Eczema

Anyone who knows me will know I can get terrible eczema from time to time. Recently I have had it fairly badly, and almost constantly. In the past 7/8 years the only times I’ve not really had eczema has been during my pregnancies. Certainly makes me think that maybe it’s hormonal, but who knows. I have had other very brief periods during the past few years where it has cleared for a while, but never for long. Eczema, for those who have never really suffered, it's itchy, can be painful and sore, weepy and very very dry. I've tried many lotions and potions, even tried acupuncture for a while, but nothing has really made much of a difference.

I have had eczema pretty much everywhere, except luckily not on my face or in my hair. My hands are generally the worst affected area for me. Here are two very recent photos;

This is very very sore, very dry and therefore itchy.

I went to my GP and was given some steroid cream. Unfortunately they were too infected for steroid cream to make much difference. The next evening I had to go to our local hospital as my hands and arms had become septic. This has been the most extreme I have had it for many years.

When my hands are like this it really affects my day to day life. Simple things that I never realised are so simple until my hands become this severe. Changing nappies are one of the worst things, along with bathing my own children. It does sadden me that I find these two particular things so hard as I thoroughly enjoy being a mum, but I feel it hinders my capability in a way. Washing up, cooking, dusting, bathing and washing my hair and hands are painful and/or make it worse. Cooking and dusting are painful. This is because of the movement; it makes the dry skin crack and bleed. Washing up (which I do with gloves on), bathing and washing my hair or hands make it a lot worse. There is no way round any of these day to day tasks, it’s just something you have to grin and bare.

When I was shopping for wedding dresses my eczema was particularly bad on my arms. I remember having to try and find dresses with sleeves or find a way to try and cover my arms as I didn’t want to have my eczema exposed for all to see on my special day. I wanted to have nice skin for one day!! I'm not embarrassed on the whole about the red, blotchy marks all over my skin, it never crosses my mind if people notice it or not these days. But there was a time that it bothered me, when I was younger and wanted to look good but didn’t feel I could with such ugly looking skin, I couldn’t care less now though.

I don’t know what causes my eczema. I'm not sure many people do really know what makes theirs flare up. I would like to know what triggers mine and makes it really bad, so I can avoid it or cut it out completely. I doubt I’ll ever know though.

I am aware that there are many worse skin diseases out there, but anybody who has ever experienced eczema would know how frustrating it can be. It's such a silly common thing but its one thing that really drives me bonkers.

If anybody knows of any good treatments for eczema or dry skin please please please shout it from the rooftops and tell all us blotchy, itchy dry skinned people!!! Thanks.