Re: PLEASE HELP ME 21 yrs Old Mysteriously Developed "Eczema" last year

It looks like you have eczema, but maybe another opinion would be helpful to be sure that it isn't something else. Do you have eczema anywhere else other than on your face? If it's only on your face, it's possible that you are using cleansers that you're allergic to. The first time I got eczema was when I started using a soap that had tea tree oil in it, which I was allergic too. The eczema got all over my hands. Then it went away after I figured out that the soap was causing the eczema, and I stopped using the soap. The next time I got eczema was when I used a botannical shampoo that had something in it I was allergic to, and the eczema got all over my shoulders. If you are allergic to cleaning products, it's important to use only hypoallergenic products.

One of the best hypoallergenic soaps is Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser for sensitive skin. Don't get the general Cetaphil cleanser, though, because it has fragrances in it. Dove hypoallergenic soap for sensitive skin is also good, and I haven't had any problems with Aveeno fragrance free body wash. Hypoallergenic shampoos are harder to find. While manufacturers are quick to make cleansers for sensitive skin, no major manufacturer has seemed to come up with the idea of making a shampoo for sensitive skin (or at least I haven't found one.) After doing much research online, one I found is California Baby (for sensitive skin.) It is as hypoallergenic as it comes, and it cleans hair well. You can find the website by Googling "California Baby" if you're interested.

It's also important to stop using any detergents and soaps that are irritating to your skin. Sometimes fragrances in soaps can cause eczema, so using laundry detergents and fabric softeners that are fragrance free are best. I use fragrance free Tide and Downy, but there are others.

About cortisone creams--I haven't found them to be as useful as other options for eczema. Doctors like to prescribe them, but I haven't found cortisone creams to be as useful as Benadryl cream, which has zinc and an antihistamine in it.

Good luck! Please let us know how you are getting along.

Mackenzie Tweet