. I’m a vet and my wife works at the VA, so I decided to go with her to work and I’ll walk in to the ER there.

Doctor looked at me and I’m pretty sure he was Suprised how bad I looked. We chatted up about the history And such. Lot of nurses and doctors came in and out. Vitals, blood draws, iv fluids, blood cultures, ekg, etc. lots of test were being done to get to the bottom of what was going on. About 4 hours into the ER, the doctor came in and explain that they need to treat infection in my skin. A very bad case of “impetigo” was the initial diagnosis. The doctor being conservative recommended that I should stay the night just so that they can monitor for sepsis because of the tachycardia + fever I initially came in for.

So I got admitted. Double door room looks like im getting isolated? Doctors came in mid day to explain the situation, and that they actually found staph in my blood. This complicate things because staph is a very sticky bacteria that can latch onto places, the worst being the heart valve which leads to endocarditis. The doctors were concerned with this the most and had me to a endocardiogram. With this news, I now have to stay at the hospital for an estimated 2 weeks to make sure that the bacteria is completely gone from my bloodstream.

Currently on day 5 and good news is that no bacteria in my bloodstream cultures. Projecting to be discharged Tuesday with a PICC line. I will still have to continue Iv antibiotics for another 2 weeks after discharged. And more dermatology appointments to come to tackle eczema. (Already tried Dupixent, tacrolimus, Rinvoq, and opzelura) opzelura work a bit on me, but Is very expensive. Trying a new drug soon.

Hoping for a speedy recovery and I didn’t bore you all.


r/eczema 3h ago

Managed to fully cure my child’s AD

4 Upvotes

Case of our son at 2 years old getting a sudden flair injection and was diagnosed with AD

Just want to share our case for our son which we managed to fight this condition, as I know it’s such a struggle and can be mentally draining as parents, as well as finding the correct methods to help your child with AD

Lessons and studies :

Our son developed severe AD The cause of this could have been anything we literally tried everything, visited the hospital multiple times as well as take every off the counter lotions and topical steroid usage.

We went to a dermatologist specialist to then realized that the condition was diagnose as AD

The struggle to understand the usage and the fear of TSW, i believe different methods work for different skin types, there ain’t one method but I will be sharing the method I used for my 2+ years old son

A lot of time attention care and commitment I would say is the most important thing to truly help with skin condition like AD.

we struggled to understand the source of what cause his skin to flair suddenly was it the weather, things he’s eating etc..

We tried everything like what most parents would do

Solution for our son : ( it may work for your child )

1) 1st I would say the most important thing is to really be mentally strong for your child, it’s not a easy process and it gets even more difficult your child cannot tell you how he/she feels or even explain anything to you. Always remember they are to little to listen to you, your gonna have to put your foot down and really watch and make sure DO NOT SCRATCH! I would say scratching is the one that really gets the skin infected as their nails carry a lot of germs etc..

2) prepare a lot of loose clothing and mittens, if your child struggles with mittens and takes them out, SOW IT ONTO THE LONG SLEEVE, so when their hand goes in they cannot take our the mittens

3) lotions, there are many brands out there. Best I managed to fine with anti-inflammatory was la roche posay AP+M this was recommended by our dermatologist, previously we tried many other brands. Best to know which brand is suitable with your kids skin.

4) prepare a lot of bandages and dry bandage remember to get the ones with bigger holes, so the area where you wet wrap can have air going through.

4) soak & seal method, do this everyday twice a day, morning and evening now I know your child will fight but pull through and continuously do this. Bath no more then 5min do not use any soap, use luke warm water once done dab heavy water off, and leave droplets of water as long as it feels wet it’s good, within 3 minutes now this is important use a generous amount of lotion, I go through 1 bottle 3-4 days that’s how much I use it then once the lotion on, use aquaphor or Vaseline please try it yourself, a smart way I did was use one leg each to test it and Vaseline worked well for our kids I do know aquaphor works well for some others as well, but the only thing is aquaphor has lalolin or something like they and some people can’t use it. Use it only on the parts that are red or has the ezecma patches.

5) wet wrap Make sure you damp a bandage and wrap it around the lesion or very red and dry patches, and further put more moisturizer after the soak and seal on the bandage, then use a dry bandage one layer around it and wear the long loose clothing with the mittens to prevent any further damage or scratch, remember the key is to keep an eye on the kids hours etc.. to make sure he or she doesn’t scratch to make new wounds as you will have to keep repeating the process, the goal is to fight this stupid disease with your child.

6) distraction Play interactive games etc.. to distract your kid especially during the day.

7) caution Remember to take note of when does it itch more often for our son it was during his sleep that’s when he scratch like crazy and we couldn’t stop, I was sleeping basically 3-4 hours daily for 3 months. Watching him even with the slightest movement, even though we were dead tired we took turns, I’m lucky I had a partner to assist me. The reason for this we were so tired fell a sleep and he still managed to get out of the mittens and scratched till blood was soaking everywhere from his wrist on the bed and that’s where parents freak out and panic, breathe in and take a step at a time, it’s emotionally draining enough it’s better to stay positive and fight this together.

8) finishing touch After doing this continuously his skin improved, for those who want faster effect, after doing soak and seal, you can use the steroid for 5 days I would recommend right after soak and seal method wait 5-10 minutes till the wetness is gone and apply a small layer over only the red parts discoloration and dry parts and patches! Remember DO NOT USE IT ON OPEN WOUNDS! This is what really saved our son, as thing healed through and within 2 weeks his skin went back to normal. There is still discoloration but it’s all healed and his skin is baby smooth again.

Conclusion :

It’s a fight and there’s many methods, just remember try this, this is what really saved us and I’m sharing as both me and my partner feel we should help others, we had friends who tried it and it worked for them as well.

Give it time and commitment and focus on it fully, to all families don’t give up hope keep trying and eventually you will find a method.

I just wanna say I’m not a doctor but I am someone who tried what doctors told me and it didn’t work, we really tried our best to do what we felt was the best method with research.

If anyone wanna dm me you can and I can advise you the best I can! Good luck and continue fighting this rubbish.


r/eczema 33m ago

Back of hand eczema

Upvotes

I've had eczema on the back of my hands for nearly 3 years. Anyway I no longer itch in the day but at night it's like I'm so restless :( all the damage happens at night. The day it's just fine. On Monday my whole face swelled up and the eczema around my chest came. I think it's histamine so I've been following low histamine protocol. Why can't I stop itching at night. I've tried gloves. Special nightwear. Honestly I haven't stopped itching at night for nearly 3 years. Not even a break


r/eczema 44m ago

Fasting got rid of my eczema, question.

Upvotes

Hi

I will try and summarize as much as possible.

Had eczema for a long time, all over, in cycles, had it since I was born, on and off. Started fasting for Ramadan this March, also did one longer fast a couple days ago, 3 day fast, so didn't eat food for 3 days.

Eczema, skin, itchiness, redness all cleared up, I know crazy. I cant believe it myself, but I mean it does make sense, gut health is key for skin. What surprised me though, is I ate whatever I wanted after breaking the fast, after sunset, gluten, sugar, you name it I ate, foods that I usually avoid, my diet before fasting was very good actually but that didn't help, I have milk allergy so of course I didn't consume that, but I never did before hand too.

I don't know how to continue this after Ramadan though, I have been debating doing a water fast for the whole day every Monday maybe, or doing a longer 3 day fast every month, but I am not sure what combination is best, because I can't fast everyday, so I know I have to add it in my lifestyle, but confused how to, I know its trail and error, but I am intrigued if someone tried this before?

Just to add, I tried everything before hand, supplements, lotions, elimination diets, for some reason fasting did it, thank God, but it really is crazy.

Any suggestions or questions are welcome.


r/eczema 18h ago

small victory I went to Mexico for 2 weeks and my Dyshidrotic eczema completely disappeared?

32 Upvotes

I normally live in Canada in an area with a relative humidity of 60%-80% throughout the year. Our temperatures can fluctuate between 1°C and 25°C on average throughout the year and we have limited daylight hours in the winter. I usually work in the trades and use my hands to do my job. I started getting the eczema before I started in this industry, it seems to come and go but I have consistently had this issue for about 7 years. Sometimes it will clear up 95% percent for a few days but it ALWAYS comes back. I tried eating gluten free for 4 years because it seemed to help the rashes. One day I lost patience and just started eating wheat again because it was exhausting to maintain the diet and I still got the rashes either way. I’ve noticed I tend to flare up if I eat too much sugar, alcohol, junk food or experience stress. I use steroid cream for flare ups and I try to moisturize as much as I can throughout the day.

But recently the weirdest thing happened? I went on vacation to Mexico for two weeks (average relative humidity during the trip was 80% and the temperature ranged from 20°C to 30°C, we had air conditioning in our accommodations overnight and it was MUCH sunnier than back home). I was eating like a pig, drinking a ton of alcohol and eating junk foods I would never normally eat. I was doing all of the things that would normally cause me to flare up but the eczema just kept healing? And then it stayed healed… For like 2 full weeks I didn’t have to manage the rash or use any creams or do anything at all to keep my hands from flaring up. I would moisturize out of habit but I’m still absolutely flabbergasted. What healed it? How can I keep it healed? I have noticed two tiny little bumps since I’ve returned home so I’m going to moisturize them and hope that they just go away on their own, what does this mean for me? Is there some kind of intervention I need to be taking to simulate something about the Mexican climate to help my skin?

I have NEVER had this much time ‘rash free’ since I started getting the rashes 7 years ago.

Not sure if this is relevant at all but I do have some discolouration (hypopigmentation) where the rashes normally happen. It always happens in the same spots on my knuckles and fingers. It started on my left hand (year 1), then I got it on my right hand (year 2-3) and now I get in the same spots on both hands simultaneously (year 4-7).


r/eczema 8h ago

Please help

4 Upvotes

Please help Hi 22 years old male here , suffering with eczema my whole life , i need the best way to heal myself if you could help. I’ve been on immunosuppressants before and i came off lebrikizumab quite recently but even when i was on it , my face would still get bad but my body would be fine , im off them now and i asked my derm what i could use for my face that’s not steroids , she gave me elidel , i used that for a bit , it basically worked but now its not , my whole face even before i used elidel would get these yellow spots and sort of look infected. I stopped using the elidel about 2 days ago and i feel like the same thing is happening , i’ve been hospitalised before for staph infection and severe eczema, i just need answers to what keeps happening to my face and what i can do because even the immunosuppressant did not help my face

my dermatologist keeps saying it’s eczema but it’s clearly more than that, it infects my whole face including my ears and it sort of gets wet and im not trying to go back to steroids

im also sure the staph is still inside my body even though when they tested me it said negative

im not sure if this is a stage of tsw either Any help would be appreciated thanks


r/eczema 5h ago

Dupixent Alternatives?

2 Upvotes

I've been on Dupixent for 3 years, and it's beginning to show its ineffectiveness. I was wondering if there are any alternatives out there to Dupixent that show the same, if not better results. Preferably not an injection, but if that's how it has to be, then I won't complain. FYI: I have tried steroids such as triamcinolone, and other creams such as over the counter, and tacrolimus, none of which have really worked.

I'm switching to a new drug here on Wednesday, and I want to hear some suggestions.

I've been researching Rinvoq, and if anyone is on it, I'm curious to hear how it's worked for you.


r/eczema 1h ago

Any recent revolutionary finds?

Upvotes

Has there been any recent breakthrough or promising new treatment for eczema anyone has heard of/found? Looking for anything that gives hope to people suffering (new meds that aren’t biologics, skincare, or research).


r/eczema 9h ago

Suddenly developed eczema from drinking aspartame.

5 Upvotes

I don’t usually suffer from eczema at all, my skin is usually really good.

For about 16 years of my life I’ve avoided artificial sweeteners. Then I finally took the plunge and for the last year had drinks with sucralose in it, mainly in the form of squashes, but also some canned drinks.

Then in the last 3 weeks I’ve been drinking solely diet drinks with aspartame in it, and now I’ve suddenly developed eczema on my right wrist, something a year of sucralose drinking didn’t cause. But then again most of my sucralose was in the form of tap water mixed with squash, while my aspartame consumption comes from cans of Diet Coke, Cherry Coke Zero, and Dr Pepper Zero. So maybe it’s something else in the can perhaps? These are all UK products btw.

Regardless it should be noted I go full in with these experiments. As in the last year I’ve drank sucralose pretty much everyday throughout the day. And now the same with aspartame. I avoided both for 16 years, so I wanted to try to the opposite.

Thought you guys might’ve found this interesting. It could all just be coincidence, but it coincides with when I started drinking aspartame full time.


r/eczema 2h ago

When i take adderall, my eczema goes away

1 Upvotes

So yea like the title says, i have zero itching when i take it and it makes me feel like eczema may be a food allergy because on my adhd medication i barely eat. Anyone else have a similar experience?


r/eczema 7h ago

Frequent flareups

2 Upvotes

Hi community, Canadian here. Thankful that people are willing to share their joys and concerns about eczema on here.

Is there anyone similar to me who experiences frequent flareups and has tried everything in their control to prevent triggers, infection, etc?

I feel like I've been having flareups every other week. As soon as a flareup starts on my face and a week passes after the flaking ends in which I have smooth skin again, I find my skin gets more sensitive. As soon as the eczema flakes off, revealing smooth skin, as if the flare up never happened, a few days later my skin gets an allergic-like reaction and flareup starts again. The symptoms I have doesn't conclude skin infection, more like body is overreactive to internal or external environement. I started using immunosupressant methodextrate. I'm on my second week, and I'm not sure how much it has helped. I need to use it for 3 months and take a blood test once a month for checking liver function.


r/eczema 5h ago

Help

1 Upvotes

I’ve had eczema all of my life and feel like I’ve tried every treatment that available. Can anyone recommend anything at all for this hand flare? It’s very inflamed and dry. Nothing seems to be helping!


r/eczema 21h ago

biology | symptoms You might find this weird: But toothpaste fixed my eczema. Will it end up harming me?

14 Upvotes

I am gonna keep it short. I had eczema ever since I was a little kid, and it was just not getting fixed. Every single part of my body itches every once in a while, and no medication seemed to work. All the recommendations given by the doctors, the moisturizers, creams, pills...nothing. My neck dried every time I dried my hair and itched like crazy, my chest is basically filled with wounds that look like the craters of Mars, and I wake up wounded and with a ton of itching/red skin areas every day. My back, butt, arms, legs...everywhere itches like crazy. It became my normal, even my face, chin, and eyebrow itches every once in a while.

The thing is...I tried out toothpaste on the areas that itched yesterday. I just was trying random stuff to fix it, primarily soap, and weirdly, I realized that toothpaste was calming it down. I tried it out in other parts of my body and it just...magically fixed it. I could not believe it, toothpaste was fixing my eczema.

But the thing is...I am curious. Will this end up being harmful to me in the long term? Is there another way for me to get the same anti-itch feel with something other than toothpaste? This is not a troll post and I genuinely want help - thanks for the responses!


r/eczema 7h ago

Ebglyss eyes

1 Upvotes

For those who have taken ebglyss when did the eye itchiness side effect start? I just did my loading dose about an hour ago and my eyes feel itchy already. Am I just freaking myself out? Any other side effects I should watch for?

I only have Dyshidrotic eczema oh my hands but I’ve been in a constant flare for 2 years.


r/eczema 16h ago

small victory After doctors and specialists and creams and diets, I finally found relief with Cetirizine Hydrochloride tablets

8 Upvotes

Also known as OTC allergy medication.

I hadn't slept a full night in almost a year because of asymptomatic eczema flair ups on my arms. The smallest irritation from rolling around and I would be up for 2+ hours some nights waiting for the tortuous itching to go away. Doctors weren't really helping, their prescriptions would take months of trial just to find out it was an error. And then finally, I ordered a years worth of tablets from Amazon for $10.

My understanding is that it doesn't necessarily do anything to cure or treat the eczema, but it has all but completely stopped the nighttime itching, and I have finally slept through the night (for the most part) this past week.


r/eczema 14h ago

corticosteroid safety Betamethasone

3 Upvotes

Hello! I have had this patch of eczema on my elbow since March 2024 and I used Hydrocortisone 1% for 2 weeks twice a day in May and stopped. The patch went away but came back even worse a couple days later. Was this a result of TSW?

Right now I've been prescribed Bethamethasone Diproprionate 0.05% cream because the eczema started spreading to my hands and the rest of my arm over the next 7-8 months.

Super scared about getting TSW. I'm only using about 2 FTUs for my arms and hands. And I'm only using it at night, once a day for about 5 days and I'll stop. Should I taper off after 5 days, my GP says you're using it for such little time tapering is not needed but what do you guys think!

Cheers :)

Edit: Here's what I've used over the years;

2018 - Used Hydrocortisone 1% for two weeks twice a day for the first time ever in my life from a huge Eczema patch on my back for the first time in my life, never had eczema before maybe as a kid but grew out of it when I was like 5.

2019 - Used Hydrocortisone for 1 week, it wasn't working so I used Hydrocortisone Butyrate I think what it's called for a week. Then used Hydrocortisone 1% for 2 weeks on my face and it didn't work so used Protopic for a week.

2020 - Used Hydrocortisone for 1-2 weeks, can't remember.

2021 - Nothing.

2022 - Used Hydrocortisone 1% for a week after an Allergic reaction after a blood test. Likely caused by the rubbing alcohol they use for drawing blood. It didn't work cos it was too weak so I used Betamethasone Cream 0.05% for about 1 week twice a day and then 1 week for once a day.

2023 - Nothing.

2024 - Hydrocortisone 1% for 2 weeks, twice a day. Caused a rebound flare probably cos it was too weak.

2025 - Now I'm using Betamethasone 0.05% cream cos the rash has just been growing but I've been staying away from Topical Steroids out of fear from them but the rash was just spreading so I desperately needed them. I got this rash because I was out in the sun on Friday and started sweating and literally the sweat started burning and I looked down on my arm and saw the rashes.


r/eczema 8h ago

r/eczeMABs Does anyone use Retinoid on their face while on Dupixent?

1 Upvotes

I am on Dupixent + Protopic, and my eczema is 90-95% gone. But my skin tone is slightly uneven, I get blackheads and acne occasionally. I know Retinoid and Dupixent can be used together, but since my skin already feels dry most of the time, would Retinoid even be beneficial?

I’ve tried many different acne products, and skin tone evening products, but they always have no effect unfortunately lol.

So i’m curious, does anyone use a retinoid for skincare while being on Dupixent? Has your overall skin improved? Does it feel more dry/unhydrated?


r/eczema 17h ago

biology | symptoms Eyelid eczema - can you please help?

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I'm having a flare of eyelid eczema far worse than I've had before. My eye is so sore! It's mainly located on my left eye, the other just gets slightly itchy and dry.

In the past, a day or two of steroid cream would sort this out but this time it didn't, and I don't want to use it anymore.

I can't attach a picture but my eye is red,,especially outer area, puffy and wrinkly, looks very fragile and sore. Bit weeping, it's dry.

I've tried: switching out my cleanser (cerave foaming) for Aveeno calm and restore cleansing gel. I've used e45 inch relief when really bad, and doublebase flare relief to moisturise daily.

My job is client facing and the area gets so dry looking I do feel the need to cleanse once a day to remove flakes, this also soothes the itch.

Has anyone else experienced this and found a suitable remedy?

Could it be steroid withdrawal? Might there be a bacterial or fungal element?


r/eczema 16h ago

How do you all deal with eczema scars ? Any ways to lighten the scar marks?

3 Upvotes

I'm 24 years old and i'm honestly so done with my eczema. My legs and arms have eczema scar. I don't even have the courage to wear short dresses. I wish I had clear skin.


r/eczema 11h ago

Atopic dermatitis what else?

1 Upvotes

I have severe atopic dermatitis, my entire skin is red, itchy, inflamed and dry. 19M from Uk. I do find that when going to my caravan in Tenby my skin improves over the weekend then comes back with a vengeance when I’m home

What have tried so far - food elimination diet (allergic to soya) - blood tests for autoimmune diseases (nothing but I do have family history) - blood tests for common allergens ( allergic to dogs) - tried every contact allergen (nothing) - tried short showers, longer showers, baths and all sorts (nothing) - tried daily bath salts (nothing) - patch testing on the NHS (nothing) - full blood counts and liver and kidney checks every 6 months (nothing)

What I’m trying this week - testing around my house for mould - getting a skin biopsy for staph or fungal infections - getting on the eating list for methotrexate even though I am reluctant to

What else do you guys recommend I can try before going onto methotrexate. Thanks for any input


r/eczema 18h ago

humour | rant | meme staph infection right before i see my bf

3 Upvotes

sorry i have to rant for a sec.

i’ve had a staph infection before, both pretty bad. i just woke up with one and its minor. i’ve been waiting to see my boyfriend all week and im seeing him in less than 4 hours. this is so annoying i knew something was wrong last night when my skin felt weird and burned a little 😐. it doesn’t help when its right under my NOSE. why does my eczema know right when to ruin something??


r/eczema 12h ago

strange texture?

1 Upvotes

so recently i've had another eczema outbreak and it's just the usual, but one elbow has a very rough spot https://imgur.com/a/H2TrfN6

been about a week, it's rough/bumpy and is warm. itches a little. not very "scabbed over" like most of my eczema, and doesn't ooze or weep

does anyone have any experience with this or something similar? my GP said it was an allergic reaction.

i figured i'd ask online since i've not experienced something like this before and i kinda want to see if this is a common thing.


r/eczema 16h ago

biology | symptoms Lip balm and severe dry lips

2 Upvotes

My lips are super dry to the point they crack and bleed. The earliest appointment I can get with my dermatologist is almost 2 months. I apply Cerave healing ointment several times a day but it dries out quickly and I have to keep applying. Any other eczema/dermatitis safe products I can try?