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

[FizzgigRN]

I too have ezcema. It would get bad during the winter months, but only affected my calves (weird) I met a great dermatologist in DC who prescribed Protopic. It works so great that I only have to apply it every once in awhile. For my hands (because they get so dry) I HAVE to use L'Occitane shea butter hand creme in the foil tube. It's around $28, but it lasted a year in school.

I only use baby oil getting out of the shower, but am thinking of using Eucerin. Everything else is so thin.

Good luck

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I am lucky as it works for me. Rather drying but it works at times along with elidel.

renerian

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I am lucky as it works for me. Rather drying but it works at times along with elidel.

renerian

[FizzgigRN]

... oh and the only soap I use has been Dove for the past 15 years.

It's funny, I was wondering why I hated to take showers or baths often. My husband thinks I'm crazy. Once we got in a hot tub with some friends and it took me 30 minutes just to get in. I thought I was being cooked. He finally grabbed my arm and pushed me in. Now I know. It's just too painful. No more hot tubs for me.

Fizz

[FizzgigRN]

... oh and the only soap I use has been Dove for the past 15 years.

It's funny, I was wondering why I hated to take showers or baths often. My husband thinks I'm crazy. Once we got in a hot tub with some friends and it took me 30 minutes just to get in. I thought I was being cooked. He finally grabbed my arm and pushed me in. Now I know. It's just too painful. No more hot tubs for me.

Fizz

[Fun2, BSN, RN]

I wish someone would come up with a cure for this!

My 14 yo daughter had a MAJOR breakout two weeks before high school (freshman) cheerleading camp! I felt so sorry for her!

Now we are starting the week after camp, and it is still a total breakout. She has taken the steroids, Rx cream, eucerin cream, nothing seems to be helping. Actually, the steroids started to help a little, but as soon as they were finished, the flare up came right back.

She usually only gets a few small patches, but its is everywhere this time. She is so miserable.