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Boboss: argh, I hate that. I get facial eczema, which is just gross.
I find E45 is about the best thing on the market, although it contains lanolin and could be setting you off if you've become sensitised. You might want to try another emollient for a bit, see how it goes. I imagine you've already spoken to a pharmacist?
Do you have an aloe plant? Fresh aloe is very good, I find. If you can't get fresh then the next best thing is the juice or the goo from inside the 'leaves', both of which you can get from the health-food store. Bear in mind that aloe vera loses its virtues over time and with processing (so those washing powders boasting it as an ingredient are bullshit, but you knew that). If it's a really itchy day I get a lot of relief from rubbing an aloe-vera-juice ice-cube on the affected skin.
Some entirely natural fragrances and compunds can set you off if you're sensitised. Citrus oils are one such (I know someone who gets dermatitis from handling lemons or using certain brands of washing-up liquid because after years of exposure she's become allergic to the lemon oil used as a fragrance), cinnamon is another.
Do you handle towels or other fabric items that might have been washed in icky chemicals, at work or at the gym maybe? This can set me off.
Changing your diet can help. The list of possible triggers is as long as your arm, but alcohol is one of the biggies (and I really do hate to say it). You might want to keep a diary of what you've eaten or drunk and how your skin is, see if you can find a pattern. Giving up the suspected culprit for a couple of weeks is usually enough to eliminate it from your enquiries.
If I'm having a really serious flare-up then the only thing that will work is a mild steroid cream. I don't like using them either but if I don't stay on top of the condition it can get infected, which is extremely bleak. |
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