June 1996 Eczema Mailing List Archive

Shelley and Ann mentioned using Tavist. I should also mention that it helped me significantly also. I take it when I eat things I shouldn't and it lessens the allergic reaction. In addition, I want to reiterate that my skin almost totally cleared up when I took only a few simple supplements. I beg you all to try them because they work!. Here are the supplements to take:

1. Garlic - to kill yeast in the colon 
2. Acidophilus/Bifidus - replaces yeast with "good" bacteria 
3. Flax oil - supplies 2 kinds of oil the body needs to make hormones 
4. Wheat germ oil - supplies a 3rd kind of oil. Your body needs all three.

Why does the above work? Because intestinal yeast appears to be a frequent cause of eczema and items 1 and 2 kill the yeast. Items 3 and 4 ensure that your body gets the raw materials it needs in order to make the hormones that normalize your immune system. These oils also moisturize your skin from the inside out. It will take a few weeks to see some results, and then just continue on these supplements.

I am a new subscriber. I have had eczema practilly all my life. I had battled severe episodes from time to time but in the past 2 years it has gotten to the point where the steroids just wont help. I have resorted to trying other alternative remedies. I have tried acupuncture to no avail and have tried various Chinese herbal teas which were prescribed by the Chinese doctor I was seeing. I would pick up the ingredients from a store and make the teas myself. This had no effect.

I just started taking EPD (enzyme potentiated desentization) shots. My doctor and the doctor who is heading the study of EPD have said its effective with eczema in about 90% of the cases. What" effective" means could vary and I am sure does vary from patient to patient. Taking the EPD shots is a long term committemnt. I have been told not to expect any improvemnt for maybe up to a year. Starting the shots is at least a one year committemnt. Since I just took my first shot a few weeks ago I have a long way to go. Have any of you tried EPD? 

I am a strong believer in the healing poweres of the mind and of a higher power. I have been using a meditation tape called "Challenge Meditation" which I listen too every day. It helps me to visualize my body ridding itself of the eczema. There are any number of these tapes being sold. I just happened to pick that one. Also the power of prayer helps too I believe.

I believe in whatever works use it. I dont know if any of this helps but........

Yeah there have been times when my eczema was so bad I wished I was dead but I believe that my body will be healed. What choice do I/we have.

I personally seem to have the kind of eczema that is mostly all in one place. At the present time, it's on my hands. At other times it has been on my face.

When one area is active, it's as if the rest of the body "knows" that's the designated spot, and more or less behaves. I keep wondering whether the affected part is sending some kind of signal to the rest of the body, telling it to quiet down. If that is true, it would certainly be interesting to know what the signal is!

If you believe in the power of the mind, etc., you might take a look at Ted Grossbart's WWW page re his book, Skin Deep. I am reading it now, but the WWW page is a good sample of his writing. I was impressed with his understanding and empathy for the eczema experience. I obtained a copy from a local book store and should be easily available, or can be ordered. AD is a very discouraging disease; more than a few of us have had times when we wished we were dead. Everybody's eczema is unique, so no one remedy works for everyone--unfortunately. Don't give up looking for the right doctor and the right remedy. 

Has anyone found regular allergy shots ("immunotherapy") to be effective in the treatment of eczema? 

I have no experience of cylosporin but asked about it because my daughter (aged 8) was offered it when her eczema was very bad recently. Since then we have got it under good control with topical steroids and wet wraps so we never tried it. I think we probably wouldn't have - it seems very risky to mess about with a child's immune system.

I have never before heard of EPD shots (unless that's just another word for immunotherapy or allergy shots). I am having success with immunotherapy, but it's been a slow, non-linear climb. You can look in the archives to read my entire litany and I'll be glad to answer any questions you have. Assuming that you have pollen and dust allergies, you also need an allergist who is enlightened to the concept that eczema can be caused by airborne pollen and dust. 

Also, you have to be prepared to maybe have your eczema get worse when you start the shots and each time you move up to a stronger shot. I've been getting the shots for almost 2 years. I moved very slow and it took over a year before we were sure the shots were working. Now I've reached the highest level for 3 out of the 4 shots (hope to make it for grasses this fall). My rashes are now sort of phantom rashes - mere ghosts of the burgundy horror shows I used to display. A bonus is that my respiratory symptoms are almost gone. 

I took Cyclosporine for a year or more. The answer is yes, it was a miracle while on it, and exactly the same as before I started when I stopped using it. 

I don't know what ingredients my Dr. puts into my CHT (Chinese Herb Tea). When we were talking about the British study and I mentioned that their tea had 10 ingredients, she said that hers had 16. She does change the recipe, both ingredients and quantities, as my condition improves. 

I know what you mean about dreading old age. I've discovered (in middleage) that Stress is a big negative factor for me, so if you haven't already, dejunk your life! And keep yourself comfortable with frequent showers or baths. Water (and some soaps) has been the only reliable comfort-maker for me over the years. 

Based on the advice of a woman who works at my homeopathic allergist's office, I'm using washing disks instead of laundry detergent when washing my clothes. I've been using these round plastic disks filled with activated ceramic which "reduces water's molecular clusters and enhances its natural solvent ability to penetrate fabric and lift away soil; additionally, ionized oxygen is created and kills microbes, without chemicals."

I was dubious, but sure enough, they work. The clothes look and smell fine. I do find that I need to use stain remover on tough spots, but regular old dirty clothes come out fine.

Three disks, enough to use in an average home washer, cost $50 and last two years or longer.

You can order them from the Self Care Catalog, which is FULL of product for healthy living, as they put it. Lots of anti-allergy clothes, gadgets, creams, and more.

To get a catalog you can call 800-345-3371 or write:

I also have been using these disks for about the past six months and I too find they work just fine. I recommend them for anybody with detergent sensitivities.

The day after I was born I was covered in eczema. All through my youth I had it occasionally behind my elbows and knees, in the creases, but most of the time I had it on the third and fourth fingers of my right hand, severely and disgustingly (it used to make my nails fall out). When I went through puberty this miraculously cleared up, but it started on the third and fourth toes of my left foot, where I have had it on and off for 45 years. 

I wondered what the brain does to switch sites in this way, and thought that perhaps a lobotomy would do the trick. People call the foot problem "athletes' foot", but it is not contagious - it doesn't spread; and my son has more-or-less the same problem. 

Through the early part of my youth I also had persistent ear infections that I had forgotten about until people on the allergy list stated that ear infections in children were virtually always associated with allergy to milk. Neither my allergists nor I have found this allergy in me, but it could have been masked. I am interested to see if there have been found any patterns of allergic responses in this way. I had not previously heard of specific sites, like ear infections, being tied to specific food intolerances. If someone on the list has found that eczema on the third and fourth fingers of the right hand is tied to consumption of black jelly beans, for example, that would be very helpful.

I've had good luck with Tide Free (no perfumes) making sure to not use too much. Before that, for decades, I used White King Soap which didn't seem to bother my skin but didn't get the clothes very clean ( especially the ointment stains!).

I'm not sure that the washing disks will work well on ointment stains. But if you used hot water, a skin friendly stain remover (I got some at Wild Oats), and the disks might do it. 

I've had eczema ever since I was about 23 years and I believe I got it from handwashing my clothes. Ever since then it won't go away. I have it the worst on my hands. I have been to many many doctors in many different countries. I believe I have tried everything!. Now my hands look as though they are the hands of a 60 year old instead of a 30 year old.

I am currently using up an ointment I got in the States from a dermatologist. It's called Ultravate and it seems to be the only thing that will stop the itching and close up the patches that crack open on my hands. I am almost out of it so I bought another creme, they didn't have ultravate here. This is called Butavate and it doesn't work as well and it also stings.

I've been affected by Seborrhoeic Eczema for the last three years. Most of the time I've kept it under control using Nizoral Shampoo and Daktacort ointment. In the last couple of weeks the condition has become severe (and much worse than I've ever had it) affecting arms, legs, trunk, scalp and face. 

Yesterday I started a course of 200mg Nizoral per day for 5 days and 20mg Pred/oldne per day for fourteen days. My doctor says that I should expect a dramatic improvement in the next week and I'm meeting him a week tomorrow. Temperature is a large factor in my overall comfort. We're going through a heat wave at the moment and applying even the thinnest shine of emollient makes me feel hotter and a lot itchier.

Any ideas on how to overcome scratching? I'm know this makes things a lot worse but I find it almost impossible to stop. I seem to scratch most when 

1. in a stressful situation
2. when it's hot and 
3. at night when I'm not fully awake/asleep.

The best remedy I've found yet to relieve the worst of it is numerous baths/showers, or as many as you can manage on a daily basis. Warm water and soap (the right kind) is also very healing. Simplify your life as much as possible to reduce stress. 

Would Ibuprofen work as well as/better than aspirin? I haven't found it to be so irritating. Aspirin always makes me bleed (nose and/or hemorrhoids) so I stopped taking it, but ibuprofen has no such effect and is said to be a stronger anti-inflammatory agent, anyway.

I do use a Zinc creme. It's great. I just go to the pharmacy and show them the previous tube and they give it to me. It doesn't cure or make the eczema go away, what it does is protect the skin. They use it on babies bottoms for diaper rash :) Anyway I put it on at night, it's pretty thick. When I wake up in the morning I have no itching and my hands look a lot better. It also helps to heal up open patches since it protects, it doesn't let dust or anything get on the skin, this stuff is thick! 

The NES has an information sheet on Seborrhoeic Eczema - call them on (UK) 0171 388 4097 and get a copy. Many members are not fully aware of what help is available and I'm hoping that a full list of info sheets will be published very soon. Ask also for copies of any previous 'Exchange' articles on the itch-scratch-itch cycle. They are there to help and will be only too willing to advise.

I have also found that tar preparations can be helpful. Some of the people on the list, with more generalized eczema, don't like tar products, for understandable reasons: tar is definitely black, smelly, and "dirty". This doesn't matter as much to me, since I only have to immerse my hands in a small basin for a few minutes. The product I use is called Zetar.

I was wondering if anyone has ever used Lac-hydrin (ammonium lactate equivalent to 12% lactic acid) lotion. I was using it but it was painful (not the mild transient stinging that the prescription described) and it didn't seem to help. Has anyone had any positive results from this?

I tried Lac-Hydrin several times and didn't like it at all. This surprised me, because a dermatologist and a nurse (or assistant) in another dermatologist's office remarked that it was a very good product.

Basically I had the same experience you did: stinging, not helpful.

I now have two bottles of it sitting around. Maybe we can find some arts-and-crafts use for it, say as a component of a now papier-mache formula... or as a motor lubricant.

After reading Kristen's recommendation to relieve itching by taking numerous warm showers/baths, I feel compelled to say that would make my itching much worse. I take one shower a day, and the COLDER the water the better for me.

All new subscribers should note that any recommendations posted on this list are NOT cure-alls. Everyone is posting only what helped them personally. Eczema is one of those conditions that does NOT respond to any universal treatment. In fact, each person has to try different treatments for different parts of their body at different times under various circumstances. I urge everyone to use language that does NOT imply that their treatment is THE ANSWER.

I wanted to write this message after reading Chuck's posting on his "miracle" diet. Recommendations posted are simply new possibilities to explore. Those of us who have lived with this their entire lives know that what works today may not work tomorrow. Our bodies keep changing and we must keep up with the changes by trying new treatments, keeping one step ahead of despair. We've all endured enough high expectation leading to disappointment. It hurts me to read messages promising miracles. I've heard it all before. Living with this disease requires management of our emotional states as well as the physical. Getting all excited about miracle cures is a set-up for a fall. It's wonderful when you find something that works and I understand people's excitement. I just urge restraint in the presentation of the information to others. 

Excellent point, Shelley. I only wish it wasn't true! Everyone would like to find a cure to this thing, but no one has. Maybe it will come within (some of) our lifetimes, though, so we don't have to give up hope. For now, your advice is very, very important.

I have read, in more than one place, that the use of topical antihistamines to stop itching is not recommended. Does anyone know why it isn't recommended? I've been using benadryl spray and I find it gives me temporary relief.

Alix, I, too, used to use topical antihistamines. My allergist told me to stop, because people with allergic skin can develop a sensitivity to the drug and then react severely if they ever take the same drug orally. She was very insistant about this and the topical antihistamines only helped when intact skin itched; so I quit as directed. 

Our daughter has used Lac-Hydrin on prescription for about 3 months. At first, it seemed to do very well. Now I'm not sure. It seems one can develop a tolerance to certain medications.

Water has been mentioned several times on the list, and I think it would be worth our while to find out how various people do react to water.

First, I think it's important to distinguish between water and soap! My skin often feels "stiff" (tight, uncomfortable) after I shower; however I do use soap. I used to bathe without any soap or any other additives when I was about twelve, but I haven't really tried that since. Swimming doesn't seem to have much effect one way or another. Doing dishes (soap again) has been very bad for my hands in the past.

So, what's the role of water? I think it's a difficult and very interesting question! I'd be very pleased to hear from everyone on the list about this topic.

This seems to be a controversial topic. I tried Benadryl ointment for a while and found it was irritating and not helpful. I believe there's also the potential for significant absorbtion of the antihistamine through the skin, so it would probably be inadvisable over large areas.

My wife and I were talking recently about cultural attitudes to eczema. She said that it is a pity that there has never been a film where the romantic lead is an eczema sufferer. I seem to remember that the heroine of 'Strictly Ballroom' had eczema. My wife insists that she didn't. To save us the cost of re-renting the video, can anyone settle this?

Can't give a definitive answer, but my impression was that she was just rather spotty and that the spots miraculously disappeared at the time of the competition. Eczema would never do that - it delights in being at its reddest when you want to look your best.

Anyway, do you really want an itchy romantic lead? For all I would like to see eczema made more acceptable, I still like to see romantic leads as an ideal, otherwise they wouldn't be romantic would they? We all yearn towards the perfect (presumably something to do with natural selection), and I think the best we can hope for as often being less than perfect is that at least we're not given a bell and required to go around calling out "unclean".

When I was in high school, we swam in a pool. The chlorine was strong. When I got out of the pool, I felt like my skin was too small for my head. Chlorine has continued to do this and I do not go in pools. We now have well water with little chlorine. However, baths and showers still dry my skin even without soap. I have gone long periods without showers and baths. Lately, I've taken baths with oilated Aveeno and a spritz of Aveeno oil. My vote is to use water as sparingly as one can.

A week ago I saw a Chinese herb Doc. The results are good. Itching has dropped by 1/2. The cream (camphor with other stuff) makes the bad itching go away and doesn't irritate afterward. The tea (infernal taste and all) is tolerable. The results are pretty dramatic for 1 week (no internal or external steroids and minimal DML cream). Where my arms looked sunburnt, there are now pockets of white skin. Where I used to scratch and then put cream on, I can put the cream on and not scratch in most cases. Though a week does not a lifetime make, it is like a mini vacation.

Ralph: Perhaps living with this condition for 39 years has made me cynical, but I believe that hoping for a cure in our lifetimes is a set-up for serious disappointment. 

I can tell you that cutting edge research is focused on conditions that can be cured prenatally, by gene therapy in the womb, which doesn't help any of us already born. In addition, the conditions that they are focusing on curing prenatally are diseases that are caused by single-gene mutations, the easy ones that can be turned off like a switch. Eczema and all the atopic conditions are caused by such a multitude of complicated factors, and the disease has such a low-profile, that I can almost guarantee ours will be one of the last diseases "cured". I would probably be willing to bet money on this. 

People living with this disability need to focus on what CAN be done to alleviate our suffering. Finding each other, getting emotional support as well as sharing information, is the biggest step in helping bear the burden of this problem. This on-line network is the godsend, is the miracle. Let's be grateful for it, and use it to the best advantage. In my personal experience, dreaming about miracle cures is the surest route to despair. Of course, people NEED to hope and dream as part of their emotional survival toolkit. I understand that. My voice is raised up on this issue only as a reminder to keep those dreams in perspective, and recognize their short-term payoff. If it helps you get through the night, that's fine. Hope and excitement are important for lifting the spirits. My experience in living with this over a lifetime is that a certain amount of acceptance and letting go, balancing the dreaming with realistic appraisal and a pacing of emotional energy, is necessary for long-term survival. That's all I'm trying to say.... 

I have at the side of my bed every night a tube of antihistamine called Anthisan cream, made by May & Baker. It is for `the relief from pain, itching and inflamation in insect bites and stings and nettle rash......it should not be used for eczema or on extensively broken skin surfaces`. The active ingredient is Mepyramine Maleate 2% w/w.

However, I have been using the above to deal with local itching (mainly at night, hands/face) for some 20 years and I have to say it is excellent. It usually kills the itch within a minute and sometimes that particular itch does not return. I consulted my Dr (GP) about its use and he said carry on. 

I highly recommend the film series The Singing Detective. The lead character has psoriasis, not eczema, but so much of what he goes through is similar to what people with eczema endure. The writer, Dennis Potter, an Englishman, wrote from his own experience. The story is about a man whose psoraisis is so severe that he has to be hospitalized. He deals with the stress of how bad his skin feels by imagining that he is a singing detective. The very first episode in the series shows how bad his skin is, and then as the series progresses his skin improves. By the end he is able to leave the hospital. The Singing Detective is the only film I know that realistically portrays the experience of living with a horrible skin condition. I would love to know about any others. 

I didn't see "Strictly Ballroom", but I remember that I avoided seeing "Sleepless in Seattle" because the preview depicted one character as unattractive partly because he suffered from sinus trouble. He loses his lady to a healthy Tom Hanks (who, incidentally, ended up with something more deadly in "Philadelphia"!!) 

It was at a time that I was having lots of sinus trouble and I didn't want to be reminded that it wasn't adding to my allure. "The Singing Detective" sounds great; the person with the skin condition is a positive force. As for the perfect skin you see on the screen, I never really believe it. I figure it's makeup or prednisone. Euro films seem to let more flaws show through (i.e. teeth fillings ). As an aside, I find that I assume that everyone has rashes hidden under their clothing. I am always shocked when I am in a locker room or on a liberal beach and there are ALL THESE PEOPLE WITH SMOOTH, UNRED SKIN ALL OVER THEIR BODIES!! 

Wren, You mentioned that you are taking flax/borage capsules. What help has it been to you? What effect on the eczema has it had?

It's really hard to say what help any one component of my pill therapies has been, because I take so many items daily. I am starting to drop items and scale back as my health improves. I believe the flax/borage capsules have helped, but can't estimate to what degree. Sorry to be of so little help.

My doctor has mentioned to me about using this immuran (sp?) drug. Its a heavy duty drug, just a step below cyclosporine. I am wondering if anyone is on it or has tried it and what have been the results? I am considering it but am reluctant. 

I was also irritated by the portrayal of the character in Sleeping in Seattle who was rejected due to his unattractive allergies. There's a commercial on TV now for something that I don't remember, but it features a group of "worriers" who are portrayed as unattractive people, and one of the final shots shows a woman using an inhaler, giving the impression that she's even more repulsive due to this. 

I also am greatly annoyed by the nature programs on PBS that state in a definitive authoritative tone of voice that it's a biological imperative to be drawn to physical attractiveness and simply represents an innate desire to find a mate with "good genes". I will never forget how bad I felt years ago when talking with a group of "friends" discussing the theoretical situation of a flood like Noah's and if you could save a few people who you would choose. One of them nonchalantly said "Well, Shelley's out because she has bad genes." As if physical characteristics are the bottom line in judging value of one's contribution to the world. 

Gimme a break, folks. No one suggested that what worked for me is a miracle that will cure everyone. In fact, it didn't TOTALLY cure me, but I am 90% better and eczema is no longer a major torment nor the focus of my life. Moreover, it's a simple dietary approach, that costs very little to try, so why not stop whining and just try it?

I understand the disappointment that comes from getting excited about a possible cure only to find that it doesn't work. I too suffered with eczema and those kinds of disappointments for years. But it is a solution that I KNOW works for SOME because two of us tried it and we got better. So why not try it and see if you are one of those for whom it works.

I have had the SAME results that Chuck and Brent have had. No, it's not a miracle cure but it is, IMHO, a "magic bullet" for some. Alicia has been trying the same protocol and her results have not been as dramatic as mine but she has shown signs of lessening of the inflammation.

My protocol is pretty much the same as Chuck and Brent's (and I think a couple of others on the list) and it certainly can't hurt to try it if you suspect you have a candida infection (which I most defniately have).

A few things I have done.

1. Stopped taking the contraceptive pill 
2. Drinking ONLY filtered water (chlorine kills 'good' bugs in your system and treated water has buckets of the stuff in it - if you are sensitive enough you even can smell it in the water) 
3. Taking biotin, B6, Zinc, E, C, EPO and Flax oil. 
4. Staying away from yeast inducing foods - bread, refined flours, refined sugars, mushrooms, hydrolised proteins, miso, soy sauce etc. 
5. Staying away from dairy. Milk is food for baby cows not for people (please note that I am on a bit of a crusade in my life to stop people eating dairy food so ignore this diatribe if you like). Milk proteins are bad bad bad and it is only the massive dairy industry that churns (!) out the myth that dairy is a great and complete food. Get your calcium from nuts and vegies. There are many societies which do not use dairy food and they are not all dropping over from dissolving bones blah blah blah (sorry!). 
6. Taking acidophilous. 
7. Using sparingly low strength cortisone creams.

This is NOT a miracle cure but it is working for ME. Even so, it is a pretty healthy way to get through the day as it excludes processed refined crap that some industries have the gall to call food.

I have large areas of skin that are not only rash free but are actually *soft* and I spend hours stroking these areas. I feel near to normal and great.

I am still, as it were, on the edge of my seat waiting to see if I will one day wake up a rashy, weeping, stinging mess but, what-the-hey, got nothin' to lose.

I suppose that we are all very different in what we can tolerate (I can't tolerate petroleum jelly/vaseline but I can tolerate sorbelene cream which, I think, is based on a mineral oil like vaseline - strange).

Vegetable oils (such as, I presume Crisco is) I can tolerate. I find that Evening primrose oil (I can get it in bottles - very expensive) is lovely as is grapeseed oil.

But, as with any lubricant, skin has to be very damp before applying the oil/cream or it won't do any good at all. But this you know.

Things such as lard I would be scared to try becuase if I touch bacon fat and then touch a sensitive part of my skin (face, neck) I get very itchy. Walking into a kitchen where bacon is frying makes me itchy too. So I would be wary of lard.

I also find that washing makes me dry (and I don't use soap). If I can go a few days without a shower (I live a kinda solitary life so this is not a hassle) I will. I always feel better after a few days away from water.

So, are you only using Crisco now? Have you tried anything else?

Some side effects of cortisone: Skin thinning Moon face Osteoporosis (sp) Mood swings (in my case very violent) Addiction 

There are lots of others and I have an article somewhere that I will dig out when I get a moment (it is very scary reading). I have used oral cortisone on and off for years and my last course went for about 11 months (I was self medicating and could not get myself off it - it is so addictive). The benefits of taking cortisone are great - in the sense that I can be a 'normal' person (get in the shower, dry myself, dress and go out as opposed to having a shower and spending an hour on the skin rituals!). I suppose you just have to weigh the pros and cons of this medication for yourself. I am glad to be off it and my doctor, a new one, went ballistic when he heard I'd been self medicating for 11 months and has sent me for a few tests to check out some stuff.

I believe that food plays an immense part in my eczema. I get tangible reactions from food, especially yeasty foods and dairy food. My current regime is to exclude these things and so far it's going great!

Moulds (like yeast in the diet) are nasties for me. Dust makes me feel pretty itchy and sneezy.

I have read quite alot about this stuff and if I was going to have a baby I'd remove dairy, refined flours, refined sugars and yeasts from my diet and breast feed for as long a *physically* possible. But that is assuming that you go along with the food factor in allergy (which many don't).

My son is 4 1/2 and has been wearing wet wraps for approx 4 months and also having UV treatment. Whilst having these treatments his eczema has been quite good. Iam interested in other peoples comments about the treatment and what happened when the treatment finished

Samantha, I really appreciate your suggestions re sorbolene cream and grapeseed oil. Am not familiar with either of these, but have to try them now. I'm in a fix myself for the past ten days with an acute flare from (I think) using Norizol (name?) shampoo in the shower. 

My use of water is entirely for the softening effect and a grease job after. It also relieves my itching, so that's why I'm a proponent. Not thrilled with Crisco--it doesn't loosen up the skin underneath, if you know what I mean. Am reduced to vaseline--nothing else left, so really appreciate your suggestions.

Thx also for the caveat re lard. The insects would love me if I used that, and it's bad enuf without it! I'm very housebound, esp in summer because of heat and insects. Really glad to hear you and Alicia have gotten some good relief. I've never had much faith in dietary measures, but maybe it's time I tried it.

Samantha, I'm glad your skin is so much better. I always seem to have the pollen-eczema connection in the front of my brain and I wonder if some of your success is due to a change in the pollen around you. Or are the pollen levels and types pretty constant year-round there?

I was interested in the shampoo discussion in the dialogue you provided. I thought I was the only one who used conditioner as a shampoo! Unfortunately, the conditioner doesn't work well on the vaseline and ointment gunk that builds up on my hair. So I often use shampoo, but just a tiny amount: I don't have much hair and it's easier to keep the shampoo off my skin when there aren't lots of suds. When my skin is really bad I wear a light nylon jacket (and rubber gloves) in the shower when shampooing. That way I can tilt my head back to keep the shampoo off my face and I spare my back and arms at the same time. My derm doctor told me that most scalp eczema needs to be dried out, but I am the opposite: my scalp has always been ultradry and feels better when greased up.

Kristen, Sorry that your face flared; I hope it gets resolved quickly. Deep facial itching is terrible and you can't cover face eczema up (both for comfort and privacy)the way you can other areas. I know you don't like vaseline, but I really think it's the best thing out there for severely dry skin (unless you're allergic to something in it, of course). I'm back using it all over me again. I had been using Eucerin for many months. I ran out of Eucerin and planned to use vaseline just until I got to the store, but I unexpectedly discovered that it works so much better. 

I usually rely on vaseline myself. I found that eucerine would sometimes mold on me before I would use it all. Might I suggest a mixture of vaseline and desitine (commonly used for babies). My grandmother used it on me as a child, though I haven't tried it in years. Just watch out for sensitivity to either one.

I have found a shampoo called "Herbal Healing" specifically for eczema and other skin problems that is very good. This has been OK when other eczema shampoos have failed. The company it is produced by is: 

Wow, what lengths we have to go to baby eczema, Ann! I've had several years of living like a normal human being, but your condition sounds tons worse overall. 

Vaseline can be a problem by itself, too, tho I don't know for sure if it is helping or hindering at this point. I have some white petrol, plain and mixed with stuff, from pharmacy for now.

Have to tell everyone about my experience at the Hosp ER where my derm dr told me to go for admission. They refused to admit me--my problem didn't warrant admission! Chronic edema, erythema, unrelenting heat, and itching, but my problem was (to them) not really a problem. No conception at all about what CHRONIC means with a derm condition.

That's what I love about derm--it's always minimized so easily by other people. As long as you are walking and talking, you couldn't possibly be in pain or agony worthy of much attention. ER Drs were pleasant enough but with no experience with derm, the handout they gave to go home with was a huge laugh (I told them it was a joke!): 3-line description of eczema and what it is (haha), suggestion to contact the Burn Unit (my recent minimal sunburn on top of antibiotic, contraindicated), and more suggestions to use Aveeno, Aquaphor, Lubriderm, and cooling showers! Christ, that's what I've been doing to no avail--and none of those products work for me any more. I SAID I'd had eczema from birth--nobody was listening! As if I couldn't know what eczema is!! I needed to scream just then.

A couple of recent messages struck a chord. Samantha's interview transcript pointed out the problem of getting overheated at night from too many blankets. I am always cold, except in the warmest weather, and used to bundle up with lots of blankets until I discovered that they were a primary cause of my severe night itching. I found that I would sweat a lot under the covers and the sweat would irritate my skin. Then, of course, I would start scratching in my sleep and would awaken the next morning a bloody mess. Wearing light pajamas and using a lighter blanket helped significantly.

Related to this, I have always had the problem of being allergic to my own sweat. Whenever I exercised or got overheated, my skin got itchy. I posted the problem on one of the health groups, and several people told me I was not drinking enough water. As soon as I increased my water consumption, the sweat allergy greatly diminished.

Lastly, I'm interested in Stephen's good result with UV treatments for his son. I have come to believe from personal experience that Candida (yeast) infection is often a cause of eczema. When people have Candida, it resides in the colon and comes out on the skin, causing itching. I wonder if the UV treatments may be killing the Candida colonies on the skin???

I call the night overheating problem the "nest effect" and deal with it this way. For some reason Egyptian cotton sheets seem to keep my body cooler than any other all cotton sheets. They feel so wonderful on the skin, but even on sale they are about $50 a sheet. Then I use a light cotton throw over my shoulders only. When it really gets hot and my skin is really bad I take those reusable ice packets (like you would put in a picnic cooler) wrap a couple in towels so they don't sweat and put them in the bed. 

Samantha, Great to hear that you've had as much luck with the Candida diet as Brent and I did. You added a number of points which were helpful, such as drinking filtered water to avoid chlorine. I do that also. Many of your other tips were equally helpful.

For the benefit of others who might be intimidated by the diet, there are only a few vital components. Other things help a little here and there, but the most vital thing is to KILL the CANDIDA. To do this, try the following:

1. Take garlic or Capryllic Acid at least twice a day. 
2. Take Acidophilus (good) or Acidophilus with Bifidus (better) at least twice a day. 
3. Avoid foods you are allergic to. 
4. Avoid ALL yeast products, including breads, pickled foods, alcholic beverages, soy sauce...anything fermented because it adds yeast to your body when that is what you're trying to get rid of.

It seems an awfully obvious thing to say, but how about washing your hair under a hand shower or mixer tap? I know that doesn't remove any problems you have on your head, but at least it keeps it off the body.

I came down with the condition about a year ago. My GP misdiagnosed a small patch on my left arm as an infection, and prescribed topical and oral antibiotics. (I was also under great business stress at the time). Within a couple of days, my skin exploded!

The dermatologist I was referred to immediately diagnosed eczema, put me on prednisone (oral) and cleared the acute attack. The question then became: what to do about the now-chronic condition.

Just received my second set of (comprehensive) patch tests, which showed a few allergic reactions, but none to anything I am in common contact with.

About four months ago, I decided to stop using the topical steroid creams for, while they worked, they were certainly not going to 'cure' the condition. While fully aware of the lack of scientific validity of the approach, I've been seeing a homeopath, who has perscribed 'remedies'. After an initial flare-up when I stopped the hydrocortisone, the condition has settled down somewhat, but still flares up. I do not suffer the extreme itchiness that others reportedly experience.

I have ready access to medical databases, literature, etc., but through all my reading, I am still stumped about why, at 43 years old, I should suddenly be confronting a condition that never before bothered me.

Shelley, When your "friends" said you wouldn't be selected because of "bad genes", you should have said, "I definitely would be selected because I have survival genes; you haven't been tested ...yet." Your statement that there is no magic cure that works for everyone made me think about cures and treatments in general. Many eczema people experience dramatic improvement or total remission at various times in their lives without having tried anything different. So when you do something ( tea, shots, diets etc.) and you get better, it COULD be just chance, with no cause and effect (except for maybe the placebo effect). A true martyr for science would "challenge" the results by going back to the old habits to see if the skin got bad again. But most people cured of eczema would choose to not rock the boat; so we hang onto a new regime without actually proving that it was the key.

Kristen, What a frustrating experience you describe! The fact that your scalp isn't bad makes perfect sense to me. Most peoples' scalps (eczema covered or healthy) need to be dried out. The shampoo you were using did the trick. But your skin elsewhere is already dry or, at least, it is easily dried out; so the run-off from your head did damage to face, neck, and chest. That's why I go thru the nylon jacket ritual (it can backfire if shampoo gets trapped under the neck and cuffs, look out!) or simply wash my scalp in the sink, or thickly coat the bad spots with vaseline. You are right, I don't know what it's like to live like in normal skin. But for years, all I had were patches and even though they often looked like lunch meat or worse, they were just patches and I felt in control of the situation and didn't spend hours a day on it. For me, the breaking point comes with the total person rash ( my feet are always almost clear); it's also scary - "what next?" Other people may find it easier to deal with the milder all-over stuff and are rocked harder by the small raw patches. Take your pick? 

We've been wet-wrapping our daughter since September and have been very happy with the results. We have tried a variety of other treatments but in the past her skin would veer between not too bad and very bad. Since wet wrapping her skin is between pretty good and clear. It is time consuming but well worth the effort I think. We haven't tried UV because it hasn't been necessary. We continue to use steroid creams and moisturizer, though we use steroids in much smaller amounts than before.

Has anyone tried glycerin sorbolene, is there a product called that or do I just go to the pharmacy and ask for them mixed together?

And what about washing your hair with conditioner did anyone try that yet? What do you think? I'm really tired of going to doctors for different cremes and ointments. Maybe this approach could work for me.

I asked my Chinese herb doctor, about whether people with allergies to plants would be able to use her herbs? She replied that since the herbs are all dried, the substances that people are allergic to are disarmed. 

I recently made a quantum improvement when our local grass pollen count dropped . Also I have reduced the allergy shots to once every 3 weeks so that may be helping too. When you commit to allergy shots, you have to expect flares from the shots until you are at a steady level for a long time.

On food allergies, I don't eat any "unnecessary" plants like seasonings. I do eat high nutrient, high calorie veg products, and try to get a good variety and avoid overdoing any one thing. (For many many years I was a total vegetarian and I think I overdid the soybean products.) I am responding so well to the allergy shots that I may ease up on the diet as foods probably aren't causing any appreciable problem. (my food allergy tests produced a few size 1 hives; pollens and dust produced many size 8 hives - size 4 is the largest standard!)

On drying herbs to get rid of the allergens - doesn't make sense to me. Opening a package of POWDERED egg whites used to send me into asthma. DRIED mustard just touching my skin causes a major flare. I came very close to death (yeah, I saw the tunnel of light) from a ROASTED Brazil Nut. I had to jump off a hayride truck once because of the DRIED grass on board. Anyhow, for me food is fuel for athletics and other activities of life so I don't mind eating unseasoned stuff or missing out on certain foods. I think Shelley expressed the same feelings once. 

The only thing that does work is Prednisone, dosage 40 mg a day. But... I have to taper it off as soon as the condition is better and as soon as I go below 40 mg it starts to come back. My wife is suffering worse than I am and I really want to do something positive to stop scratching.

I have had eczema for most of my 29 years. For the last nine months it has been very bad, meaning it spread to regions it never had, and when the triamcinolone and other stronger (harder to remember) named corticosteroids failed to work, I quit them cold turkey, about two months ago. Thus my disease expressed itself even worse and I have been in absolute terror of myself since. I finally opted to take the oral steroids to give my skin a break. I am amazed at the improvement and fearful that the bad skin will bloom again once my taper is finished.

So now I am seeking help for alternative therapies that don't involve the cycle of corticosteroid dependence. I am going to start the elimation diet to see if wheat, corn, soy, etc, may be the culprit. I already don't drink alcohol or coffee, or eat sugar or dairy products. 

I have had a lot of luck with my dermologist in treating my eczema without resorting to prednisone except for one three- week burst. He claims to have treated hundreds of eczema patients over the last 30 years and states that in all his experience, eczema is a seasonal disorder - worse some parts of the year, better at others. It's a function of the types of allergens present in the air and elsewhere during given periods. When he told me this, it gave me a lot of hope because I knew that, once my conditions worsened, it was likely to get better again. And it has. And I expect it to get worse again.

Strangely enough, this time of year (the 'dry season') my skin is *always* much worse, but this time 'round it is much better being off all of those foods that I react to.

Oh Kris: How appalling! It is true isn't it? It is "just your skin". I don't think they realise the incredible pain that goes with it. The unrelenting, mind blowing, all encompassing itching, burning, stinging etc etc.

I was able to locate a Web presence for the American Academy of Dermatology, at

http://www.derm-infonet.com/

but unfortunately their server was not responding at the time I tried to reach it. Maybe they have a list of dermatologists in various regions.

Where would one get these Egyptian sheets? Maybe I could afford to buy an Egyptian handkerchief to try out the concept!

Glad to hear that wet-wrapping has worked for your daughter. This has been explained to me before, but it didn't stick, so here's my question: is there any medication included with the wet wrap, or just water?

From a Web search, I just located the following URL, with some information about atopie:

http://www.rrze.uni-erlangen.de/docs/FAU/fakultaet/med/kli/derma/vorlesun/atopie /atopisch.htm

This site includes a sort of atlas of photographs of skin ailments, for anyone who might want to look at such pictures -- not exactly pleasant viewing, but they might be useful in some situations.

I also found a page about Enzyme Potentiated Desensitization (EPD), which is a special kind of desensitization (by injection) against allergies:

http://www.think.com/users/ephraim/epd.html

There is no medication included in the wet wrap. Wet wraps is just a double layer of plain cotton bandage (brand name Tubifast) and the bottom layer goes on soaked in plain warm tap water.

However, before the wraps go on we put on topical steroids and moisturizer. We are using considerably less steroid cream than before we wet wrapped though.

I'm interested to know how widespread this technique is. I know it's quite new in UK. Is it used in other parts of the world? And if so what sort of success has it had? It's been brilliant for our daughter but has anybody had a bad result from using it? Also our daughter is a rather skinny 8 year old. Have adults tried the technique?

I've used this technique with great success this year on the advice of my dermotologist. My approach is to apply a combination steroid/antibiotic zinc oxide based cream (a formula developed by my dermotologist) to the affected areas. Then put on a pair of long underwear ("long johns" to some; covering from ankles to to neckline) that have been soaked, and wringed out a little, in tap water. Then, since this outfit is somewhat cold and miserable, I put on a couple of jogging outfits on top. I then function normally like this, leaving the wet outfit on for about two hours per time. During chronic outbreaks, I do this about two or three times per day and, according to my experience, within 3 or 4 days, the skin is almost perfect. This is by far the best quick fix for severe eczema outbreaks I've found that doesn't involve taking oral steroids (prednisone). I've seen a dozen dermotologists over the years and the present one (trained at Mayo Clinic and Stanford) is the first to prescribe this wonderful, albeit temporary, cure.

Would the wet wrap work without the steroids? (This question is for anyone with experience using wet wraps.)

Apparently wet wraps are beneficial for these reasons:

• They act as a barrier, thus protecting skin from scratching. 
• They soothe the skin, thus reducing itching/scratching. 
• They keep the skin moist. 
• They make a mild steroid more effective somehow.

I note that Gary makes some similar arrangement using long johns and jogging suits which he finds effective. Improvement showed in 24 hours once we started wet wrapping and was considerable within 3 days and, on the whole, her skin has stayed good.

Although I'm very enthusiastic about the technique I must also say that eczema does like to pop out somewhere and we found that with Esme her buttocks and shoulders, which were not wrapped, got eczema but this cleared after a week or so. But we don't wrap her face and that, at present, is the most difficult area.

I tried a "home grown" pseudo wet wrap routine on myself in bad eczema times by soaking pajamas and wearing them at night. I found it was a bit of a help but very uncomfortable. I only tried it for a few days. I think that it is analagous to wearing a bandage over a bad area with some cortisone which seems to promote rapid healing by concentrating the ointment and reducing the ability to physically impact the open area.

I have done a lot of wet wrapping on myself. I slept in wet wraps, head to ankle, every night for about 10 months when I was in my 40s. It really improved the condition of the underlying skin (restores the moisture lost from inflammation), but the allergic rash was still there unless I zapped it with steroids. 

The only adverse reaction I had were that my fingernails seemed to be disintegrating so I stopped wearing wet gloves. I quit the body wraps because of time constraints but continued the face, scalp and neck wraps for years. Unfortunately I learned how to use the semi-dry cotton T shirt that served as a head wrap (you breathe thru a sleeve) to abrade my jaw area while I slept. So I gave the whole thing up. 

I would advise plastic mattress and pillow covers to guard against mildew. I found that heavy cotton clothes held the water better than the medical wrapping stuff, but if it works for your child, keep it up! This is a wonderful thing you are doing for her. I hope her skin completely clears (most kids do outgrow it), but in any event, she will have nicer skin because of what you are doing. 

Kris: Your experience at the hospital ER sounds awful. I know exactly what you mean about their infuriating ignorance. And on top of it, they assume YOU are ignorant too! When the truth is that you could teach them quite a bit about it. In those kinds of situations, I want to start screaming at the top of my lungs. 

I wonder what it would take for the medical community to finally GET IT about chronic cases like ours. Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy for change to occur. Someone would have to come to a breaking point, get a gun, and start shooting in a doctor's office or hospital to get their attention. I'm not advocating this as a solution. It's just that their lack of concern is an outrage of that magnitude. I have had so many episodes where I've been treated the way Kristen describes. Those of us who have lived with this condition our entire lives are the only ones who seem to appreciate how much of a crisis it is. (Perhaps if we just shot at the ceiling.....) 

Hi Brenda, Until I get a diagnosis of this latest flare (photosensitivy, as far as I can tell now but have no definitive diagnosis yet), I may end up with my head in the bathroom sink. Showering and shampooing is so much more efficient, but how does one test these shampoos prior to use? 

The theory behind the U.V treatment is to burn off the outer eczema/infected skin and hopefully allow the new skin to come through. In our case this procedure is repeated a number of times to thicken the skin but we don't know what happens when the treatment finishes or if it is on-going treatment

Ann, You are probably the most highly allergic person I have ever talked with. As for dust, it's so pervasive, how does one attempt to live without it? If one can afford a cleaning service, great. Only I certainly can't on a regular basis. And how does one get away from pollen? Or keep it away? There may be solutions, but most of them are so impractical as to be totally useless. Glad you are doing so much better for now. 

Ann, I think you hit the nail on the head here--we ourselves are probably the only real key to research, but we have neither the time or the resources or whatever to pursue the real answers. Trouble is, the answers may pertain to only one person and never to anyone else. We are defeated before we even begin. Eczema has to be the curse of Job.

As of today, I am better. Am using 0.1% hydrocortisone in white petrol creme all over (so I am a greasball but not a 'dirty' one!), and 500 mg of Atarax. The Atarax knocked me out so I could at least sleep, and they took 2 biopsies off my back, so go back to get stiches out next week. Surprisingly, the UW derm dr seemed to recognize my condition as "photo- something" and "classic" something, but I may have gotten 5 seconds of his time. Very little conversation between patient and Dr. I find this trend disgusting. He asked me if I had ever been hospitalized before, and if my hair was natural color. (It is still dark brown without coloring, lest I had used something on it.) Never asked me about shampoo use or what else I might have used on it. So I still have no diagnosis, but I mean to get one before this is over. No instructions about when to stop the cortisone with petrol (I'm cold turkey cortisone now, or was before this happened).

Glad to hear wet wraps prove so beneficial. My mother used to apply something similar when I was a kid--you wouldn't want to hear what we used! But the face is the most difficult area to treat with any kind of compresses, etc. 

When one is a kid whose parent applies all the trappings, it is workable. But if you are an adult trying to play doctor to yourself, it becomes highly impractical and mostly nonworkable, and dissatisfactory to boot. 

I've had eczema all of my 43 years, its been mild, its been severe, and its been almost gone! Reading about recent discussions on wet wraps reminded me of a treatment I have used in the past when my eczema was real bad. After applying cortisone cream, instead of wrapping the effected area with wet cloths, I wrap the area with plastic wrap (handiwrap, saranwrap, etc) and leave it on overnight. This method was recommended to me by a dermatologist years ago--I still use it once in a great while when things get out of control.

I wonder if candida infections are caused by eczema treatment rather than cause eczema. The cortisone would make a nice growth environment for the candida. I have found also, following a candida diet has made improvements in my eczema. Candida yeast infections are very hard to treat and many MD's don't even believe in them, so getting advice from them can't be counted on.

Egyptian Cotton sheets are available at any large department store. Here I have gotten them at Macy's, Bloomingdales, and Dayton's. Egyptian cotton fibers are much longer and thinner than most varieties allowing them to have more fibers per inch (320). That makes it feel nicer than silk. By the way, they seem to last much longer than other sheets.

This technique multiplies by several times the rate at which the steroid is absorbed by your skin and hence by your body. Consequently, while it can be a good approach for a short period of time (say, less than two weeks), it is not good over the long term because you can actually absorb a huge amount of steroid systemically. The technique is what derms call an occlusive seal. Incidentally, my understanding is that a wet wrap is considerably less sealing than an occlusive seal because, with a wet wrap, the skin can still "breath", at least as the moisture evaporates. Consequently, in contrast to what someone said earlier, a wet wrap is not analogous to a band aid or occlusive seal. I believe the latter could actually produce some fairly significant systemic side effects if done too much over a longish period of time. Can anyone respond more authoritatively on the difference between wet wraps and occlusive seals? My knowledge is based mostly on hearsay and inferences.

Has anyone tried using Aloe vera gel internally or externally for eczema? I have just started to take it by mouth and would be interested to hear of any other experiences.

>>Showering and shampooing is so much more efficient,<<

Sure, but it seems a lot easier than trying to protect your body with a plastic raincoat under the shower and risking bits sneaking down the collar.

Would a small patch test of the shampoo on a regularly sensitive bit of skin help do you think? 

25 years ago I was admitted to the major skin treatment hospital in London UK with a really bad flare up of eczema. The treatment included something called among us patients, mummyfying!

After a supervised bath, ointment was applied, then we were wrapped in gauze bandages that had been soaked in zinc oxide. They were bright yellow and made a squishy sound as they were unwrapped. Then a layer of regular crepe bandages and then the tubigauze bandage over that. We did look like mummies!

However, the treatment did work for me for a while. I think the name of the bandages was Quinaband. I know it provided excellent moisturizaton and helped the skin absorb more of the topical ointments that were applied before the bandages.

I have been experiencing an unpleasant itching episode in the last few days. It's what is euphemistically called "jock itch" -- that is, itching of the male genital areas. (I suppose this can happens to women too, but I don't know for sure). It seems to be yeast ("fungal") in many cases. I started using an antifungal powder spray, which has helped this in the past, and it seems to be getting better.

I don't think this could have been caused by any eczema treatment, since I haven't been using any treatments in the last few weeks, and I don't currently have eczema in that area anyway.

My dermatologist has recently been prescribing antifungal medicine by mouth along with antibiotics. If the spray doesn't fix the problem, I may try taking some of that medication.

(Parenthetical note: I'm a bit confused by the fact that "yeast" and "fungus" seem to be synonomous in this realm of human pathology. Yeast to me is the white stuff that makes bread rise. Fungus is what a mushroom is. I must confess that I don't see the connection.)

Curious, I looked in the shorter OED.

Fungus 

1. Any of a large division of organisms, including mushrooms, toadstools, moulds, rusts, yeasts and constituents of lichens, which lack chlorophyll, reproduce as cryptograms(!) and grow on and obtain nutriment from organic matter. 
2. A growth of a soft or spongy diseased tissue on a surface, as a tumour etc 
3. A growth of facial hair, a beard (slang)

1. Any of the unicellular ascomycetous fungi of the genus Saccharomyces, capable of converting water into alchohol and Carbon Dioxide; a yellowish-grey preparation of such a fungus used esp. as a fermenting agent or to raise bread dough etc. b. A unicellular fungus in which vegetative reproduction takes place by budding or fission. 
2. Froth or foam, esp on new or fermenting beer.

I have been using aloe vera, the drinkable kind, on my skin. It burns like heck but heals too. I am now using a lotion that is 84% aloe vera since my eczema is temporarily under control, thanks, sort of, to the oral steroids I am on for a while.

Any allergist can tell you about dust control. It can mean a major lifestyle change. Plastic covers on mattress, box springs and pillows. Frequent hot washing of all bedding. No carpets or unwashable rugs; no unwashable curtains. No open bookshelves or stacks of paper; No stuffed (or overstuffed) chairs. As few knick-knacks as possible unless you want to dust them frequently. Frequent vacuuming with a specially filtered vacuum. 

As there are 3 of us here who are highly allergic, our house is exemplary (except we do have one couch). It took me a while to get everything done, but it's worth it because even if I don't get the vacuuming done on time, there's very little dust anywhere. And people always exclaim how clean and open our house is. Only later do they realize that there's not a comfortable chair in the place! But that's OK with me because we are all so busy that we don't sit for long anyhow. 

Also, there are desensitization shots for dust mites. The mildew shots are usually not given because people have such heavy flares from them. So we also did mildew control (mainly install fans in kitchen and BR to get rid of extra moisture).

The main reason I kept the wet wrapping going for so long is that, for me anyhow, wet clothing on my skin completely kills the itch. So it was much easier for me to get to sleep in wet rather than dry clothing.

I've heard of the of the plastic wrap idea--that would drive me crazy inside 15 minutes--the stuff doesn't breathe. It does force penetration of the meds applied into the skin, but the other effect is worse than the remedy--for me, at least. 

In our experience we currently are wet wrapping our son with diprobase and very occasionally applying steroid cream on the bad areas when they flare up - along with the wraps he is also recieving U.V treatment which we believe is also helping.

Has anyone ever tried growing candida in cortisone in a Petri dish? I'm not a researcher, so have no idea what this would involve. 

Not sure about patch-testing shampoo, since usually the skin on my arms vs my face vs my scalp usually reacts differently. My face is most sensitized due to cortisone overuse. I can have a bad facial flare without any scalp involvement whatsoever. And what duration? I'm one of those 24-hour or longer responders. Putting a blob of shampoo on my head for 24 hours isn't really true to life, since shampoo is rarely applied without water in some ratio. 

Hi Ann, Your efforts are truly remarkable and sound very attractive! It's not that I don't know about dust-free living, but I find the idea of no curtains or rugs repulsive. I have the bedding covers, just haven't gotten motivated to put them on. Funny thing is, I have good times and bad times whether I do the dust-free thing or not. The forced air furnace/AC makes things worse, I think. And I'm a book reader of long standing, so no comfortable chairs to read in is unthinkable. But your statement about wet being more comfortable than dry gives me pause. I will keep that in mind when I'm in trouble. 

Ralph, as someone pointed out, yeast and fungus are one and the same. An antifungal is exactly the right thing to do for a fungus/yeast infection, and antibiotics are exactly the wrong thing to do.

Antibiotics CAUSE yeast infections by killing the beneficial bacteria in your body, which opens the door for fungus/yeast to replace the "good" bacteria. Yeast infections of the colon, genitals, and skin are a common side effect of heavy doses of antibiotics. That's why some GP's prescribe an antifungal and lactobacillus supplements along with antibiotics. The antifungal kills the yeast, and the lactobacillus is a good bacteria that crowds out the fungus in the body and prevents it from growing back.

Could you use one of the non-soap soaps on your hair? Whatever doesn't upset your body should work on your hair. The detergent in shampoo seems to be particularly damaging, but our grandmothers managed without it (probably used Sunlight soap), so I guess we can, especially if you use conditioner. 

Yeast IS a fungus -- unicellular, of the genus Saccharomyces. It makes bread rise by fermenting the carbohydrates (which is why it needs sugar). The commercial type of yeast one buys in the store for baking is really a meal impregnated with yeast cells.

FWIW, yeast is very high in B vitamins. ;-)

A coworker sent me this bit from in the on-line Risks Forum (comp.risks).

Ann, it made me think of you. Do you work in an office that has to be kept clean? I work in a cubicle on a large open floor. The surfaces are dusty, and floor only cursorily vacuumed. Probably doesn't help.

>>

From the electronic edition of the Swedish newspaper, Svenska Dagbladet (14 Jun 1996) http://www.svd.se/svd/ettan/X0002_Damm_och_dator.html (My rough translation and summary).

Workers using video display terminals in dusty and poorly cleaned offices had increased risk for skin damage, as shown by a study by the Norwegian "national work environment institute" (statens arbetsmilj=F6institut). The study showed how dust particles in combination with static electricity caused skin irritation in people working with computer displays. ...

By wiping the screens with a special ionic solution and, at the same time, grounding the hard disk, the static electricity was led away from the apparatus. The result was a noticeable lessening of skin irritation. "There were on average 20% fewer skin problems when the static electricity field disappeared," said Dr. Knut Skulberg who, together with Dr. Knut Skyberg was responsible for the project. In the control group where the ground lead was not used, there was no noticable change.

A careful analysis of the indoor environment in the offices showed how a number of additional factors were affected by static electricity. -- If there is a lot of dust, skin problems worsened. Less dust meant less skin reaction.

The researchers also discovered that few displays had strong static electricity fields directly in front of the screen. Instead, they measured the greatest values along the side and above the displays.

Norwegian studies show that 16% of people who work frequently with computer displays have had some form of skin irritation, primarily redness, itching, and dry skin.

<<

Brenda's idea is a good one. I've been using a grapefruit extract non-soap for months. I forget the name of it, but can get it for you if you are interested. I buy it at my local health food store, and it may even be sold in bulk at some.

Just wanted to thank everyone for being so open and honest. I became involved after a hospitalization in April and I do believe that this list is helping to save my life. I cannot believe how the medical community treats us at times.

I keep telling myself I am my inner person and not my skin. I am trying to start a support group in my area and would you believe that a few Docs have said to me "I cannot see why you would give people false hope" or " I really don't think it is needed".

I then tell them my "horror" story and try to be polite, but I can't stop picturing them with the devil himself roasting marshmallows!!! I have run an ad in the local paper and sent out letters to local derms, but have only received one response (she is a lovely and wonderful contact and we already have given each other much support). My husband of 1 year needs support too since this thing resurfaced only after he placed the ring on my finger. Any suggestions for getting to more patients would be helpful.

Also-- quick question- I am using Aquaphor on my face and chest and it has worked into my hair at night. I CAN NOT GET IT OUT! I am now a real grease ball. ANY SUGGESTIONS???? Thank you again folks. 

Also, the humidity near to a VDU is very low and this has a significant drying effect on the skin. Unfortunately there's not much that can be done about this (anti static/radiation filters in front of the screen aren't very effective in this regard).

I have two VDUs at my desk, I always turn off the one I'm not using.

PS. I've discovered to my cost that I'm highly allergic to cleaning products. The way I've combat this is to having a sign 'Please do not polish this desk/computer/phone etc'. I wipe my phone and computer with a damp cloth every morning, just in case ;-)

Since, as most of you know, the Chinese herbs have really done the trick for me, I'm a real advocate. My Dr. diagnosed my condition as excess wind and heat, and as mentioned, recommended that I not eat seafood, beef, and any fruits containing citrus or having bumpy skin, especially berries and pineapple.

Also, I probably have some food allergies going on. Since last November I've been eating a restricted diet recommended by my homeopathic allergist. Among the items were no dairy, sugar, fruits (as they contain sugar), wheat and gluten containing grains, yeast-containing and fermented foods (tofu, vinegar, soy sauce).

Since I've been feeling so much better I decided to throw hell to the wind and in the last 2 weeks ate pizza, spaghetti, bread, cookies, salad dressing, and anything else I wanted. Except seafood, beef, and fruit with bumpy skin.

What happened was that my itching did increase some, maybe 15-20%, which was livable. But interestly, I became sluggish and drowsy throughout the day every day. Even though I was sleeping well, I just wanted to sleep more. Had no desire, no motivation, no get up and go, no urge to exercise. Just felt like sleeping all the time. Have returned to a better diet and am feeling better. Now I have to clean myself up, then add items one at a time to find out what the offending item or items might be. After that I don't know what I'll do. Either just keep these items out of my diet, or perhaps look into desensitization.

According to the Chinese diet, I'm not supposed to eat spicy food, including all peppers. This is the hardest thing for me to say no to. I like that salsa on my carnitas (roast pork) tacos.

Bye from the land of eat and itch.

My 3 month old son has eczema covering his entire body. This poor child is very uncomfortable and especially at night. After reading all I can about eczema, he does not fall into typical patterns of just behind the knees and crease in the arms. The typical solutions of creams ect. appear to make matters worse. Anything blocking the pores causes him problems. I truly believe he has a digestive disorder since he is allergic to everything. Mothers milk, cow formula, soy formula, hypo-allergenic formulas and now raw goats milk. Anyone have experience with this?

My computer is in a virtually dust free environment and I don't spend much time at it these days. When I worked in an office, I don't remember having much skin trouble, but it's good to know about the potential problem.

I too had an increase in skin trouble when I got married. Looking back now, I bet it was the wall to wall carpets (full of dog and cat hair), the 2 cats we adopted, and the heavy mildew level that bothered me rather than my change in marital status. So tell your spouse not to feel guilty!

I too have the chronically greasy hair problem, but any moisturizer that doesn't mess up the hair isn't heavy enough for my skin. I used to fret about this, but one of the benefits of being older is that comfort rules over looks.

Thomas, I am sorry to hear that your baby is so badly affected. I was severe all over for several years starting at 3 months. So far, I've never been that bad again. My mother refused to experiment with food elimination. I wish she had and maybe I would have gotten better sooner and stayed clearer forever. Have you tried elemental formulas? (They were suggested for my son at one point when he seemed to be allergic to everything; but he got stronger before we needed them). I think they are by prescription only and are expensive but as a last resort, until your baby gets stronger, you might ask your doctor. 

I've been mulling over an earlier thread about water, having just smelled the reek of chlorine when I turned the tap on. The domestic water supply is fairly heavily laden with chemicals I imagine, chlorine and fluoride being only two. Some sensitive skins may be reacting to these and I wonder if it would help to install a filter. I don't mean the type that many of us use for drinking water, but one that goes into the main system so all the water in the house is filtered. I'm very vague about how these work - they must surely use some kind of holding tank system but I can't quite picture how the water pressure would be maintained. However, I do remember seeing them advertised so they're not a figment of my imagination.

Naturally you wouldn't want to leap into this kind of expense without good justification, so perhaps it would be possible to trial it by filtering some water with drinking water equipment and just trying it on your face and hands for a while.

Perhaps just another crackpot idea, but while there's no cure for eczema you have to keep trying to think of measures to alleviate it. 

If I know I'm going to be sitting in front of screens all day I avoid wearing contact lenses - because they dry out within a couple of hours.

Work makes my skin worse - but what are you going to do?

I have installed a water filter here in my home. It is quite simple; it's about 9 inches long and 2 inches thick and is plugged in line with the drinking water tap. It has been in use for a year or two (the filter has to be changed evry three months) and seems to do its job properly. As far as I can tell, it consists of a `block' of carbon, but there may be other items in it as well. It removes all traces of chlorine smell and gives us more confidence in what we are drinking. However, it has made no difference to my eczema!

If your face and neck, ears, etc., are okay, try using a healthy ordinary shampoo that you feel confident about. Most will cut grease very well. You might try blotting the Aquaphor up as much as you can first with soft paper towels, and then use shampoo. I do know Prell cuts grease like nothing else, but I don't know what effect it may have on your scalp. I used Prell to get tar off the lapel of a coat once!

I must be one of the few who prefer a dry environment to humid. But I'm also careful about cleaning products--mostly the commercial ones. I use vinegar and diluted bleach products for cleaning at home, but use mostly Windex at work for cleaning. It seems to be the least offensive to my skin as well as my nose. 

Wren, I assume you are keeping a log of your foods/times/reactions. Any elimination diet wil produce reactions. Like my year without dairy foods which, when resumed, produced an intolerance to lactase--a definitive response that I could not ignore, nor had any illusions about. Food diaries are really hard to maintain (I think) and then try and figure out which if any was the probable culprit for a specific response. I always found them to be futile (by and large), but good luck! 

About greased up hair: In the 70's when I had bad scalp problems, I would wash my hair at night, load up on the meds to my scalp (which made my hair icky again, sleep with my head covered, and then in the morning when I went to work, I put on a wig!!

Don't laugh! I really like wigs! Now they are very airy (cap part), and fluffy and never go flat, and are washable in detergent--after which they can be air dried over the tub. One of my favorites cost me $30. They come in all styles and colors, still not expensive. But try them on at a shop so you know what colors are good for you--shadings, etc., since it's hard to know out of a catalog. There's more than one way to skin a cat (ugh). 

I didn't mean for drinking but for washing. That's why I referred to a total-house system. A number of people have commented on the effects that just plain (but not pure) water have had on their skin. 

Does anyone know if the eczema battle is drawn up along racial lines? I've never noticed any Polynesians with it, but that may be because it's less obvious on a darker skin. However, it may also be because paler skin reacts more to U.V. etc. Can anyone cite any research?

P.S. If anyone wants to stop their skin from drying out, let me sell you a plane ticket. It hasn't stopped raining for one minute the whole weekend! 

My derm dr says eczema is patriarchal civilization's disease, and that it's mostly our lifestyle--industrialized--tho we are killing that misnomer off these days with high tech. Have no knowledge of eczema or psoriasis in other races. I only met my first black people when I was 30! 

My eczema is also under good control right now. Is that a coincidence, or some sort of connection, I wonder? I do think I may possibly have caused the jock-itch by wearing some too-tight underwear.

Does anyone have a supplier and price of the bandages called Quinaband? It is a crepe bandage soaked in zinc oxide. The Dr's in the U.K. used it on me 25 years ago and it seems to me that these are a lot easier than wet wrapping. The quinaband bandage goes on then that is covered with a regular bandage then the whole lot gets tubi-gauze bandages over that to hold it all in place.

Also, has anyone used Hydroxyzine or Polaramine tablets? What doses do they take and did they get any weird stomach side effects? I look forward to your replies.

I use the Hydroxyzine tablets 10-mg. No stomach problems, but they make me feel pretty drowsy the next day. I only take them when I am really itchy. Has anyone tryed Zonalon Cream 5%? Its good for small areas, otherwise it makes you pretty drowsy. 

I find that if you take Hydroxyzine for a few days, the drowsiness side effect wears off. But different people may react differently. My derm maintains that the best solution for itchiness is to use a steroid ointment or cream in the affected areas sufficiently that the itchiness effect does not arise. However, some are loathe to use a steroid ointment/cream.

The following material about Zonalon is from the Eczema List non-automated period (8/95 - 11/95), archives for which are not yet available on the server:

>>The topical medication doxepin (Zonalon) appears to mute the persistent itchy rash of eczema, often within 24 hours after application. In this study, side effects--including stinging, burning, and drowsiness--were generally mild and tended to subside with continued treatment. [ Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 10/94 ]. Does anyone have any experience with this medication?<<

>>My Dr suggested I try it for itch. I did. It works. Price: made my throat dry and made me drowsy. I put some of it on face, where the skin is thinner , and it works but it knocked me out. My reaction came within 6 hrs, not 24. Everyone's different. It may work for you. I use it only when I know I can deal with the consequences or if the rubber bands don't work. I wonder how children and teens react to it.<<

>>TIP# 4 There is a "new" prescription cream called Zonalon which helps stop itch. Side effect: it make you drowsy and dry in mouth. Best time to use it is bedtime. See your dermatologist for samples. I don't know if kids should be using it.<<

>> Zonalon is the brand name of an "antipruitic" (anti-itch) cream manufactured by Genderm Corp. This cream is another form of doxepin hydrochloride, the latter which is taken is pill form to manage itch. Doxepin is also used for psychotherapeutic reasons. As I said in an earlier communication the cream does work for me; but I get drowsy, have a dryness in my mouth, and experience a sort of hangover. The stuff is potent: the active ingredient comprises 5% of the cream. It is applied on the itch spot. Of course, it works faster on thin skin than it does on thincker skin. <<

My derm doc has mentioned several times that I would be better off living in a warmer climate.I have noticed that when on a trip to Mexico a few years ago my eczema seemed to be a lot better. Anyone else have thoughts on this. 

It can get pretty warm here during the summer but I've found that this seems to increase the eczema rather than reduce it. My own experience is that heat is the last thing thing you want, but having said that, someone I know gets relief from her eczema by taking a weekly sauna. For what it's worth, A has a fairly bad record for eczema and asthma. However, who's to say what the cause might be. High humidity? Too much pollen? It all sounds rather too unsbstantiated to risk packing your bags. 

Last year I installed a shower head with built-in filter into the shower, and it the filtered water is definitely less irritating to my skin. We have a built-in filter in the kitchen sink to provide us with chemical free drinking water. All the other taps give us regular water, which is fine with us.

The shower head filter supposedly lasts some years - the exact number escapes me now. I bought it a Wild Oats health food store in Berkeley, and have seen them advertised in health catalogs. I bet different countries have different piping standards, and our standard is undoubtedly in inches rather than the more practical centimeters.

No, I haven't kept a food diary, but keep sort of a running log in my head. It's a good idea though, and I think I'll use it when I start experimenting again. My itching has definitely lessened with the reversion to my former diet.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I have become aware of a problem that exacerbates my eczema. My brain seems to have difficulty sensing the temperature of the rest of my body. Because my brain doesn't signal "Too hot!" I don't take appropriate action to get cooler until my body has already reacted with a visible itch or rash. Only when I have the visual cues do I realize "Oh, I'm hot." My friend Robert has noticed this because we have been together many times now when his brain alerts him to the heat and he takes off a sweater or moves to a cooler location and he sees that I have not taken similar action. He'll say "Aren't you hot?" and I'll reply No, I'm not hot. And then a little while later he'll say "Look at your skin. You ARE hot, it's getting all blotchy." And only then will I realize he's right. My brain signals work fine when the heat is quite intense. The problem is when it's a subtle heat that apparently my sensitive skin recognizes before my brain does. This may add to the overheating at night problem too. 

You can get Lactobacillus at any health food store and even some pharmacies. The best type to get is a combination of Lactobacillus and Bifidus. One is good for the upper digestive tract and the other for the lower (I forget which is which). Also, if you can find a brand with an enteric coating, that's better too. It delivers the capsule whole into the intestine so that the stomach doesn't digest the bacteria as though it were a food.

Just FYI, I used to have itchy patches on my hands and feet that had a different appearance than the eczema on the rest of my body. It seemed to respond to topical antifungal creams, so that was a tipoff to me that I had a yeast infection. After I went on the full antifungal regime, not only did my eczema improve dramatically all over my body, but also it disappeared completely from my hands and feet.

I've tried Zonalon but I find that it stings really bad when it goes in a cut and then doesn't seem to relieve the itch. Hydroxyzine seems to be pretty mild and I guess you can take 4 or 5 a day. Does your doctor allow that?

Ann, I've done some of the anti-dust-mite program: covers on the mattresses and pillows, moving books out of our bedroom, switching to lint-free tissues (Marcal), and a general attempt to reduce dust. It definitely seems to have helped. My hand eczema is much better (not gone, but currently not very bothersome), and my allergy symptoms are significantly reduced. All in all, a big win. I definitely recommend it. Thanks for bringing this up. By the way, the mattress and box spring covers are considered to be one of the best and most cost-effective medical interventions for asthma patients.

For anyone who doesn't already have this information, you can order The Allergy Relief Catalog from National Allergy Supply by calling (800) 522-1448 from the USA or Canada, or by writing to:

Shelley, That is truly fascinating! Let me ask you this: have you ever taken your temperature (orally) at times like this? Based on your description of the situation, I wonder whether it's just your skin that is hot, or whether your core temperature has actually risen.

Either way, it raises a very interesting set of topics, and makes me wonder whether your type of eczema might be partially caused by this temperature-sensing problem.

I've often thought that because I've been scratching for so long (39 yrs) that I have destroyed the sweat glands in most of my body. I only sweat profusely through the skin in my neck and head where I have very little eczema. The only sign I have of overheating is a very red face! I thought I was unique in this and it is a relief to hear of someone else who has the same symptoms

I would not want to take any more than two tablets in a 24 hour period as they make me feel very drowsy.I never asked about taking more than that.How many mg. are you taking? So far I've been lucky, usually only having to take them for a couple of days in a row.

Temperature sensitivity: We have observed that when our daughter has eczema badly she seems to be particularly sensitive to cold. For a period she insisted on wearing her winter coat (with hood up) even indoors in front of the fire, and while she was eating meals. She also wanted her bath water quire hot, even though I knew it made her itchy. As her skin improves she is more likely to shed clothes. Even in summer she preferred to keep her limbs covered. I know this is partly because she wants to hide her skin, but I think feeling chilly also is a factor. I mentioned this to her dermatologist who said that it is quite common for eczema sufferers.

Wet wraps: We have tried various forms of bandaging on Esme before without much effect. The wet wraps worked better than anything else. Impregnated bandages - apart from being an absolute nightmare to get on - didn't seem to soothe in the way wet wraps do. And of course it is all much easier to get a child wet wrapped than an adult. Adults are bigger and are less likely to have (or want to ask for) help and it must be a diffiuclt job to wet wrap yourself. And they can't do much for a glamourous bedtime image!

Am now back to ultra "normal" status--can't believe how good my skin feels and looks since I used the comb/white petro creme and 50% Triamcinolone. I'm not sure if I can go cold turkey on cortisone indefinitely. 

Julia, I've been told this is due to vascular constriction resulting from damaged skin. I'm personally very familiar with this. Several years ago, my wife couldn't believe I wanted to dress so warmly even during 75 degree weather. As a teenager, my parents often scolded me for turning up the thermostat during the winter. They didn't seem to understand how cold I really was. I've talked to others with the same history. I'm very sympathetic to your daugter's situation.

Triamcinolone is a cortisone (what else, right?). This reduced the "burned by fire look and sensation" to normal. Unbelieveable. 

I generally do better in hot weather; I think it's partly because the constant sweat acts like a moisturizer. Also the lightweight clothes worn in warm weather are less irritating than heavier mult-layered cold weather clothes. I almost always wear long sleeves, long legs, high necked clothes - not just to hide the skin, but because I feel "protected" that way. If I happen to sit, bare legged, on a chair that has dust or peanut crumbs on it, disaster occurs!

On the cold sensitivity issue, I also have always been easily chilled. In fact, my lips are often blue and almost-healed-up-scratch marks are bluish. I never thought of it in relation to eczema, but I guess it makes sense.

Yes, it is very hard to wet wrap yourself. I used to carry the head wrap to the bed to put on because I couldn't see well enough to walk once it was in place. It left a trail of drips on the floor and since there was no one helping me who could mop it up, the drip marks are still there. No, it didn't look glamorous, but I wasn't exactly date material anyhow!

It must be very tempting to move to a location that seems to help your condition but don't pack just yet. I've heard of folk who did just that, only to find that the eczema returned after just a few weeks. I suppose that psychologically we are mostly so relaxed on holiday that some if not most of our symptoms are alleviated. Nice scenery, warm sum, relaxation ahh... the very memory makes me feel better. If only life were one long vacation. Stress is, for me, very definitely a major contributory factor in flare-ups.

Excellent point. Alan. I've had allergy and eczema clear up on a trip, only to return to the same location another time and have problems.

And why ISN'T life one long vacation, I'd like to know. There must be a way to arrange that. Hmmm?

I also have chronic rhinitis year round. I take Nasolide, a steroid nasal spray once or twice a day. You said you take Alium Cepa 6. What is that? A pill or a spray? I'm curious to know in case Nasolide stops working at some point and I need to try something else. I know what you mean about paper tissues vs. cloth handkerchiefs. When I was a kid, a handkerchief was practically glued to my hand, I couldn't go anywhere without it. Some kids had a teddy bear, I had a handkerchief.

That brings up the subject of stuffed animals. I didn't have any as a child. I often hear about the importance of these kinds of toys to a child's psychological development and I'm wondering if I'm the only one who had to manage without them. I had no toys at all because my parents figured I'd be allergic to something in them. I personally don't feel a lack of anything but I wonder if I don't even know what I'm missing. 

I thinkTriamcinolone is the one that doctors abbreviate as TAC. I was told by my doctor that it's the least strong cortisone, that's why it can be used on the face. I use it all over, when I just need a light dose of medication on spotty areas. It's kind of like using "light-days" pads (women will understand this). 

About water--for me, it's relief from itching; it's softening of the integumental "strait jacket" and useful for washing away the constant sloughing before I cream up for another 24 hours. 

Ditto for me! This is NOT normal. Anyone ever consider where this condition occurs? Is it mostly out of doors? Because UV light can cause it even when the sun has gone down. 

I used Triamcinolone 50% in 50% white pet and it miraculously reduced my burned-by-fire derm condition--along with frequent showers to get rid of the dried up old skin and raw weeping. It sounds like I will never be completely off cortisone topically--I've been told I can use this stuff twice a week. Not the daily and twice daily use I've done in the past of other cortisones. 

I go in for UV patchtesting next week and possible UV desensitization treatments, depending on results. I'd thought I'd seen it all with eczema, but guess it's like maintaining a car---there is always some new defect that costs a bunch of money! 

I agree with the following proviso....exposure to the sun (UV Rays) and relaxation are an even better combination than relaxation alone.

I too suffer from this problem and for me it occurs in all environments, I simply do not know that I am too hot until it is too late. I am am unsure that destroyed sweat glands would cause this though. If it would be that the glands were not functioning, that condition would raise your internal temperature because your body would have limited release of perspiration. I am searching for this answer currently and will update when I find something relevant.

The dosage of hydroxyzine varies. On bad days I will take 20mg three times a day but in general I only take 20 mg a day. I have no sleepy side effects but they sometimes upset my stomach.

Esme probably wants to keep her clothes on for the same reasons I do. 

1. They hide the skin and therefore is less embarrassing for us 
2. Clothes are a barrier against my finger-nails and this helps me not to scratch 
3. Clothes form a barrier from the surfaces my skin might touch i.e. a padded armrest or a dusty countertop. These surfaces probably have housedust mites or pet hair/dander and within five seconds of touching them I am itching!

I'm not convinced that the connection is strong enough between sweat and heat perception. One possible explanation comes to mind, though I don't know whether I believe it:

My dermatologist remarked that "eczema babies" (my son was one; luckily now clear) often don't eat well because they don't know when they are hungry. Their sensorium (he said) is so swamped with itching messages that they can't perceive other things normally. Maybe this could apply to temperature sensation as well?

There's an interesting discussion on the possible effect of lack of toys on eczema.

I doubt that it has an effect. The famous and ghastly experiments on deprivation of monkey babies showed that the babies were seriously affected only when they were taken away from their mothers and held in a bare empty room. Even an alarm clock ticking inside a blanket was enough to have the monkeys grow up almost normal.

My wife and I have the opposite concern. Modern kids have playpens and rooms knee deep in toys. They spend a few seconds with each. They grow up to have attention-deficit disorder. We believe that there is a connection. We are trying (it's difficult with lots of kind friends and relations) to limit our baby daughter to one or possibly two toys at a time.

I have had it all my life. I do have severe food allergies along with many others. I had never really thought about it, but I do not have a great ability to sense when I am hungry, for I can go until my blood sugar level gets so low and that I get a headache, then that is signal enough to tell me to nourish myself.

I would echo this statement, but I will add that all these symptoms go away when I have the eczema under control. They seem to directly correspond to how bad the condition is at the time.

Ralph: I have never taken my temperature. I don't even have a thermometer. But I assume it's my skin that's hot, not the rest of me. In response to what others have said about being frequently cold, I am similar. I hardly sweat at all. I'm always over-dressed, wearing long sleeves and pants in summer, etc. It's a combination of the need to protect and cover my skin, as well as actually perceiving myself to be cold rather than hot. I think there's a very narrow range of temperature comfort for me. I over-react by thinking I'm cold if I slip just out of that range, yet don't react fast enough to heat when I'm sliding in the opposite direction. So my internal thermostat's wiring is mixed up in two ways, too quick to react to subtle cold, too slow to react to subtle heat.

One further note, I have this memory from childhood of my mother frequently asking "Aren't you as hot as I am?" and me insisting No. In the past I attributed her statement to menopausal hot flashes which she denied, but now I'm thinking it's an example of my lifelong difficulty with the accurate perception of hot and cold. 

So true about clothing being protective as well as a screen from prying eyes and embarrassing questions. The majority of menopausal woman cannot tolerate heat in any amount, so that may be a factor in your wife's situation, if she's old enough! We generate plenty of whitehot heat all by ourselves at all the wrong times! 

Ralph, I'm just the opposite--I sense too much heat immediately and cease any activity that's causing it or find A/C somewhere, or a cold shower. But this may be partly a menopausal symptom. Prior to menopause, I never felt overheated, and didn't feel cold either unless I was in the throes of a bad eczema reaction. Also prior to menopause, I rarely every perspired at all, and certainly not from the neck up as I do now, much to my embarrassment. I've curtailed any activities that give me the problem.

I was born scratching; have lots of airborne and other allergies to things in nature like grass, some trees, pollens, dust and mites, cats much more than dogs, and ragweed--the biggy. Have never correlated hunger or lack of it with the eczema--more to other events in my life. 

I would also add chinese herbs and creams to your list of suggestions. I have been a chronic sufferer for all my life of 40 years. In the last 2 years, I have tried chinese herbs and they worked EXTREMELY well for about 1 and half years. But now I guess my eczema is battling back. Anything to stay away from the cortisone creams.

My daughter, aged 8, does feel particularly sensitive to the cold and will want to be wrapped up even in front of the fire. Her temperature sensitivity seems normal when her skin is clear. Also sweating and clear skin go together but I can't tell if sweat improves her skin or good skin tends to sweat.

She has had eczema since she was a few months old. She is very allergic to house mites and dogs and somewhat allergic to cats. She has some food allergies (revealed by blood tests), but we don't exclude any foods from her diet. She is a vegetarian by choice. She doesn't appear to have any problems detecting hunger - she eats well. She is quite a skinny girl and rather small for her age. Our dermatologists say that eczema effects growth because the growth hormone is active during sleep. Of course sleep tends to be disturbed by eczema.

I have used a variety of corticosteroids for a long time, starting with westcort (slightly more concentrated than hydrocortisone), to triamcinolone acetonide to fluocinolone acetonide (SYNALAR) to temovate, the highest form of corticosteroid. Occassionally, I was also given Prednisone orally when the flare-up was bad. 

Tried all the other forms of control , eg. soap, UV, humidifiers, water wraps, Benadryl, zonalan, etc. Not much help there. As a result of prolonged steroid use, my skin has thinned out in many places and I also developed glaucoma and cataract. I had to have surgery for correcting this problem. The point of all this medical jargon was to let everyone know that please be CAREFUL about the use of steroids. 

On another note, 2 years ago, I tried some chines herbs and creams. They worked very well for about 1 and half years. I was cured of every symptom of eczema. I am not trying to advocate any treatment here. 

I am using Hydroxyzine right now, 30 mg per night to help with nocturnal itching. I have no digestive problems with it, but it does make me drowsy, which is exactly why I take it at night. I still itch, but I think less.

To Shelley - I hope you aren't using Triam on your face!!! If you are you should stop. Hydrocortisone itself is the weakest cortisone and should only ever be used on the face and neck. I have been having a very bad bout of eczema for the last ten months. Eight of them I was using only hydrocortisone on my face and still, the stretch mark damage is there. I am not so concerned about vanity as for the skin structure. Long time topical steroid use, although it seems the only effective method for control, does damage skin. I used to be in love with topical steroids but not anymore. They wreak havoc, suppressing symptoms, in my case, until my whole body was in bloom.

I don't think there is a permanent cure, but there are lots of treatments that vary from the realm of allopathy that help. I think Chinese medicine and homeopathy are on the right track, because they believe eczema is a systemic imbalance that can be helped, if not corrected. 

I'd advise investigating these things since the sooner you find what will get it under control the better you will be. Not that my skin situation is good at all: I have had eczema all my life and am in the midst of the worst. I wish I had experimented with different dietary regimes and herbs before it got this bad...

You may already be doing this, but you need to practice and follow a daily regimen of skin care. I do nightly showers and creme ups with very few exceptions, and have since I was old enough to take care of myself. Keeping clean is crucial; and the regular application of your meds in whatever form must be followed religiously. If you take care of the skin, it will usually stop being troublesome--unless you have a particularly stubborn problem. Make sure you have the best derm care you can afford doctor-wise--University-related may be necessary. You may have to avoid certain activities or find ways to circumvent tasks that need doing. It's all part of the eczema lifestyle--least of all, the huge time commitment. So get educated as soon as possible, and start your regular skin care program right now!

You are the only person who is really going to take care of you. 

Many of us on the list have found that our eczema bloomed or is worsened during stressful situations. If my parents threw me out of the house, I'd be under a lot of stress and feeling lots of painful emotions. I encourage you to take good care of yourself right now, in whatever form that takes for you. For me it's being with good friends, exercising and doing yoga, eating good food, and getting enough rest. Being outside is a tonic for me too.

Julia, that's a different theory from the one my dermatologist used (about itching overpowering other sensations). Maybe nobody really knows why babies with eczema tend to be small and skinny. I'm quite interested to learn that your daughter eats well! My son was short and skinny (and still is, though less so), but he always ate very little. I kept saying, "But think of the money we're saving!" when everyone would fuss over his lack of appetite. Of course, I fussed about it too.

Am always cold except in summer heat. Wish I had a problem with sensing hunger (I don't)! My appetite is quite strong.

Lori, You mentioned that you had lip eczema and it reminded me of something that happened to me once. It was a time when my skin was in really good shape, but of course, I had a history of eczema. So when I went to my derm dr. with raw lips, he assumed it was eczema and told me to keep on using topical steroids for a while and if that didn't help to go with prednisone. My internist offered the same options. The rash was getting worse but I just couldn't see going systemic for one tiny area when the rest of me was clear. 

My dentist, knowing I'm heavily allergic, told me I probably had a toothpaste allergy and to keep up the topical steroids. My plastic surgeon friend said it was neurodermatitis and to keep up the steroid ointment. Knowing about all the germs in the mouth, I tried Polysporin antibiotic ointment - no relief. 

Finally, after weeks and weeks of this, I remembered that my kids' doctor prescribed Bactroban ointment for infections around the nose; tried it; lips were healed in a few days! It wasn't true eczema; just moustache abraded skin that got infected. ( Now whenever my lips get irritated, the first thing I try is Bactroban. I also use it on lip cold sores and they don't seem top get so red. Even though herpes is a virus, I think I get secondary bacterial infections around the margins. On body cold sores, I use polysporin for the same reason.) All of those drs. assumed wrongly that any skin lesion on me is eczema! And I thinned my lip skin unnecessarily with all that ointment. But I felt pretty smart for finding the solution myself. 

I've seen a lot of mentions about the success of "chinese herbs" but no one has said specifically which herbs and what dosages. Can anyone give us the specifics?

On another topic, here's a survey topic that ought to give us all a chuckle, but I am serious. My suspicion is that a lot of eczema sufferers do not have good digestion. So here's the question:

How many of you have frequent heartburn and/or flatulence?

I'll be the first to go on record as having problems with both.

I am very new to this eczema disorder, my 4month old son has it covering his entire body. yes yes this definately appears to be a digestive problem. He is allergic to everything, I ve tried all formulas, breast feeding, goats milk, soy milk, rice milk. I believe the toxins from the food is not being properly passed through the stomach. Forget dermatologists, they only consider the outside of the body, i am going to research the inside. I will let you know if I have any luck.

I agree with this! After a years use of hydrocortisone the skin on my hands became all wrinkled and I look like I've got the hands of a 60 year old. I also noticed repeated use of any cortisone makes my eczema spread. When I was using it heavily I had outbreaks all over my body. Now it's only on my hands and sometimes my arms. Too bad the only thing that makes the cracking and weeping of the skin go away is some type of cortisone treatment. Well at least in my case. 

Chuck, I don't have any digestive problems now, but I do have a weak appetite so maybe that's a subtle symptom. My mother said when I was a baby, I was always constipated . When I was a young adult, I would occasionally get abdominal pains that I now think were very mild irritable bowel syndrome, but it never really developed. 

I have had similar results with my hand eczema. Now I hardly ever use any steriods. There's just too high a price to pay for their short-term "miracle" relief.

Have you ever (has your doctor ever) tried antibiotics by mouth? In my case, this can also make the cracking go away. It's not as dramatic as steroid ointment, but it does work. Sometimes I use a limited amount of steroid while on the antibiotics, for a short time, and then there seem to be fewer long-term side effects.

Ann, I've used Bactroban ointment too, also because it was prescribed for my son (!) when he had "impetigo", a spreading skin infection associated with summer and swimming pools. It worked very well on my hands for a while, but then stopped helping.

How can we be sure what is or isn't "true eczema"? The whole thing is pretty confusing, to me at least.

I don't think I've ever had body cold sores. They never seemed to spread much beyond the lips and corners of the mouth, occasionally getting onto a bit of the chin.

Alan: sorry to spoil your idea that holidays make your eczema better. I retired some three years ago and life for me is one continuous holiday but my eczema has gradually become worse since retirement day.

Hi Michael, Do you subscribe to the notion that mental status might affect your skin condition? When I have had high anxiety and worry over my skin falling apart when I least want it to, my Dr has always prescribed mood elevators. I'm not sure if they work at that well, but depression, even mild, does affect the immune system. Several times in the past, when I have been completely absorbed in a task, or when I spent 13 weeks at boot camp, I really did not have time for eczema! So heavy preoccupation with something other than eczema can be beneficial--if you can achieve it.

I have the same problems that seem to directly correspond with how broken out I am at the time. I've been seeing this connection for years. When I go on my rotating allergy diet, both heatburn and flatulence dramatically diminish, but I'm not sure if its because I'm eliminating the source of the allergens, or if veggies and such just digest more easily.

Brent said that his symptoms of being unable to sense hunger/heat etc go away when his eczema is under control. Mine do not. I can't think straight about much of anything when my eczema is out of control but the subtle problems sensing hunger/heat exist even when my skin is good. This has been true my entire life. 

I suspect that is because of yeast infection in both the intestines and the esphogus (sp?). If you try changing your diet to no sugars or yeast products and/or take garlic (Kyrolic scentfree) you will find relief from both problems. For some reason, cortosone seems to encourage candida yeast infections.

My experience is exactly the opposite of those of you who report not having no sensitivity to temperature. I'm told I have a physical allergy, in that any temperature changes cause me to sneeze three or four times. This can be walking across the room, or going in/out doors. 

When I walk into a kitchen with anything cooking, I feel a wave of heat hit my face and I look for the source to make sure it is nothing dangerous. It is always something like a coffee pot or a burner.

I have almost no tolerance for sun light/UV radiation. I dress to protect myself from the sun and limit my exposure to walking across parking lots. I drive with weight lifting gloves on to protect my hands from sun through the windshield.

Yes I have also tried antibiotics and I actually cannot tell the difference, everything is always like a quick fix. Now I've run into a new problem. Since my eczema is concentrated on my hands I wear gloves to do the dishes. I wash dishes in hot water, the hot water makes something on the inside of the gloves irritate my hands. Or perhaps my hands are sweating inside the gloves. About an hour afterwards a new breakout. I've also tried putting cotton gloves inside the rubber gloves and it still doesn't work.

One more thing since I'm on a tangent :) The last time I had an allergy test done they told me one of the things I was allergic to was Formaldyhyde. The doctor said I would be surprised at the things that contain it. For example she said that new jeans have it on them. That's new to me. Perhaps the rubber gloves they sell have it in them and we just don't know about it. Anyway it's something to think about.

I too am heat sensitive. Not to the extent that Gayle is, but sometimes mot a minute goes by that I am not sweating. Usually it is my hands and feet. My eczema is only on my hands. My dermatologist said this is from my salt intake and told me to decrease it. I've tried, but my weakness is potatoe chips. 

I have reoccuring hand eczema. I've had it for about 11 years now. One thing that helped me was saturating my hands with my ointment (Aritocort R), then with a top layer of Lachydrin (skin cream), then wrapping it in bandages. Leave this on for about 8 hours (9-5) take it off, thuroughly clean it, let your hands breath. Then before you go to bed saturate your hands again, but don't wrap them, put cotton gloves on and sleep with them on. This helped me a great deal. Hopefully you aren't too busy and can leave the bandages on for 8 hours. This worked great for me because I was in school for 8 hours every day, so I had them on when I was in school. I hope this helps you out. 

Digestion: Esme (aged 8) does not suffer from flatulence or indigestion, but she does get constipated occasionally. I do think it likely that digestive problems/eczema are linked. I used to get heartburn when I was pregnant (as do many pregnant women) and this is due to hormonal changes - any link between eczema and hormonal imbalance?

Toys/deprivation: She has lots of toys, though I'm aware the cuddliest are a good home for house mites. As parents, we are imperfect (of course), but Esme in no way suffers from lack of love.

Psychology: Esme can get on a downward spiral of eczema/anxiety/ill-health but I'm not entirely sure which bit of the cycle precipiates the others. Her eczema always gets worse if she has a cold. It worries me that doctors blame stress for diseases when they can't think of anything else. Of course stress can make conditions worse, but I doubt if eczema is actually caused by stress, bad parenting, lack of soft toys or whatever.

We (my wife, if the truth be told ) tried wet-wrapping Ethan (21 months) sometimes. We bath him in water with a strong emollient, then smother him with thick emollient cream all over. The cream is mixed with a low-dosage cortisone. We get huge amounts of Tubifast bandages on prescription, meant to be used on adult's limbs. Lorraine cuts out two strips of Tubifast for each leg and arm and for his trunk. One set of bandages is soaked in water and put on over the cream, and the next goes on top, dry. 

The bandages are fastened to each other by cutting holes and tying them together with thin strips of the Tubifast. The child looks like an Egyptian mummy. In severe cases, heads are wrapped too, with slits for eyes, nose and mouth. You put clothes on top, then keep the bandages wet by spraying (a flower spray!) or padding with a wet flannel. It's very time-consuming and stressful. This treatment is being widely used in the UK now because a community nurse has promoted it strongly as an alternative to more invasive or hospitalising therapies.

It hasn't helped Ethan, whose temperature is very volatile and who is almost always covered in infected spots because of his eczema. I have never heard of adults doing this.

I'm sorry that you're not finding wet-wrapping useful. Over the 8 years that we've been dealing with our daughter's eczema it is the thing that has helped the most. The other thing that I've found useful is the steroid cream Elocon. It is not the mildest of the creams but we try not to use it continously. A few days of Elocon then a few days of a weaker steroid (Eumovate), plus a couple of tons of moisturizer and emollient has kept Esme's skin under control since September. Until then I was in despair - if anything Esme's skin seemed to be getting worse as she got older. The only problem now is her face.

The other thing that I've learned, and reading the Eczema List confirms this I think, is that there's an awful lot of dermatologists who don't have a clue. If you don't have absolute confidence in yours then ask your GP to refer you elsewhere. We go to the Children's Hospital now and for the first time I'm optimistic that Esme's eczema is under control. Also because she isn't anxious about her appearance/being teased then that in turn helps her skin. Of course Ethan is too young too worry about his appearance, but it looms large once they get older. I once asked Esme what was the worst thing about eczema - was it how it felt, how it looked, or what others said, and her answer was "what others said". It's heartbreaking.

By the way (and I'm sorry this is getting long), I really appreciate the contribution people are making to this list. I find it a source of comfort and support. I admire the courage with which people confront this debilitating disease, often in the face of little sympathy or understanding.

Hmmm. The antibiotics have always worked for me... well, actually, on one occasion they didn't, a particular antibiotic (erythromycin) stopped working, but now Biaxin works like a charm. Do you think a different antibiotic might possibly help you?

Sandy, I have had EXACTLY the same experience. One thing that has helped is to experiment with different kinds of gloves. This is a frustrating thing to do, because it's so hard to find an assortment of gloves to look at and try. But I've found that certain kinds of work gloves are much better than the typical household gloves. I just wish I could locate the good ones again!

Formaldyhyde: An interesting point, but I think those supermarket-grade gloves are just junky. They have all kinds of powdery stuff inside. Yuck.

I've had success with that sort of occlusive dressing with steroid ointment, but the effects only last for a short time (just a day or two). Then, when the eczema comes back, it seems to be worse, with more cracking, itching, pain, etc. So I have stopped using steroids most of the time.

That sounds like a very interesting idea, although a bit scary. The peroxide should have an antibacterial effect. I'm going to try it, Toni. Thanks for the information. (But I might not use any steroid).

Julia, I tend to agree, but I suspect that in SOME cases (NOT your daughter's, clearly) such emotional/family problems can make eczema worse. It's not hard to imagine that a troubled, lonely child might get more severely trapped in an itch/scratch cycle.

I think it's important for us to realize that there are different kinds of eczema in different people. 

Has Ethan been treated with antibiotics for the infections? Does that help the eczema? As I've mentioned (enough times to be quite annoying, I'm sure) antibiotics have been very helpful both for me and for my son.

Julia, That is so sad, but it makes me feel angry, too. People can be so cruel. Can you help by telling her that it's not something to take seriously, and that all kids get teased at one time or another?

Sandy, Might you be allergic to latex (which is what rubber gloves are made from)? My allergist had me tested because she has so many patients who have this allergy. (I didn't test positive). I have found that the best for me are the plain unlined latex (Safeway has them for about $1.00 a pair) in a slightly loose fit. These gloves are much heavier than medical latex gloves. If you are allergic to latex, there are other types available. I never have had any luck with the cotton liners; they get so icky. I wash dishes in hot water but rinse in cold to avoid "welding" the glove to my hand.

Everyone, This isn't a cure but it may be a scratch alternative that feels like scratching without the damage. I discovered that if I shave my legs with an electric foil head razor (Lady Braun), it feels like I'm scratching deeply - I think it's the vibrations so a massager or vibrator might work too. When I finish the shaving there is NO itch and the rash there is gone (by my standards) by the next morning. This has happened to me 2 or 3 times and I plan to try other areas. BE CAREFUL (this has only been tested ON VERY MILD ECZEMA and I see where it could intice a person to shave too hard and really do some damage.) Also, I have enormous scratch control on the legs as I have many tattoos there and I have never scratched heavy over a tattoo. I even awake the moment I begin scratching a leg area- sort of like I never rolled over on my nursing babies! 

I've been using cortisone ointments and creams for 39 years. When my skin is good, it looks fine, no wrinkles or anything noticeably odd, other than dryness. I look much younger than 39. The only problem I currently have as the result of long-term use is the fact that even light scratching causes serious damage. I used to be able to dig my nails in and scratch really hard without serious damage unless repeated for several minutes. When I was younger, I was warned that I would get "thin skin" but never understood exactly what that meant, so it didn't seem like a big problem. Now I know that my skin is no longer tough enough to withstand hard repeated assault. So control of scratching is even more imperative than it ever was in the past. My biggest fear is of getting the eye-related problems that others have mentioned. 

I believe that one is prone to getting eczema thru our genetic make-up. I also believe that what sets it off varies and changes over time. There are some who get it while they are infants, and alot of times it has to do with milk. There are times that stress sets it off as well. There are times that no good reason is ascribable to the event, yet it happens seemingly anyway. Mabey, a lack of toys and dolls does it for some, I don't think so but anything is possible. I know for myself that the origin of a particular break out time is unpredictable, its length of say unpredictable (days, weeks, years), and also the same item will not either set it off (or cure it for that matter) the same each time. Change is the only predictable thing, and I personally believe that understanding the basis of the change is the eventual trail to its "cure," which will have something to do with a coo coo immune system (not in my lifetime i am aftraid).

My eczema seems to worse on my right hand (It always has). My salt intake he said has to do with my sweating problem. Its wierd because the rest of my body doesn't sweat, just my hands and feet. Do allergies really have something to do with eczema? My dermatologist never told me that. 

I am having a problem finding a dermetologist that sees people with eczema; most of the ones I've called only see those with skin cancer, or what they consider is more serious than eczema..

There was a big fuss here a few years ago as it was found, if the memory is not at fault, that particle board floors had formaldehyde in them, so it starts to look an awful lot more common than you think. In that case it was in the glue that held the particles of wood together. 

From what little I know about formaldehyde, it is used in the manufacture of nearly every piece of stuffed furniture and carpeting, and building materials in housing. And who knows what else. 

My skin is good (not perfect but pretty good) and this surprises me as I have not been treating myself well this last week. I held a very large party on Friday night for my birthday and that, coupled with visitors from interstate (for the party) meant that I have been leading a very wild life. With far too much drinking and not sticking to the diet as rigidly as I should, I thought I would be having a big flare up by now but so far so good.

(I think a contributing factor to my 'wellness' may be my current feeling of goodwill to my fellow species - I had a great turn out to the party and so many people who I liked and loved came along and played with me. - I am sure my usual cynicism and generaly feeling of ill-will to those unfeeling, unenlightened proletarians will return this week.)

Brenda, Concerning your suggestions on water, I think chlorine is a real nasty and the less I shower the better I feel. Also if I turn on the hot tap I feel worse. When I live somewhere which doesn't chlorinate the water my skin is a whole lot bettter. I don't drink chlorinated water either.

I live in the tropics and I find it is the best climate for my skin. I find the wet season better as the air is moist and thus my skin less dry. The dry season presents some problems but because we never have to rug up (I don't own a blanket) I never get the problems of overheating at night that I had when I lived down south.

I have opted to live here rather than anywhere else (like closer to my family) because of my skin.

However, Alicia finds the tropical weather pretty yukky and bad for her skin.

Last year I had very a really bad bout during the wet season. This time of year is REALLY hot - tropical heat (34 C and 90% humidity) that simply knocks you out. During this bout I was wearing jeans and jumpers and socks and boots and a jacket. This was something new to me (and to everyone I knew - I also got many stares walking down the street rugged up while everyone else was in shorts and singlets!). My doctor said that I had an infection in my eczema (which was very bad on my feet ) thus my feeling cold.

I was (against my beliefs) put on antibiotics and the feet rash cleared up and I went back to feeling normal, ie hot.

This had never happened in all my years of battling this condition.

I had plenty of toys and love and attention and encouragement and praise and I still have eczema. I am a "victim of a happy childhood" ;-) so can't, in any way shape or form blame my family for my rash.

If I am exposed to sun, within a few moments I start to turn red. At this point I am feeling OK, however, if I am in public and people start asking if they should call me an ambulance...it ruins my fun. On unexposed areas, say my back, I don't turn red but if someone were to touch it and say write a work with light touch within seconds it would be bright red and readable. 

If I stay outside, I will start to need every bit of attention to keep going. Walking straight, figuring out how to open a door,. everything is difficult... I know how to open the door, the thinking is how to grasp and how to get my arm to turn. I will be in pain all over, but expecially exposed areas. 

Sunscreen is an aid, but even 30 spf is 30 times a minute. Still doesn't allow a picnic. It is not just the sun, on overcast days that the Uv is still coming through, I have the same reactions but not as fast. The angle of incidence at which the sun light hits the earth is very important, I can spend much more time out in early spring and late fall. 

The redness reflects increase in skin temperature with perspiration.....salt on open wounds.

It would be my guess, and this is a real guess, that people who have erratic immune systems sometimes recognize certain stimulants as friends and foes at different times. Therefore, while the irrational recogizing of the stimulant is the eczema, the basis for that happening is 1 step away from the actual event. That makes it hard to get at the answer. I would look for changes in how the immune system reacts over time to the same stimulants for a hint to the root event. I would then look for what chemical changes are occuring in the body which in turn cause the immune system to react differently. That's my view of how one might track down a "cure.".

I agree that heavy time usage can be very benificial for my eczema. My last job was very easy compared with the one before. That one was 80-110 hrs a week working for one of the richest men in the country. I never had time to think or relax and since then my blood pressure is down to 102 over 60 from 180 over? . During the high stress and high level of responsibility I never had eczema this bad. Weird huh? Yet I always subscribed to the theory that stress was bad for me and my level of eczema but thinking back, everytime my work was very demanding my eczema was less.

My original point is being misconstrued. My BODY is VERY SENSITIVE to heat. My BRAIN has a delayed reaction in recognizing the sensitivity. I'm NOT talking about environments which are obviously too hot. The problem comes when I start out in an environment where the temperature is cool, and there's a subtle shift to heat. My BODY reacts immediately. I get itchy, feel irritable, and break out in a rash, but my BRAIN doesn't register as being too hot until the reactions have already occurred. My brain might recognize that I'm uncomfortable, but it doesn't seem to interpret the cause as heat until it's too late. I have had to learn to pay attention to my body signals for all kinds of sensitivities that are apparently too subtle to register in my brain. 

Also, I never said anything about a lack of toys causing eczema! That's absurd. I said I wondered if a lack of toys had a negative psychological effect. Atopic eczema is inherited genetically. Certain kinds of stress and other external factors can exacerbate our condition, they do not cause it. 

Hello Kristen: I was grateful for your thoughts about retirement and the degree to which one is occupied and also your thoughts on depression. I started hypnotherapy about a year ago and the Doctor said, after about three sessions, that I was suffering from "masked depression" and he put me on a tricyclic called Clomipramine (Anafril) . Over the past year I have gradually got worse with the eczema spreading from hands to around my mouth and the bridge of my nose, manifesting itself as a series of cracks which won't heal. Also the whole of my skin is generally itchy.

I feel instinctively that having comparitively little to do (in retirement) may somehow raise the influence of one's unconsious. In other words, the removal of everyday work-type stress may not be as beneficial as one might think. My wife always used to remark how she thought my eczema would go away as soon as I stopped work. How wrong, I fear, she was.

I am on the point of giving up my hypnotherapy mainly because of the cost. I have spent GBP1200 and apparently achieved nothing. However, my hypnotherapist says the treatment may take two years and the benefit will come at the end. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we knew how big the `mind' factor is and how big, in relation, is the `inherited/faulty DNA' factor.

>>...During the high stress and high level of responsibility I never had eczema this bad. Weird huh?<<

Yes and no. I have noticed, and someone else mentioned recently, that it seems possible that one can be "too busy for eczema" at times. This is particularly true if I'm ill from another cause, such as a bad cold with fever.

I personally find this rather baffling.

Wren - 21 years ago a lady called Christine Orton wrote to "The Guardian", a UK newspaper, about her experiences of eczema. That letter led to the formation of the National Eczema Society here in the UK. The eczema list may well be the 'electronic age's' version of that letter and who knows what may follow. The list is GREAT - but for sufferers and their carers there is no real substitute for personal contact. More power to you!

Michael - I think that my point regarding the value of holidays is still relevent. The change of routine and the relaxation does help. The problem with retirement (come soon - I have so much to do that work interferes with) is that the novelty soon wears-off and the new routine becomes a replacement for the old one.

Overheating - I had forgotten just how bad my perception of heat had become until today. I dug a neglected garden bed and it was only AFTER I became heat-exhausted that I realised that I was. I felt fine until I thought I should take a break for a drink. It was then that I realised that I should have stopped half an hour earlier (or found someone else to do the digging). My eczema was never so bad that I may have destroyed sweat glands. I have always had this problem. As a child I got so red in the face after exertion that people used to think that I was about to explode. My daughter has the same problem which in the past has caused minor panics among teaching staff when on school trips.

'Stuffed Animals' - I won't enter the discussion on the relative merits/demerits of the psychological importance of toys in childhood but a tip that may be of interest was passed to our group by a practice nurse. We know that the house dust mite causes allergic problems (actually it's faeces are the culprit) and that logically soft toys are a five star hotel for them. Not all toys are easily washed but whether you can wash or not, try putting the toy, sealed in a plastic bag, in your freezer for 12 hours. Kills the little blighters stone dead.

It is not because of pain. I have an extemely high tolerance for pain. I haven't used pain killers for installing dental caps, including drilling below the gum line....or when I smashed all the bones in my wrist. I think my eczema experience has taught me how to deal with pain very effectively. It is almost like my body is a new tool that I have to figure out how to use.

I dress to protect myself from the sun. Not that I would be likely to show my skin anyway. Does anyone else have similar experiences?

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