stonegrace

re:problems with eczema Have you had better luck these past months? I ahve been a nurse forever and have recently developed terrible eczema on my hands. fingers cracked and bleeding. Not good for the patient population I work with. I did develop impetigo at one time last month. Can't use steroid creams - makes it immediately much worse and my skin is already very thin - they would further thin it. Have been using Aquaphor, and a cheap vit. E cream from one of the drug store chains that are on every corner (it is sold near the bandaids, not the lotions.) But, I also recently found a doctor that is using light therapy called Gentle Waves. My hands heal much faster although the first 36 hours after the treatments there is actually a slight increase in itching and flaking. The cracks in my fingers have healed for the first time in months. He also presecribed a lotion called Hylira which is terribly expensive, but my insurance picked up the bulk. It looks and feels like KY jelly, but dramatically improves my skin overnight. (Not bad for crow's feet either I found out when I got too much on my hands one night.) By trial and error I found two other things that helped me - I try to avoid anything I can that has very much methyparaben or propylparaben in it. These are the preservatives that are in most lotions, soaps, shampoos, etc. They greatly irritate my skin although they are hugely hard to avoid. I don't even bath and body type shops because of their reliance on thoses chemicals. Also there is a product from Monostat that is for prevention of shafing, etc. The main ingredient is dimethicone which helps protect from water. I put it on several times a day, but exspecially before I take a shower or bath. Gets me through a shower without gloves on and without wanting to scream. (Still have to put gloves on to wash my hair.) Didn't mean to be this long winded. Please let me know if you have found any miracles. I care for MRSA patients every week and am scared to death that this is going to be the end of my career or worse. Luck to you!