Eczema Treatments

[prairiegirl]

I have eczema and have had it since the day I was born (I had it all over my face as soon as I came out!). It has been a battle since then to control it and I really want to get it under control before I start my clinicals (I'm worried about disease transmission through the open sores). Also, my eczema is much worse when I am stressed, hint it is very bad right now. Also, we just moved and our water is very hard and heavily chlorinated which makes it worse too. The NP at the Wellness Center at my university prescribed me Triamcinolone 0.1% for it. I have to use it 3x a day, and it is not working that great. It will clear it up for a few days, but unless I keep using in on those spots 3x a day everyday, it just comes back. I also use Vaseline Intensive Care lotion for general dry skin, and it no longer works too well. It seems as if my skin gets used to what I use, and it quits working. Does anyone know what else I could try that is not very expensive? I also have a terrible time with skin peeling and cracking on my hands and I cannot get that cleared up. The only thing that halfway works is Dr. Scholl's Ultra Healing Overnight Foot Cream on my hands with socks. I am so sick of itching and wearing long pants and shirts to cover my ugly eczema spots. I tried eliminating foods thinking it was a food allergy making it worse. The only that helped was quitting eating peanut butter. Nothing else made a difference. Does anyone have any ideas of treatments for eczema and extremely dry skin?

An Itchy Student Nurse

[nurse1day]

I have eczema also. I had it as a child and then it went away and came back in adulthood. I was prescribed triamcinolone also. I also use alot of cocoa butter, keri lotion, oil of olay soap with shea butter. The body shop also has mango butter for extra dry skin (that can get a little expensive). There is an over the counter aveeno hydrocortisone. Oil of olay now also sells a moisturizer that you use in the shower it is very good. Hope this helps!

[Stephanie in FL]

I have had success with a prescription cream called Elidel. Also, I use Vaseline Intensive Care Water Resistant Skin Protectant Lotion for my hands.

Stephanie RN

[wilsonmd71]

My stepmother used to work in a clinic where she was a technician in charge of UV light treatment for folks with eczema. I asked her about this. Apparently it is just like a typical tanning bed (only their equipment was the standing kind with varying intensity of light). She used to say that some patients were quite happy with the results b/c not only did it help reduce the eczema but they were getting a bit of a tan.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

I take 400 i.u. of Vitamin E to quell the itching. When I am off the vitamin I can tell the difference in comfort and in scaling.

[Energizer Bunny]

Elidel has worked for all of my children. It worked wonders, but I had to keep it up until it was completely gone or it came right back!

[Jamesdotter]

My mother used Campana Balm on my eczema when I was about 2--of course, that was more than 50 years ago!

[prairiegirl]

Thanks for the advice. I looked at that Oil of Olay shower lotion someone mentioned, but didnt buy it because i didnt know if it would work. I'll give it a try. I'll also try Vitamin E, seems like I've heard that somewhere before. I take a multi-vitamin now. I use that Carosoul (sp?) cream on the bad spots on my feet and ankles, but it gets expensive. $9 a tube and I use a tube every week and a half if I use it 2x a day like I should. It used to be Rx only, and when I had good insurance I paid $5 for a HUGE tube. But now my insurance wont cover it and it has gone OTC. Thanks for the advice. I"m glad to know I'm not the only itchy, scaley, flakey one out there :)

[Guest48390]

I have eczema and I use Eucerin dry skin therapy plus intensive repair creme. It works really well, I think maybe because it has alpha hydroxy in it to get rid of the flakies. I have found that anything works best if applied as soon as possible after getting out of the shower.

[donmomofnine]

Fish oil capsules worked well for my children, but their cases were not too severe.

[Winknme]

Have also had good results with Elidel, and also an OTC med called Dermarest - sold at Walmart specifically for eczema.

[JSB]

Elidel did not work well for me, and I don't usually have too much trouble with my eczema, but recently it has been worse. No one ever mentions Curel lotion, but that works better for me than even Eucerin. I also like Neutrogena hand cream. Hope you find something that works for you.