Eczema and dry skin

ShinySkyShaymin1994

Hello I have been battling Eczema since 2 months after I moved out of my mom's house to a different city I also have dry skin which became worse here as well is there anythig that helped you or someone you know naturally with their eczema? sometimes it's good sometimes it's out of control it's weird because I have not had eczema for years even when I used to be 370 pounds any help would be great

zyxst

Keep hydrated and moisturize.

CMNVA

My son has eczema that he battles off an on. So there are a few factors with this. You've moved out of your mom's house (stress even though it could be good stress). Are you using different detergent than what your mom used? Different soap or body wash every day? Does your new home have less humidity? Maybe your mom had a humidifier on top of her heating/cooling system and now your new place does not? Is your new city far enough away that you have a different climate.

All of these types of factors would flare up my son's eczema. Diet change is another one. The important thing is to get it under control and then go to the "natural" cures. Once you are in a bad cycle it's almost impossible to break without medication.

So first determine if you are using detergents or soaps that trigger it. If they are the same as you have always used, then you can rule that out.

As the poster above says, heavily moisturize. Then get some prescription cream from your doctor and treat the bad areas.

tlflag1620

Yes moisturizer, but be extremely picky about lotions - avoid anything with fragrance.

I had bad eczema on my hands for seven years. Tried everything, including prescription ointments and creams. Nothing worked. I tried eliminating dairy. No dice. When I went LCHF (to lose weight), my eczema up and disappeared (50% clear in two weeks, 90% in six weeks, totally gone after about three months). Idk if it was the elimination of gluten (a common trigger) or just getting more fat in my diet (cell membranes are made primarily of fat), but whatever it was the eczema went away and has stayed gone for three and a half years now. It's one of my primary reasons for staying low carb!

Muscleflex79

I just started bathing in coconut oil after having some issues with dry/itchy skin and it is heavenly!!!

chapiano

Use pine tar soap to wash and use E45 to moisturise. Wear gloves when cleaning, washing up etc. It's an allergy like hayfever, antihistamines can also help. I used to get breakouts on my hands but not anymore.

Ming1951

In the past year I have also developed some type of Eczema on my scalp, not all over but in several spots. Had the doctor check it and order me a script shampoo but I didn't get it as it was over $400. and with insurance and I can't afford that. So I also have some steroid drops from dermatologist which helps the itch somewhat. I also have tried tea tree oil but so far I'm still battling it. I guess I will have to go back to the dermatologist.

Skyblueyellow

When my son's eczema is really bad the only thing that works is a topical steroid cream on the affected areas. Otherwise we avoid using soap (we use Cetaphil) and I'm even quite picky about his shampoo (we use non-fragranced Burt's Baby Bee shampoo for him). For lotion I actually use a thick cream (CeraVe). It gets spendy but it's worth it as his self-esteem suffers when his skin gets too bad. I also use pure oil on him (rose hip oil) right after he showers to lock in moisture. You can also use products such as Aquaphor, though they are thick and greasy and my son doesn't enjoy the way it feels on his skin.

Good luck!

tcunbeliever

Eczema is generally a symptom of a struggling thyroid (your thyroid controls skin hydration levels). Some things you can try:

Eat iodine rich and thyroid supporting foods (cruciferous and sea vegetables, fish, etc).
Irish Moss Lotion topically
Lugol's Iodine topically
Nature's sunshine makes a Thyroid Activator and Thyroid Support herbal supplements - these have worked great for my family, they clear everything up within a couple days, keep taking for about a week after symptoms are gone.

rainbowbow

I suggest you avoid any potential products which can cause flares.

1. Switch to unscented body washes, shampoos, and conditioners
2. Switch to unscented laundry detergent and/or softener
3. Consider purchasing a filtered shower head
4. Drink Plenty of Water
5. Increase fats in your diet (i personally take flax or krill oil)
6. Increase your use of non-scented humectant moisturizers

Of course it depends on your specific circumstance, but once you get it under control i've had good success minimizing flares with the following:
Shampoo
Baby Soap
Body Butter
African Black Soap

icemom011

I used to live in the cold climate and suffered eczema really badly every winter. I would bleed from scratching it, and couldn't stop it with any steroid creams,Rx strength. Every year i would go to a vacation to the sea, and magically it would clear, and effect would last for quite a while, but winter time was always rough. Now i leave in the south, close to the ocean. No problems. Ever. TG. Aside from everyone's advice, some fabrics are more irritating that others, so figure out what triggers it, and try to avoid it. Definitely look into your laundry soaps, softeners, lotions. Benadryl is also very helpful, try to avoid steroids, pills and creams, if you can. Especially pills. Good luck.

WickedPineapple

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eczema/basics/treatment/con-20032073
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eczema/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20032073

I get mild eczema on my hands consistently every year starting in the fall along with hay fever. I also tend to get it in random other places. I use Aveeno Eczema Therapy lotion twice a day, and this will get rid of the eczema completely (and/or prevent it) on my hands. This year I have a bad patch of it on my right calf that's been waking me up at night. The lotion worked on my hands, but not my legs (it'll help with the itch temporarily, but the eczema is still there). I started icing it before bed (after applying the lotion) and it hasn't been waking me up anymore (yay!). However, it hasn't gotten rid of that patch, it just prevented the itching from waking me up. I'm recently read that bentonite clay helps, so I'm giving that a shot right now (I put it on my face for a facial and on my legs for the eczema) It got rid of the itch instantaneously, so we'll see if it helps long term.

I also avoid anything with fragrance (lotions, body wash, laundry detergent, fabric softener, etc.) I take antihistamine every night anyway for my hay fever (so antihistamine didn't get rid of it for me). Coconut oil and hydrocortisone ointment helps too, but don't get rid of it, just helps with the itch.

I get the impression that different things help different people. My best friend gets it so badly her hands crack and bleed. The lotion doesn't work for her anymore and she had to go to the doctor for a corticosteroid.

WickedPineapple

Ming1951 wrote: »

In the past year I have also developed some type of Eczema on my scalp, not all over but in several spots. Had the doctor check it and order me a script shampoo but I didn't get it as it was over $400. and with insurance and I can't afford that. So I also have some steroid drops from dermatologist which helps the itch somewhat. I also have tried tea tree oil but so far I'm still battling it. I guess I will have to go back to the dermatologist.

@Ming1951 My husband gets something similar (itchy patches on his scalp) and uses Selsun Blue Itchy Dry Scalp, Naturals (with salicylic acid, he says the other selsun blue shampoos without it don't work). He says he has to wash his hair every day with it too or they come back.

tashygolean730

Eliminating gluten cleared my eczema up. I had to do it for other allergy reasons that called for an elimination diet. Major bonus. Not going back lol

ShinySkyShaymin1994

I was tested on Gluten but have no problems with it

ShinySkyShaymin1994

I get eczema on my wrists hands and fingers

girlinahat

Udder cream (yes, you get it from an agricultural or veterinary supplier) is great.

I found out that my real problem was being allergic to lanolin, and that's in a lot of moisturisers. I find I get a flare up of skin problems if I'm physically dehydrated, so drink plenty.

courtneyfabulous

Are you eating a lot differently since moving out? Diet/nutrition can play a large part in issues like that.

Also how is your protein intake? I've never had eczema but I had really dry skin, brittle hair, thin nails, and cracked feet until I found out I was chronically under eating protein. I increased my protein intake to 100 grams a day and after a few months all of those issues decreased drastically! Hair takes longer but it's starting to feel thicker, my skin is more supple less dry, cracked feet almost healed and smooth, nails stronger...

Fuzzipeg

It could be worth trying the exclusions suggested because there are more proteins in wheat than the gluten. Were you to go totally wheat free you would see results in 6 weeks. That is not that long to invest in establishing something once and for all. If you were to try eliminating dairy the results are within days. It can be more complicated with dairy because it can be casein and/or lactose which could be the issue. Dairy from sheep and goats has a different casein type which is more easily digested.

There is the possibility you could be reacting to something in your new environment, possibly moulds.

ShinySkyShaymin1994

courtneyfabulous wrote: »

Are you eating a lot differently since moving out? Diet/nutrition can play a large part in issues like that.

Also how is your protein intake? I've never had eczema but I had really dry skin, brittle hair, thin nails, and cracked feet until I found out I was chronically under eating protein. I increased my protein intake to 100 grams a day and after a few months all of those issues decreased drastically! Hair takes longer but it's starting to feel thicker, my skin is more supple less dry, cracked feet almost healed and smooth, nails stronger...

Yes I ate differently and as time went by I made more healthier choices I'm soaps are different and got sick more often idk why since I'm allergic to pollen trees grass and dust and there are more where my mom lives 20 mins from my group home I eat a lot of protein I don't really eat soy because idk how to tell which soy is ferminated or unferminated some soy is unhealthy for the body

tlflag1620

ShinySkyShaymin1994 wrote: »

courtneyfabulous wrote: »

Are you eating a lot differently since moving out? Diet/nutrition can play a large part in issues like that.

Also how is your protein intake? I've never had eczema but I had really dry skin, brittle hair, thin nails, and cracked feet until I found out I was chronically under eating protein. I increased my protein intake to 100 grams a day and after a few months all of those issues decreased drastically! Hair takes longer but it's starting to feel thicker, my skin is more supple less dry, cracked feet almost healed and smooth, nails stronger...

Yes I ate differently and as time went by I made more healthier choices I'm soaps are different and got sick more often idk why since I'm allergic to pollen trees grass and dust and there are more where my mom lives 20 mins from my group home I eat a lot of protein I don't really eat soy because idk how to tell which soy is ferminated or unferminated some soy is unhealthy for the body

I found the "healthier" I ate (as in lowering fat consumption, especially saturated fat, and increasing whole grain consumption) the worse my eczema got. I never connected the two. It wasn't until I radically changed my diet to high fat (including plenty of saturated fat), low carb, and eliminated much of the grain from my diet, that my eczema suddenly vanished. It may not be gluten - there are other proteins in wheat and other grains that may be problematic. Like I said before, idk if I simply wasn't getting enough fat, or if I am sensitive to a protein in grains, but the improvement was sudden and dramatic. Fwiw, I had tried bag balm, udder cream, coconut oil, olive oil, prescription and OTC corticosteroid creams and ointments... You name it! Some things provided minimal temporary relief, but the eczema always came raging back. Mine was on my hands and would alternate between periods of insane, intense itching and oozing, to dry, cracked and bleeding. It was awful, so I totally sympathize! It only took two weeks of a LCHF diet to see dramatic improvement, and six weeks to get to 90% clear skin. I never looked back after that! The 50 lbs I lost would a nice little bonus, but I would have kept eating this way even if I hadn't lost a single pound. Not dealing with the eczema is motivation enough. Been eczema free for three and a half years now.... It might be worth a shot for you. Try it for a couple weeks. You'll know by then whether or not it's helping. Just my $0.02

ShinySkyShaymin1994

Tiflag I eat really healthy so my problem doesn't sound the same as yours all our bodies are different maybe I have something else going on but I am going through what a lot have been through it sounds like for a while I am good then it comes raging back I try to eat lower saturated fat, less then 20 grams of saturated fat I was eczema free for a decade even with my bad health it came back when my health was changing for the better but after I moved out so it's that period of time I know for sure maybe it's something different in the air but who knows maybe it can be saturated fat. same time I don't notice things all the time since I have Autism I notice less then some people I think so I can be missing something who knows.

tlflag1620

ShinySkyShaymin1994 wrote: »

Tiflag I eat really healthy so my problem doesn't sound the same as yours all our bodies are different maybe I have something else going on but I am going through what a lot have been through it sounds like for a while I am good then it comes raging back I try to eat lower saturated fat, less then 20 grams of saturated fat I was eczema free for a decade even with my bad health it came back when my health was changing for the better but after I moved out so it's that period of time I know for sure maybe it's something different in the air but who knows maybe it can be saturated fat. same time I don't notice things all the time since I have Autism I notice less then some people I think so I can be missing something who knows.

What I was saying is that my eczema was at its *worst* when I was "eating healthy" (limiting fats, especially saturated fat and eating lots of whole grains). Sounds like that is exactly what you are doing (eating very little saturated fat). I know eczema is autoimmune and there are lots of different triggers, but when you said you were eating "healthier than ever" it sounded a lot like what I went through. Most people who say they are eating healthy are eating precious little fat and lots of whole grains. When I was overweight my eczema was pretty much nonexistent. When I tried to lose weight by eating "healthier", I cut the fat and started eating more fiber (including more grain), and that's when it got really bad and I couldn't get rid of it. It wasn't until I tried a high fat, low carb approach to lose weight that the eczema disappeared. Cell membranes, including skin cells, are made of predominantly fat, and most of this is saturated fat. You might want to try increasing the amount of fat in your diet. I understand being hesitant to go "all in" and do LCHF, but you might benefit from upping your fat intake at least somewhat. Dietary culprits can be hard to pinpoint tho. If you've eliminated other environmental factors, it would be time to look at diet. Dairy, soy, and wheat are common culprits.

ShinySkyShaymin1994

tlflag1620 wrote: »

ShinySkyShaymin1994 wrote: »

Tiflag I eat really healthy so my problem doesn't sound the same as yours all our bodies are different maybe I have something else going on but I am going through what a lot have been through it sounds like for a while I am good then it comes raging back I try to eat lower saturated fat, less then 20 grams of saturated fat I was eczema free for a decade even with my bad health it came back when my health was changing for the better but after I moved out so it's that period of time I know for sure maybe it's something different in the air but who knows maybe it can be saturated fat. same time I don't notice things all the time since I have Autism I notice less then some people I think so I can be missing something who knows.

What I was saying is that my eczema was at its *worst* when I was "eating healthy" (limiting fats, especially saturated fat and eating lots of whole grains). Sounds like that is exactly what you are doing (eating very little saturated fat). I know eczema is autoimmune and there are lots of different triggers, but when you said you were eating "healthier than ever" it sounded a lot like what I went through. Most people who say they are eating healthy are eating precious little fat and lots of whole grains. When I was overweight my eczema was pretty much nonexistent. When I tried to lose weight by eating "healthier", I cut the fat and started eating more fiber (including more grain), and that's when it got really bad and I couldn't get rid of it. It wasn't until I tried a high fat, low carb approach to lose weight that the eczema disappeared. Cell membranes, including skin cells, are made of predominantly fat, and most of this is saturated fat. You might want to try increasing the amount of fat in your diet. I understand being hesitant to go "all in" and do LCHF, but you might benefit from upping your fat intake at least somewhat. Dietary culprits can be hard to pinpoint tho. If you've eliminated other environmental factors, it would be time to look at diet. Dairy, soy, and wheat are common culprits.

Actually yeah that does sound a lot like me my eczema was non existent for over a decade before I was 10 and I gained 170 starting when I was 9 all the way to 19 it went away so I will try to up my Sat fat intake but I am hesitant to do low carb since I am not eating enough calories so I am trying to eat more food

courtneyfabulous

Well fat is very high in calories so if you increase fat and lower carbs your calories don't have to go down

tlflag1620

courtneyfabulous wrote: »

Well fat is very high in calories so if you increase fat and lower carbs your calories don't have to go down

This. Fat is more calorie dense than protein or carbs. Even if you don't want to do low carb, adding some fat to your diet will help you to eat more calories, and may help the condition of your skin. Simply opting for full fat dairy, putting some butter on your veggies, and eating fattier cuts of meat (and keeping the skin on the chicken) will add fat, and calories, without adding much volume. If you do decide to do LC, keep in mind that low carb only causes weight loss if you are in a calorie deficit.

kshatriyo

ShinySkyShaymin1994 wrote: »

Hello I have been battling Eczema since 2 months after I moved out of my mom's house to a different city I also have dry skin which became worse here as well is there anythig that helped you or someone you know naturally with their eczema? sometimes it's good sometimes it's out of control it's weird because I have not had eczema for years even when I used to be 370 pounds any help would be great

So, it is possibly stress from moving combined with dry weather and allergens. I haven't yet had a change in my skin no matter what I eat, but if you want to try that, a serious elimination diet would be tough, but the only way to really figure it out.

FWIW My dad and I both swear by a shampoo and conditioner called Regis Deslignline Cashmere, you can get it in wal-mart salons and masters salons (break out the banjo). My dad is in such a hispster anti-walmart area that I have to mail it to him from my toothless low-brow section of 'murica.

Also make sure you do not ever use fabric softeners and use a dye free and fragrance free laundry detergent. Don't change your soaps or go back to what you used to use.

None of the regular OTC eczema products did much in the way of helping, and moisturizing helps minimally (get a good fragrance free one like Cerave).

Eczema has a tendency to build up. You might need a topical steroid to really get the inflammation down for a few days. This worked for the ezcema in my ears so well that it tends to go away for many months without needing further treatment again.

kshatriyo

I also want to add the oil makes my ezcema worse; my skin needs to breathe.

kshatriyo

tcunbeliever wrote: »

Eczema is generally a symptom of a struggling thyroid (your thyroid controls skin hydration levels). Some things you can try:

Eat iodine rich and thyroid supporting foods (cruciferous and sea vegetables, fish, etc).
Irish Moss Lotion topically
Lugol's Iodine topically
Nature's sunshine makes a Thyroid Activator and Thyroid Support herbal supplements - these have worked great for my family, they clear everything up within a couple days, keep taking for about a week after symptoms are gone.

I kind of think if someone has a possible thyroid condition it is also a good idea to get labs done and possibly consult a doctor. Supplements alone do not work for a serious thyroid issue and thyroid issues are vastly underdiagnosed.

ShinySkyShaymin1994

kshatriyo wrote: »

I also want to add the oil makes my ezcema worse; my skin needs to breathe.

What kinds of oil did you use? And did you use too much? Some people report it helped but then again everyone's bodies are different. I think stress might be part of it but not from moving I stress and try to stay as way of my dad as possible in the health department because I don't want to die young like he did but I had went too far and started stressing so much and dry skin is a symptom and dry skin would flare up my eczema and crack my skin but had dry skin for years. I have a topical steroid that I occasionally use because I hate medication because of my dad's pain killer addiction I'd like to add that in going for therapy for my dad to clear all this up

kshatriyo

ShinySkyShaymin1994 wrote: »

kshatriyo wrote: »

I also want to add the oil makes my ezcema worse; my skin needs to breathe.

What kinds of oil did you use? And did you use too much? Some people report it helped but then again everyone's bodies are different. I think stress might be part of it but not from moving I stress and try to stay as way of my dad as possible in the health department because I don't want to die young like he did but I had went too far and started stressing so much and dry skin is a symptom and dry skin would flare up my eczema and crack my skin but had dry skin for years. I have a topical steroid that I occasionally use because I hate medication because of my dad's pain killer addiction I'd like to add that in going for therapy for my dad to clear all this up

Coricosteroids and pain killers are really quite different in how and why they are used and what they do to the body. My dad had to go live at mayo clinic for a few months to get off a 20 year addiction so I understand a little bit.

As for the oil, there are different types of eczema. For example, yeast driven eczema would probably be my own issue, which is going to thrive if oil is put over it. Seborrhea is the term I am thinking of.