I suffer with eczema and dry skin but this weather it tends to get worse. Now my facial skin seems really dry and itchy. I use loads of moisturiser, try to avoid soap for washing and use E45 wash. Anyone else suffer from this and have any ideas on how to make your facial skin smoother?

I suffer with eczema and dry skin but this weather it tends to get worse. Now my facial skin seems really dry and itchy. I use loads of moisturiser, try to avoid soap for washing and use E45 wash. Anyone else suffer from this and have any ideas on how to make your facial skin smoother?

I've got a little bit of very bad eczema on my face, which I've never had before and am assuming is related to my Hayfever. It was very red and very painful/itchy (cycled between both) and very dry and lumpy. E45 did nothing and neither did the £7.50 oilatum cream boots recommended to me.vI went to my docs and was told not to put hydrocortisone cream anywhere near it.

I was prescribed some cream called 'Elidel'. I panicked a bit when I googled it (as I do with anything I've not heard of) and read it's got severe warnings on the packaging due to occurences of skin cancer and non-hodgkins lymphoma. There is no warning of this on the British packaging. However, I tried it anyway as I've only got two small patches and wouldn't need much cream, and I have to say it's worked like a charm. The redness and dryness disappeared within 24 hours, and with one application every few days it's kept it away.

Thanks for that Twiglet, what do you use inbetween the Elidel cream?

I come from a family where everyone has eczema of one sort or another- and big sis recently read some research showing that evening primrose oil taken at 4g a day (that's 4 of the big 1000mg capsules) was beneficial, so she tried it, and grew lots of skin where she used to have scabs. So I tried it, and did the same, and so have the rest of my family. It hasn't cured any of us, or made it disappear completely, but it's made the symptoms mild enough that none of us are currently using steroids to control the eczema. Added fringe benefits are that I'm using much less moisturisers than I used to, and my nails are growing long and strong too.

As an aside- if you plan on trying this, Holland and Barrett currently have tubs of 500x 1000mg evening primrose oil for £12.99 instead of £29.99. That's about 4 quid a month if you are prepared to stockpile it.

Thanks for that Twiglet, what do you use inbetween the Elidel cream?

Nothing - it's worked so well I don't need anything else, it isn't even dry anymore! However if it did get really dry I'd use the Oilatum/E45/whatever emolient cream I had.

Try dipro base

My son suffered with eczema for years. Sometimes it got so bad it became infected ! E45 used to make it worse and it turned out he was allergic to the lanolin in it ! Started using aquaeous cream and never looked back !

Oh- and if you're allergic to lanolin you will have problems with Diprobase too- but should be fine with Cetraben.

Thanks for that Medusa !

I had a period of time in the mid 1990s where I was shedding skin there was no tomorrow. Wasn't sure whether it was eczema or psoriasis, but it was evil. I took Evening Primrose Oil and Starflower oil capsules, and they worked wonderfully. The irony was that I had an appointment to see the dermatologist, and by the time I went my skin was almost normal.

At the moment I've got some dry patches due to the weather, and just use a basic, unperfurmed, moisturiser. I also drink a lot of water, and as I suffer from hay fever I'm on two anti-histamines a day and that has helped me by stopping me scratching.

Joe

Try a Dr.Hauschka product like this one:

http://www.drhauschka.co.uk/productinfo.php?product=123

Or, I find Burt's Beeswax products good for dry skin

In my (limited) experience, the treatment of eczema and dry skin seems to be a very individual thing. One persons "wonder-cure" may be another's waste of time.
I've suffered for several years, I discovered that by very sparingly applying Betnovate scalp lotion to affected areas on my body coupled with regular moisturising I was keeping it at bay. Possibly not an ideal solution given that Betnovate is a steroid cream, but I was using it VERY sparingly - a 100ml bottle was lasting me between 12 and 18 months.
When I moved house and switched doctor, he refused to presribe me Betnovate, he went on a mission to find an alternative, even decided to treat it as a bacteriological infection at one point! This resulted in a massive flare up all over my body leading to me being in constant pain and quite an alarming sight!
Thankfully he referred me to a dermatologist who decided that, since the betnovate lotion was doing the trick I should continue using it.
I'm happy to say, my skin is now back under control and I'm able to venture out of my house without terrifying small children. However, I am having to use considerably more Betnovate now, but hopefully this will reduce over time.

Hang on, I've forgotten what the point of my post was...

I've had eczema all my life.
Avoid any moisturiser that contains lanolin, perfumes, colours etc. E45 makes me itch.
Unlike medusa I'm OK with diprobase (available over the counter but you need to ask and it's expensive; it's also on presription). I also use the allergenics moisturiser in a tube, emuslifying ointment (as a soap) and one or 2 others as needs dictate.

This is really helpful as my eczema is really bad at the moment too!

I get it just above my lip and on one eyelid and it goes really red and then like flaky and horrible. (I know, it sounds dead attractive :hihi:)

Its a horrible thing and it gets right on my nerves, which leads to me getting all hot and stressed and makes it worse!

I've been prescibed with everything! And it tends to work for a week or so but then goes back to normal!

I'm going to docs on Friday so I'll ask about Elidel cos that sounds like a really good one!

I suffer from Psoriasis and have always used the E45 face wash on my face and i've never had so much as a dry patch on my face.

I'd recommend going back to your GP and get them to refer you to a dermatologist at the hospital.

xxx

I'd recommend going back to your GP and get them to refer you to a dermatologist at the hospital.


Yeah I did this a couple of years ago, when I had a really bad flare up (It was this time of year too) and it was on my arms, legs and back and I even got impetigo (sp) too which made it 10 times worse.

They gave me Aqueous cream and even though it was really thick and gloopy it worked wonders! Like I said before I only have a bit on my face now and its nothing compared to what it used to be. I have a lot of allergies aswell and have to avoid dairy so its really had, especially with my intense love for pizza :hihi:

Yeah I did this a couple of years ago, when I had a really bad flare up (It was this time of year too) and it was on my arms, legs and back and I even got impetigo (sp) too which made it 10 times worse.

They gave me Aqueous cream and even though it was really think and gloopy it worked wonders! Like I said before I only have a bit on my face now and its nothing compared to what it used to be. I have a lot of allergies aswell and have to avoid dairy so its really had, especially with my intense love for pizza :hihi:

Ahh bless ya sunshine. I was the same, stress or a sore throat flares psoriasis up, so when my gran died i was covered in it. It was so embarresing at the time because i was only 15. I had to have body wraps and then i went onto the UVA and UVB ray free sunbed which worked wonders.

They do recommend to eat plenty of fish and avoid dairy products.

xxx

Forgot to mention earlier, I also use a cream for the itching called 'Eurax'. It works wonders for stopping scratching once it takes effect (10-15mins). does nothing for the skin itself (and doesn't claim to) but it does mean you can function on a daily basis when you'd otherwise be a writhing mass of itchiness.

Hi all, thanks for all the replies. I have used aqueous cream, the first time I ever used it I thought it was wonderful but then when I bought the next tub it didn't seem to work aswell as a moisturiser, though still fine as a wash. Do you use it on your face as a moisturiser aswell, I tend to find it sticky and my doctor said that its not being recommended as much these days in the medical profession. I do love it as a wash though even though it is a bit messy.

How about cleansing - particularly ladies. Would you use wipes to remove your make up or just have a wash?

I would never use face wipes, not even the sensitive ones, i once used them and within days my face was like leather. I have used the Johnsons make up remover with the pearls in and that was really nice on the skin and didn't dry it up.

There is an E45 lotion which is a lot lighter than the cream, i sometimes put it on my face in a morning b4 i put my make up on.

xxx

Albal, I use the Simple wipes which are gentle but sometimes my skin does feel a bit drier when I've used them, they are just so easy to use :)

Do you use aqueous cream at all? I have had the E45 lotion but doctor recommended the cream for my body. I suppose its OK on the face though.

I use the E45 but i only use it just outta the shower when my skin is still wet. I actually use palmers cocoa butter as a general moisturiser, its lovely and soft and smells great. Have you tried the dream cream from lush, thats fantastic too, its makes your skin really soft and is made from 100% natural ingredient.

I know what you mean, they are so easy to use, i would love to use them but as yet, i haven't found any that dont make my skin feel dry. I really like the E45 face wash as it leaves you face really soft with lots of moisture.

xxx

The smell of lush puts me off, doesn't all their creams and stuff have heavy perfumes in them? I use the E45 wash cream, is this what you mean by the face wash? I can't use anything with perfume in.

The smell of lush puts me off, doesn't all their creams and stuff have heavy perfumes in them? I use the E45 wash cream, is this what you mean by the face wash? I can't use anything with perfume in.

I always thought they were natural, not 100% sure then hun, i'll have to have a look on the pot.

Its in a bottle with a pump and i think its just called E45 wash.

xxx

Not sure if you drink milk but switching to goats milk can apparantly help.

Thats the one I use, the E45 wash. Aqueous cream is also good to use as a wash. I tend to find the blander things the better for eczema, not using any creams with fancy ingredients in them.

Def, the simpler the better.

Yeah they recommend to try and avoid dairy, soya milks a good alternative too.

xxx

Hi all, thanks for all the replies. I have used aqueous cream, the first time I ever used it I thought it was wonderful but then when I bought the next tub it didn't seem to work aswell as a moisturiser, though still fine as a wash. Do you use it on your face as a moisturiser aswell, I tend to find it sticky and my doctor said that its not being recommended as much these days in the medical profession. I do love it as a wash though even though it is a bit messy.

How about cleansing - particularly ladies. Would you use wipes to remove your make up or just have a wash?

I find the wipes irritate and dry out my skin far more than washing with Clinique face wash (any unscented, hypoallergenic wash whould do).

A quick note about the other suggestions - Eumovate and Betnovate contain corticosteroids which are a big no-no for using on the face.

A quick note about the other suggestions - Eumovate and Betnovate contain corticosteroids which are a big no-no for using on the face.

Yes, sorry - Betnovate shouldn't be used on the face, particularly around the eyes.
The best thing for *MY* face has proven to be Oilatum soap and Doublebase cream. I couldn't get on with the Oilatum emollient face wash stuff - it felt like washing my face in chip fat. The soap does actually feel like soap... but it ain't cheap :(

I've got some doublebase cream from the doctors, thought it was fab at first but now can't make my mind up, seems a bit on the greasy side.

As I said earlier - treatment is a very individual thing... what's right for me isn't necessarily right for you! :)

As I said earlier - treatment is a very individual thing... what's right for me isn't necessarily right for you! :)

Vert true H.O.D. And with psoriasis your skin gets used to the cream so you have to alternate it every 6 weeks with another cream, not sure about eczema though.

xxx

I suffer with eczema and dry skin but this weather it tends to get worse. Now my facial skin seems really dry and itchy. I use loads of moisturiser, try to avoid soap for washing and use E45 wash. Anyone else suffer from this and have any ideas on how to make your facial skin smoother?

If you have skin problems or eczema this is probably due to the masses of chemicals and preservatives in your skincare products. I have suffered from eczema all my life and although the steroid creams I was prescribed worked in the short term to calm a massive flare up - they are simply masking the problem and not getting the route of it.
I found that the only way to keep it at bay is to use chemical free products. After just a few weeks of using products with 100% beneficial ingredients I was almost clear of eczema and dry skin (after 30 years of suffering!).
Look at the ingredients list of your products – do you know what they are?
For more information on chemical free products / details on which chemicals to avoid email me at sarah@feedyourskin.info - or visit the website of the same url.

I also use the tiniest amount of washing powder, use gloves when using any cleaning products (which I keep to the minimum - vinegar and lemon juice are great natural alternatives) and avoid airfreshners and perfumes.
You have all my sympathy - it's a nightmare to be constantly sore and itchy - good luck!

I agree with the last pp's post - for anyone with eczema on the body removing chemicals inc. washing powder and conditioners can help - Eco balls are supposed to be fantastic for eczema sufferers, they work for us but like was also said one thing that works for one might not work for another and it can be trial and error - we tried allsorts and until finally removing chemicals nothing worked.

Shea butter is supposed to be very good for dry skin as is beeswax - Burts bees do some nice creams. Oil of evening primrose as suggested can also help, it didn't help my son but i have heard lots of people say that it has helped - all natural products so this is maybe why they work.

I think that main thing is removing perfumes and chemicals from the skin, i started using eco balls 2 years ago, my son's eczema has gone, the last time he got it was after his dad had used cheap suncream on him, he has been using Weleda suncream this summer and thus far no eczema - touch wood.

For years he was prescribed hydrocortisone creams which bleached his skin and huge tubs of aqueous creams etc - he was plagued with infection after infection and huge scabby areas.

Simply removing the chemicals worked.

babs

goodlife,

as is well known, hydrocortisone also gradually thins the skin, making it more prone to grazes, infection, scatches and less able to cope to heat extremes. The skin on my fingers is very thin after years of using the stuff.

I agree, though.
Remove as many artificial chemicals as possible, and reduce the others as much as possible.
Never use bio washing powder, or the 'colour' ones, use the xtra rinse cycle on the washing machine if it has one, all this kind of stuff.

Even non bio powders irritated my son - it wasn't until i got rid of the powders - chemical filled nasties all together that his skin cleared up.

Something that you just said has alarmed me though - even though he hasn't used cortisone for two years or any treatment for eczema the skin on his fingers is always peeling and his fingers sore - i am wondering now if this as a result of using the cortisone for years and years - as he got older he'd apply it himself. makes me angry really.

babs

I still use hydrocortisone occasionally and 'elocon' on my hands and previously had betnovate prescribed for years.
Typically, any new reaction will appear first on my fingers, but apart from the thinning and old scarring my fingers don't peel and aren't sore, takes very little to make them sore though. Aftershave is enough.
Everyone's different though.

Nothing worse than sore hands.

babs

Even non bio powders irritated my son - it wasn't until i got rid of the powders - chemical filled nasties all together that his skin cleared up.

Something that you just said has alarmed me though - even though he hasn't used cortisone for two years or any treatment for eczema the skin on his fingers is always peeling and his fingers sore - i am wondering now if this as a result of using the cortisone for years and years - as he got older he'd apply it himself. makes me angry really.

babs

I am extremely wary of Hydrocortisone cream. It is fantastic for one-off applications to insect bites/stings or very small patches of prickly heat, but the side effects from long term use just aren't well enough publicised. Anyone can go into a pharmacists and buy Eumovate etc. without realising it's a steroid and what it can do if used repeatedly, for some reason people think creams are very benign. People working behind the counter (pharmacists themselves are normally very good) need to give more advice with medicines of this type. It's also not emphasised enough that it should never be used on the face, the lady in Boots didn't even mention that when I went to buy a tube last week and I had two very obvious red patches on my cheeks (I wasn't buying it for those, but that isn't the point!).

Yea i used to use hydrocortisone when i was young on my face:o Its wasnt until later the doc told me not to use it cos it causes thinning of the skin!

Steriod cream i use betnovate ointment on my body but only if its flaring up

Moisturiser on face i bought the new E45 facial moisture. It works. I not a fan of the E45 range but this one is not bad. If i have dry patches i use MEDIHONEY moisturing Cream is got Active Manuka Honey, ALoe Vera and Chamomile, found it in lloyds pharmacy while i was looking for something for my face.

For body i used to use Cetomacrogol but it was a base for the steriod and didnt really keep me moisturized. So had to go out and do a trial and error with body creams. Dead sea minerals body cream didnt really work for me (may for some cos its suppose to be really good for dry skin) Went to Body Shop and they reccommended Hemp body cream (good for psorisais and ezcema) and thats worked well but doesnt smell very nice! Shea Butter another good one, smells nicer too :D

Shower i use Oilatum Shower gel. But i want to try using something different but not sure what....What does everyone use?

Flaxseed oil is good for the skin. You can get the capsules from holland and barrets. Aloe Vera too.

Alternatively you can try chinese herbal medicine. But you just gotta find a good one...

My partner suffers bad with eczema (hospitalised a couple of times due to it.
Dipro base seems the best moisteriser as E45 is too thin, vasoline too thick.
He has always had betnovate from GP that barely did anything.
I have fucibet prescribed for something totally different & my parner started using it & it was fantastic, best treatment ever. The GP now prescribes it for him but only 1 tube a month, I get 8 so he uses mine. I no longer have my problem but pretend I do so we can get the prescription.
Apparently it can thin your skin so they don't like to give too much but surely thinner skin is better than suffering with severe eczema.

Yea Fucibet is REALLY REALLY strong! Should only be used for extreme cases. Ive had that when i was going through a bad bad patch :(

Thinning of the skin isnt good when you grow older.

Instead of using steriod creams try alternatives. (Cutting out foods, adding more nutrients, lifestyle, etc) I know its easier said than done!

I feel for your hubby cant be good for him with this hot weather.

Ive got the fan on full blast!

You know what - i am amazed at reading this - the first time my son was prescribed cortisone was for eczema on his eyes and a patch on the side of his face - my mouth is wide open now.

i once had fucibet for impetigo - is it not an antibiotic?

I am stunned- he has a white patch on his face now which doesn't tan with the rest of his skin just stays white.

babs

fucibet is a very strong seriod cream


Yea ive got white patches on my elbow and hands now. Used to have really bad ezcema on there and put steriod cream on i was younger. It doesnt tan and glows under UV light :hihi:

You know what - i am amazed at reading this - the first time my son was prescribed cortisone was for eczema on his eyes and a patch on the side of his face - my mouth is wide open now.

i once had fucibet for impetigo - is it not an antibiotic?

I am stunned- he has a white patch on his face now which doesn't tan with the rest of his skin just stays white.

babs

Yes the white patch will be due to the steroid cream - it causes skin lightening. This is precisely the reason it shouldn't be used on the face. Some people say it can be used for short periods, others say never. This was what I was getting at in my previous post - the lack of information given to people about their own medication is shocking! Everyone has a right to know about any potentially serious or disfiguring side effects.

Fucibet is both steroid and antibiotic, and is particularly useful for eczema where the broken skin may be letting infection in, or in conditions where there is both an inflammatory problem and a bacerial infection.

As others have said, there are long term side effects possible from every usage of steroids, some of which are more acceptable than others (skin thinning may be acceptable to some eczema sufferers where the alternative is to have constant symptoms).

I've had eczema since young - it's in the family on my mums side.

Don't suffer much now as an adult but I occasionally use the steroid cream dermovate - in the winter the cold temperatures combined with the dry central heating at home combine to give me little itchy 'cuts' on the end of my fingers.

In the summer heat/humidity, I can get itchy in the in the bends behind my knees and elbows - all 'typical' eczema locations.

Like Joe mentioned, I had a phase years back when I shredded my legs and arms - my family was falling apart (my mother and father) - eczema can also have a psychosomatic element.

Many people who have eczema also have asthma - they quite often go hand in hand.

Draggle shuts up and goes for cold beer

Yea it is true. Get stressed, skin flares up. Eat something wrong, skin goes ballistic :s

If only we lived in a place thats cool, chilled out and problem free....*bliss*

- the lack of information given to people about their own medication is shocking! Everyone has a right to know about any potentially serious or disfiguring side effects.
There is a pharmacollogical data sheet with all prescription medication.

You are free to quiz the prescriber - or better still the Pharmacist - on side effects / interactions.

You can also look it up online too :thumbsup:



Crookes Healthcare also produce E45 Itch Relief (http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100004774.html) which has urea in it. :thumbsup:

Oh and Germolene Cream has a nice local anaesthetic in it which works wonders for painfull itching :)

Oh and Germolene Cream has a nice local anaesthetic in it which works wonders for painfull itching :)
Don mate, if you suffer from eczema there is no such thing as painful itching.

There is itching-that-cannot-be avoided-under-any-circumstances-whatsoever that leads to a brief euphoric glorious mad scratching fest, followed by pain and discomfort, skin under your fingernails and blood on the duvet.

(At its worst - my experience years ago when stressed with family breakup )

Preferable to psoriasis though.

Gi'oer splitting hairs :P

Try dipro base

HI, ourjs,
My doctor has prescribed that for me and it works wonders, i would suggest it for other people to try .

Don't think it has been mentioned but my Doctor once recommended (but didn;t prescribe cos its cheaper to buy) the Nutrogena hand cream (used to be advertised by fisherman on tv)

You need to go to quite a big chemist and they do scented and plain - there's no difference apart from the obvious.

draggletail,

your eczema experiences read remarkably like mine;
flare ups due to stress, heat variations, contact with chemicals etc
I also have the 'common 3' of eczema, hayfever and asthma, all interlinked with certain allergies (e.g. furry creatures).
also had the unbearable itching (aformentioned Eurax only cream that has worked to stop that).

A few years ago (3-4) I had a year from hell in terms of being almost completely covered in eczema.
Although I didn;t know it for a while, the rinse cycle on my washing machine had ceased to work, so all my clothes were impregnated with washing powder and irritated my skin causing unbelievable itching. this was compounded by very high stress levels at work. i spent 9 months functioning on about 4 hrs sleep per night due to itching etc.
Bizarrely one of the few things that could get me to sleep was to get up, have a cooling shower, and cover myself in Cuticura medicated talcum powder; I think it dampened down the bacterial activity in skin that can cause some of the itching.

draggletail,

your eczema experiences read remarkably like mine ..... Yep, I have had asthma too since childhood, it's kept well under control by using steroid inhalers daily. I also get itchy eyes if I come into contact with cats or house dust.

Certain soaps can wreck my hands by just using them once. so I just use the pure unscented stuff.

Both my mum and her sister had eczema, but neither had asthma.

I suffer with eczema and dry skin but this weather it tends to get worse. Now my facial skin seems really dry and itchy. I use loads of moisturiser, try to avoid soap for washing and use E45 wash. Anyone else suffer from this and have any ideas on how to make your facial skin smoother?

I don't get eczema but get bad dry skin...my sis also suffered from the same. She discovered baby oil works! You must make sure you shower at least 3 times a week and use it every time but I've started doing the same and it's pretty much cured my dry skin.

I'm sure you could use it on your face too?

Sorry if that's been suggested before but I didn't read the whole thread.

I've now had a flare up on my legs, and its gone all lumpy :( :roll:

Think its all this sunbathing in the long grass and the pollen!

The docs given me antibiotics so hopefully I'll get my tanned summer legs back soon *crosses fingers*!

I've now had a flare up on my legs, and its gone all lumpy :( :roll:

Think its all this sunbathing in the long grass and the pollen!


Ooooh! sunbathing in the long grass with a friend :love:

Hope you feel better soon Sunshine :)

Ooooh! sunbathing in the long grass with a friend :love:

Hope you feel better soon Sunshine :)

Hehe, it was with my boyfriend :love: ;)

Thank you Draggletail! xx

There is a pharmacollogical data sheet with all prescription medication.

You are free to quiz the prescriber - or better still the Pharmacist - on side effects / interactions.

You can also look it up online too :thumbsup:



Crookes Healthcare also produce E45 Itch Relief (http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100004774.html) which has urea in it. :thumbsup:

Luckily I know this which I why I haven't used it on my face myself. However, many people just aren't 'medically aware', don't read data sheets and just do as they're told by their GP or by the person behind the counter. If the checkout operator (as it seems that some of the people in my Boots pharmacy are just that) asks no questions and just hands things over, people are going to assume they're safe.

You know what - i am amazed at reading this - the first time my son was prescribed cortisone was for eczema on his eyes and a patch on the side of his face - my mouth is wide open now.

i once had fucibet for impetigo - is it not an antibiotic?

I am stunned- he has a white patch on his face now which doesn't tan with the rest of his skin just stays white.

babs

Don't panic. It's fine if used as directed by your doctor and for SHORT periods of time. I have to use it for inside my ears even thought the directions say 'not to be put in ears'.

It is brilliant at doing the job and once the excema is cleared the key is moisturise moisturise and moisturise again.

My partners eczema never really clears.
He has it head to toe all year round. It would be impossible for him to wear shorts this weather.
When he has been hospitalised due to it, its the secondary infection (similar to impetigo) that takes a hold. Not only does he suffer the itching & sores etc but he has high fever & feels physically ill due to the amount of infection & has to have antibiotics by drip.
It is unbearable to see a young fit man suffer, with blister type fluid dripping like a tap from his body.
So I do feel for you all on here.
While I appreciate fucibet thins the skin & can cause permanent damage, he feels it is a small price to pay to be free from the suffering he has gone through without it.