I've had eczema most of my life. It started when I was a child during the summers, and now I am in my early 30s. It's much worse in the winters, but heavy moisturizers do help. I've been told that the cause stemmed from anything as simple as laundry soap to other things like heredity and even being allergic to my own sweat! Since I've started treatment as an adult, I've had oral steroids, which work wonders while you're actually taking them, topical creams, and even methotrexate (chemotherapy). While the steroids worked great to clear my legs and hands up for my wedding, once you stop them, the disease is back with a horrid retaliation. Currently, I'm using PUVA light treatments and they seem to work famously. The scarring hasn't subsided, but the rash, itching and oozing are gone. I go twice a week for two minutes each (literally) and everything clears up. I can usually do the light treatments for two to three weeks and then be free of any rash for a couple of months. The only bad thing is that the treatment is costly (about $90 each time) and most insurance companies don't cover it. Though most can't afford it, if you can do it once in a while, it's definitely beneficial.

My eczema began a year ago. It started with a rash around both eyes that were unbearably itchy and developed into what I guess would be one of the extreme forms of this condition. Every morning I would wake up with my eyes crusted shut, and sores that built up around my cheeks that would ooze all day. I consulted a dermatologist and my two primary care doctors, but all of the lotions, ointments and pills that they prescribed me didn't help. It came to a point where I actually became clinically depressed for a while and refused to step out of the house with my face looking as it did. At this point, patches also developed around my elbows. Things only started to turn for me when I combined the advice of my family. I started to use Cocoa Butter lotion generously. I also visited a Chinese herbal doctor at the urging of my grandmother. It was something that I was skeptical about but at that point I was desperate enough to try anything. The herbal tea that they brewed for me was absolutely vile, but it really did help to clear my skin. About a month after I kept this routine up, my cheeks were no longer oozing and the area around my eyes was clear. Today, my cheeks are still flare up with little red bumps and I have quite a bit of dryness and flaking. I'm currently using Locoid Lipocream to control the last traces of redness and irritation. I also make sure I moisturize well everyday and it's working really well in smoothing out my skin.

I just developed Dishydrotic Eczema last year at age 67 on my hands after using a new pair of gloves at the gym when I use hand weights. I developed severe dry skin that no cream could help at all. I had some outbreak of a red itchy rash followed by dry, cracking skin. A cortisone cream brought relief from the rash. Over the winter, it was not much of an issue but came back in the spring and summer. Stress is a factor as I had flare-ups while getting ready for trips (we had several trips to take over a 3 month period). Surprisingly, one of our trips was on a scuba diving trip to the Bahamas and my hands improved within 2 days so that I no longer had to use gloves while showering. I plan to bring back jugs of seawater with me. I've tried to duplicate that by using Masada Dead Sea Salts but my initial try dried my hands out too much. It is now September and my hands are much better so I am going to try it again. My big problem is delicate skin that cracks easily and is very dry. I can sleep with a thick coating of a petroleum-jelly product and within minutes of getting up my hands are drying out again. One product I have had luck with is "Udderly Smooth" Udder Cream made for cows that I found at the drug store. To summarize, for me it is 1) seasonal 2) associated with stress 3) saltwater cleared it up immediately.

I am having a terrible time with my hands and feet. The itching from my eczema is unbearable. The soles of my feet have numerous cracks as if someone has taken a razor blade to them. The palms of my hands are peeling and cracking as well. Also, the tips of my ring fingers are cracking. The dermatologist gave me some ointment and urea cream. It seems to comfort the affected areas but not treat them.

The most effective help I have found (on suggestion of my Dr.) is to NOT use soap, but to use DOVE for bathing. It has proven to be very effective for me. The problem has 'gone away' within the first week of stopping the use of SOAP.

I have had eczema my entire life. I am 29 years old now and it seems to be getting worse. It is spreading to new spots on my body and the scaling and redness is much worse. I have found that cutting out Gluten and Dairy has helped.