Eczema?! Please help!

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72MonteCarla
72MonteCarla Posts: 169 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am so frustrated. I have been living healthier in the past two months than I have in years. I have been eating organic veggies and fruits, and slowly reducing the amount of animal-based products (meat, fish, dairy) that I consume. I exercise every day. But now I seem to have broken out in what I think is eczema. It's all over my body. I am very worried because I know it is a chronic disease. I have never had it before. I do not want to see a doctor because I know they will prescribe harmful steroid creams and pills. I thought it might be from chlorine in the pool, or maybe the new laundry detergent (which is dye & perfume-free). But I've been in that pool 4 days a week for two months, and I rubbed the detergent on my skin this morning and so far no reaction. Maybe it is time to finally switch completely to whole foods, plant-based diet. I'm already well on my way, so it's really frustrating that this would happen now. I was planning on shorts & tank tops this summer, maybe even a bikini. Now I fear I will have to cover up this awful skin condition. Never mind that it is itchy and painful. I could just cry. :( Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated. I am only interested in natural solutions, please.
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Replies

  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
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    You should go to your doctor to at least have it diagnosed. You don't HAVE to do steroids, etc., or anything else they suggest for that matter, that's your decision. What you can do is get it diagnosed properly, then ask for more natural alternatives, if it is indeed eczema. But maybe it's a food reaction or something. Is there a food that you have added quite a bit more of lately? Search the web, search for books, and I'm sure you can find plenty of ideas for natural remedies if it is eczema. But I would still go to your doctor and have it diagnosed properly before you start diagnosing yourself.
  • LittleElephant
    LittleElephant Posts: 106 Member
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    I've suffered bad eczema my whole life. Evening primrose is supposed to help though I've had little success. Steroids don't even work well for me.
  • luhluhlaura
    luhluhlaura Posts: 278 Member
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    I don't suffer from full-body eczema, but I do get patches now and then, along with keratosis pilaris.
    For me the biggest thing has always been a lack of moisture + my sensitive skin. Preventing roughness and bumps means literally moisturizing every single freakin' day...
    Chlorine is INCREDIBLY drying...if your hair has been feeling more straw-like or shedding/breaking more often, then likely it's the chlorine causing your problem. Sweat is also irritating if left on the skin. Remember to shower as soon as you get out of the pool/after exercising, wash well with a moisturizing body wash made for sensitive skin, and use a non-fragrant body lotion with AHA (this is the only thing I have found to be fully effective) such as AmLactin Fragrance Free or Eucerin Plus+ Smoothing Essentials. (I use and love both!)

    Also this is just a guess, but even with the healthier diet, at a calorie deficit you may not be getting the nutrition you used to...I would invest in a good multivitamin and possibly a flax seed oil or Omega-3 oil supplement.
  • savethecat
    savethecat Posts: 290 Member
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    I actually just started noticing the same thing recently. So far it's only a few dots on my thumb, but I had no idea what it was when it first popped up and I've been doing all sorts of research trying to figure it out. My diet is similar to yours. No meat or diary and mostly clean foods- and I haven't been exposed to any new detergents or chemicals that I am aware of. The dots appeared about 6 days ago and were very painful as they grew in. Today is the first day they seem to be deflating. I didn't have the funds to get them checked out by a doctor this week (not too mention that I didn't want to argue with them about steroids and such) so I took the advice I found online. I didn't pop them and tried to keep them dry. They seem to be clearing up on their own, as most everything I read said they would. The information I read further suggested that even though it is difficult to diagnose and treat these sorts of skin conditions they only seem to flare up a few times a year and disappear just as quickly. Although, they are still extremely inconvenient! Especially if they're on your body and you want to wear a bikini I'm sure.

    It's possible that we are experiencing two different kind of eczema but I just wanted to throw my two cents in and let you know I feel your pain. I worry that the break out I'm having now will spread or that the next one will be worse. If you do go to the doctor I would love to know what information you receive. Best of luck.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    Know that eczema is an allergic reaction - you should go to the doctor to have it diagnosed, and allergy testing to see what you are allergic to. My husband, myself, and both my daughters all have eczema, and we've found great relief from natural soaps and lotions with oatmeal, goats milk and honey.
  • buzzcogs
    buzzcogs Posts: 296 Member
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    eczema is related to allergies. You could be allergic to some of the foods you are eating. Go to a doctor.
  • tonihayden
    tonihayden Posts: 67
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    vanicream.....they sell it at walgreens. don't get vanicream lite....make sure it is just vanicream......works wonders.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    do you guys have 'Malki Dead Sea' soap over there? i get it from Boots for my daughter when she breaks out - it clears it up within days. Swimming in the sea, if you have that option, when your on holiday is also good. Shea butter is also supposed to help but she finds that too oily but it may work for you.
  • bio_fit
    bio_fit Posts: 307 Member
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    I have had eczema all my life - I cannot go swimming as I have a severe reaction to the chlorine.

    I had a random flare-up last June - and despite all the moisturisers and steroids prescribed by the doctor it persisted until about 2 weeks ago. My mum read something about eating a handful of walnuts every day - I was skeptical, but strangely my condition has improved considerably over the last couple of weeks. Maybe I was cutting out too much oil and fat from my diet? Who knows!
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    i have eczema on my hands. it is annoying when it happens but the cremes are absolutely not affordable in the slightest so I just deal with it.

    doctor recommended dove soaps, or 'the least harsh you can find' as he said. try not to use alcohol products on your skin as they will dry it out and make the itching worse.

    get it looked at by the doc. it might be eczema, might not! you can't know til they check it out.
  • BlessedandBeautifulBrown
    BlessedandBeautifulBrown Posts: 464 Member
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    shea butter... works awesome mix with some coconut oil.. and what your citric acids....orange juices... ketchup will get you and get the water in..
  • MrsSamB
    MrsSamB Posts: 144 Member
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    My friend developed this soap to help with the skin problems that her family was having. I recommend going to the doctor to get diagnosed so that you know what you need to treat. You don't have to fill the prescriptions that they give you but you don't want to be treating something that you don't actually have.

    Then go to this website: http://store.jonessoaps.com/default.asp

    Hope this helps.
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
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    I get eczema on my hands, ankles and sometimes a bit on my eyelids. My hands were really bad at one point. Read about trying utter cream, which I thought was weird as hell. But, my Mom actually ran across some at my grandparents house and brought it home. I used it....freaking miracle. You don't want to use this every day for extended period of time from what I understand, but my hands cleared up pretty quickly...like within a week or so. I rarely use it now. Here is what I used:

    http://www.rawleigh.net/antiseptic_salve.htm

    Miracle, imho. Might give it a shot.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    Please go to the doctor and find out what it really is. And if he does prescribe steroids, you do not have to take them, IF it is eczema.

    Personally I do not believe that is what it is, sounds like an allergic reaction to me, but I do not know because like you, I am not a doctor.
  • fuhrmeister
    fuhrmeister Posts: 1,796 Member
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    I agree with the first poster. At least see a doctor to have it diagnosed. even if you choose alternative treatment.

    I use dove sensative bar soap to help and I do use a perscribed hydrocortozone cream for mine that works wonders. I also find cetephil restoraderm lotion to be the best one I have tried. Better than Sauve, Nivia or anthing perfumed.
  • LaDiablesse
    LaDiablesse Posts: 862 Member
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    My children have eczema. When I see them starting to break out, I put coconut oil on the area twice a day. My 7 year old has it the worst & tends to break out when the weather changes & when he's feeling stressed. You should see a doctor for it though as it could be something totally different. Talk to the doc about alternatives to using the steroids.
  • sabulla
    sabulla Posts: 58
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    I have suffered from eczema all my life off/on in addition to my 3 children. It can be very miserable and embarrassing @ times. I have found that the more natural route to go is the fragrance free Goats Milk Soap and Lotion works well. However, sometimes if you are too flarred up, the Goats Milk Lotion might sting a bit. I'm a big user of Eucerin cream (in the jar). After a shower, you need to blot your skin-dont rub, then hydrate w/in a couple of minutes. Unfortunately, sometimes you do need to break down and go to the doctor and get a steroid pack, shot, or steriod creams to use for a short time. I feel your pain. Im almost 40 yrs old and now I'm dealing w/seborrheic dermatitis on my face. As long as I have had eczema, I have never had it on my face. Now I get something else and it's on my face. Good luck!
  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
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    My bf has had chronic eczema his whole life. When he was a child, what they first did was identify the allergens with an allergy test. It turns out he is allergic to almost everything, including his own sweat. Since every eczema case is unique, each doctor he goes to listens to what works or doesn't work for him, and prescribes based on their own experiences, as well. You should be able to get an allergy test done, and perhaps tell your doctor of your preference for natural medication, and maybe your doctor will tell you of natural solutions.

    Also, minimize use of any scented products, including laundry detergent, and try not to get your skin wet too often. My bf had a chronic break out in high school and college when he was on the swim team.
  • 2youngatheart
    2youngatheart Posts: 338 Member
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    Sarah-Noelle.com has some great all natural products that do seem to help with this problem. I do like their products...I use several of them. Good luck!
  • mugsy1335
    mugsy1335 Posts: 8
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    If it is eczema, I was told by our physician to hit the tanning beds, it seems to work pretty well from my end??

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