<p>I have it, and my middle kid inherited it as well. Mine is mild, and inside elbows mainly. S2’s is much worse - especially his hands. Doc told us it often goes hand in hand with asthma (which S also had - seems to have outgrown it.)</p>
<p>Topical over the counter cortizone creams work well for us. We also use cream soaps for sensitive skin. Can’t wear a lot of synthetics, and no wool in contact with the skin. (Basically, that leaves cotton.)</p>
<p>dadguy:</p>
<p>My son had extreme severe Eczema when he was very little. When I say severe you have no idea how bad it was. Now it is gone except in dry whether.</p>
<p>The best way to ease the pain is to use antihistamines like benadryl at night. Also use very generous amount of moisturizer creams. The liquidy kind with perfumes are not good. Use the cheapest kind with no junk like vitamine E, aloe etc. The best ones are paste like creams like Eucerine (expesive) or Equate. We also used to use oatmeal soap and bath packets (I think it is called Aveeno). Use the heavy dose of cream right after bath and at night time.</p>
<p>On the prescription side none of the hydrocorticone based cream worked well. Florine based creams such as Kenelog with 1 or 2% strength in Eucerine cream worked best. We used those steroid based creams only during flare ups. Once the situation was under control the creams were the normal maint. items.</p>
<p>There is no magic cure. Either your son will outgrow it or will have to maintain it all the time. Since he is a big boy it should not be a problem - he can maintain it himself.</p>
<p>My youngest D suffers from eczema flareups in the worst way. When it gets unbearable, she uses Elocon, but one has to be careful, as excessive usage also causes permanent skin discoloration. So we use Elocon for 3 days, then go back to moisturizers.</p>
<p>Its important to take short cool showers. Hot water and tub soakings are taboo. Do not towel dry, but lightly dab, leaving some water on the skin before applying moisturizer,</p>
<p>Just wanted to pass this along–</p>
<p>I recently saw my dermatologist for a minor psoriasis flare up. In addition to s once-a-day prescription ointment, she recommended moisturizing with CeraVe cream. She said her eczema patients have seen great improvement with CeraVe.</p>
<p>BTW, I purchased the cream, and I really like it–not thick, non-greasy.</p>
<p>I am a grownup (mid 50s). I was a sufferer in my teens and probably into my early 30s. I would get it on my face, neck and arms. I don’t remember it effecting my studies - just my social life. I can vividly remember a time in college when I had planned a weekend trip with friends but had an outbreak right before and had to cancel because I was just too miserable to go. Probably got in more studying as a result.</p>
<p>Prescription cortisone cream was the only thing that would help but it would increase the suffering at first because it would burn until it had healed the eczema somewhat. Although not having any real outbreaks anymore, to this day I do not use soap on my skin. Just hot water and a face cloth. I also only use hypo allergenic laundry detergent such as Tide free. And Eucerin cream as a moisturizer, which was recommended by my dermatologist at that time, because it is hypoallergenic. I probably never wear wool next to my skin - always with a cotton layer in between. And for a long while I took to washing my hair in a sink rather than a shower to prevent shampoo from coming in contact with my skin and used Johnson’s baby shampoo as my shampoo. I never gave up hot baths though, they are one of my favorite pleasures.</p>
<p>I do seem to have outgrown it, but I still find myself extremely careful because my skin still seems to be prone to becoming itchy. Particularly in the Fall/Winter. I’m never sure whether it’s the drier air or allergens from the hot air heating systems.</p>
<p>dadguy:</p>
<p>One another thing you may want to consider is to get room humidifiers. Even in Houston, my skin feels drier when the home heater runs more. This may also help him in breathing if he has asthma.</p>
<p>Also change his bed sheets frequently (use cotton). The dead skin in the bed also act as irritant.</p>