Fellow excema sufferers - what do you use?

[Gazza77]

As per the title really, what do people use to help keep the soreness & itching at bay? I'm after a few recommendations here...

Funny enough I was talking with my gran the other day about this. she said her kid sister used to be covered from head to toe and couldn't bear the itching. She used to use a product called St James balm, which was great.

Betnovate
Eumovate
E45

I get it on my hands which can be a real PITA if I get broken skin etc.

Diprobase cream, or even just plain Aqueous B.P. cream works pretty well for keeping the skin from drying out and getting itchy and you can use it as a soap substitute as well - a lot of regular soaps, shower gels etc strip all the natural oils out of your skin which can make the eczema worse (so my GP says anyway).

Occasionally I have to use steroid cream/ointment like Betnovate if it gets really bad, but that's usually my own fault for not taking care of my hands!

Eumovate's the only one that stops the itchness for me.

There are 2 different types at Boots - ask for the one behind the counter as the other one is no better than E45.

I would love to know of some herbal/organic remedies that people use!

[Bibio]

this is going to sound really weird but, if you know a farmer that has milking cows ask him for some 'udder cream'. this is not a joke.

[Drew Carey]

E45 when dry and annoying me.
Hydracortisone when its really annoying me. I also have a type of excema that causes mini blisters. When I get these I have to use hydroc as otherwise it just gets worse and worse. Seems to have died down in recent years though.

However, when younger, I was given a really good tip by a psorisis sufferer - Get from the docs a big tub of diprobase. Then every time you shower / bath, rub the diprobase on to your skin like a shower gel. Then wash your hair (giving the diprobase time to absorb). Then use shower gel to clean as usual. It helps to keep moisture in your skin that using shower gels / soaps takes away.

[Gazza77]

I only get it quite mildly on my upper arms, back and shoulders, so at the moment, any emollient tends to be ok.

Biggest problem are is my face though, which despite getting red and sore at times (working in a small office with up to 3 PCs, 2 printers and a scanner on at any one time doesn't help), is also quite oily. Steroid based creams are no use as the skin is too thin to use them on the face, and emollients tend to be very oily, which just makes me look like I've polished my face. It's a pain...

[Drew Carey]

Originally Posted by Gazza77

I only get it quite mildly on my upper arms, back and shoulders, so at the moment, any emollient tends to be ok.

Biggest problem are is my face though, which despite getting red and sore at times (working in a small office with up to 3 PCs, 2 printers and a scanner on at any one time doesn't help), is also quite oily. Steroid based creams are no use as the skin is too thin to use them on the face, and emollients tend to be very oily, which just makes me look like I've polished my face. It's a pain...

For my face, I found aftersun is good!!!! I just user the nivea aftersun, simply use when required.

I Mix half a tube of Hydracortisone cream ( 1% ) with Nivea for men moisturiser and apply everyday. I suffer badly with it for years and this stops it dead.
Ste.