I have discoid eczema which starts as small red spots then becomes big red wheals and after 24hours becomes a bigger area partly red but mostly a black bruise. Steroid creams do not seem to help but moisture creams do. I'm usually so itchy and hot that I cannot sleep.

As an adult I developed eczema on my left lower leg above the ankle. It turned out I am allergic to soy. I kept it under almost complete control by totally avoiding soy until I moved to be near family. Soy is virtually impossible to avoid when eating out, and I now enjoy eating out with family fairly regularly. I am putting up with the red and somewhat itchy eczema (always occurring in that one lower outside leg area). Life is too short and since I live in Minnesota where it is cold half the year. The eczema area is usually covered up. I'm just letting people know common foods such as soy CAN be the source (no doubt in my case)!

I have suffered Eczema ever since I was a young child. I was given orange juice by my mum when I was very young and the first sign was a rash on my bottom. I am now 28 and only within the last 2 years I have suffered terribly. I usually suffer worse in the winter and a little in the spring when all the pollens are out. I itch very intensely. Affected areas are the shoulders, back, chest, neck, behind the elbows, wrists, arms, between the fingers, hands, and sometimes behind the knees and the legs. I have also had itchiness of the eyes and on the forehead. Cortisone creams have helped. I have also taken oral cortisone tablets that have worked wonders short-term. I was lucky. I booked a holiday to India. After just a day or two of my skin exposure to those conditions my skin completely cleared up. I didn't need to apply creams I felt completely cured. I felt like I had a new layer of skin. I felt so smooth no pain or itchiness!! Even the red hot curries, rice, and all kinds of foods there had no harmful affect on my skin or the polluted air of New Delhi!!!! I ended up having a holiday of a life time!!!!!!!

I've been researching so many different things online. One of my close friends recommended infrared therapy. He has one in his living room, I've used it about 15 times so far and the symptoms have really subsided. He gave me the information where he purchased it, I think I may need to buy one of my own.

My rash started with just a small red spot about the size of a dime on my forearm. The itching became worse and rash began to spread and turn more red. The itching became unbearable and was waking me up at night. I tried every home remady I could find. The only thing that helped was putting a hot hair dryer on it. I finally went to doctor and he did a biopsy. Eczema! Used a cream called econazole nitrate and it finally begin to fade and itch much less. This lasted six weeks. The only thing I can think of is that I would pick up my dog with this arm and could be an allergic reaction.

My two young daughters have eczema. My older one has it the worst. I used to take the doctor's advice for moisturizer and steroid cream treatment. Then I realized from doing my research in terms of diet intake and ingredients in most of the lotion may heighten the eczema flare up. Increasing fruits and vegetables and daily fluid intake will definitely help. High heat cooking of any food should be avoided. Best is steam approach the food. Beef and shellfish could be the culprit, too especially for food allergy. Anyway, each case could be very different from others.

I was diagnosed with eczema when I was about 20. I was at college and had seen the medical center for the rash that wouldn't go away. When I went home, mom scheduled an appointment with our family doctor to verify, and both said it made sense - I had dealt with "heat rash" since I was little in my arm, elbow, and knee pits. I've since learned that a little powder in those areas helps, and my breakouts seem to stay fairly centralized on the palms of my hands. They will generally start between my ring fingers and the middle and pinkies, regardless of whether I am wearing jewelry or not. A good hand-washing and making sure I keep moist but dry (as in lotioned, but not wet) will tend to keep things in check, but occasionally - as I'm in the Army - that's not always feasible. I always have a small tube of Triamcinalone available, and usually within 2 or 3 days of application, it'll go away again. There have been two or three memorable breakouts since I was diagnosed - the most painful on my palms. I woke up one morning, and they were both red, you could see the little blisters under the surface of the skin. It hurt to hold or touch anything, and a few blisters in the crevices between the fingers had surfaced so it had the "wet" look going for it too. I was in Iraq at the time, so the dust and the high dry temperatures didn't help a whole lot, but after a slightly stronger ointment and a week's time, all better again.