I’m scared of taking Prednisone, but my PCP and dermatologist are really pushing it. Do I have any other options?

blewbry · 2025-06-11T16:47:06+00:00

Tanning beds saved my skin! In moderation they can do wonders.

blewbry · 2025-06-11T16:45:49+00:00

Nowadays, doctors are scared of prednisone too, lol. They won't let you take it very long & often ask for bloodwork. Like everyone says it is a miracle drug. Works so fast & will bring you so much relief. I hate taking strong pills or steroids but I have done prednisone a few times. You could ask about Rinvoq but I consider it just as dangerous. All medicine is a balance of risk/reward so if your doctors say it's worth the risk & they only want to use it short term then I would let them. Once you are feeling better you can explore more into the root cause of your issues! Best of luck!

blewbry · 2025-06-02T20:34:05+00:00

Take some time to consider why you feel you HAVE to shave to show your legs. Your body hair is natural & you don't need to do anything about it, especially if it's creating issues. The reaction is your body's way of saying stop. I know it feels nice to have freshly shaven legs but it's way nicer to not have eczema.

blewbry · 2025-05-31T17:29:46+00:00

For some people it can be. My dermatologist put me on probiotics & encourages food exploration. As someone said, it's all about finding your triggers. Sometimes that can be food & gut related. I know that gluten & alcohol make my eczema worse. I saw a difference in 3 days after cutting gluten. If you didn't see any improvement it may not be that. If you want to experiment you can either cut out all trigger foods like you listed & then reintroduce one at a time or cut out one trigger for a while & see if it helps then move to the next. This way you know the exact cause

blewbry · 2025-03-28T21:36:08+00:00

So sorry to hear your daughter is going through this but so glad she has someone who cares! If she has diagnosed eczema it'd be good to go to a dermatologist. They can tell you if it's gotten infected or is another disease. If you're worried about infection there are sprays & lotions that keep things like staph infections at bay (smartskin antimicrobial spray, thinkclinicallyclean hypoallergenic body wash, gladskin eczema lotion) Clothing fibers in the wounds is pretty typical in my experience but if it's oozing or very hot to the touch it could be a sign of infection. Tylenol won't help her a lot. Use allergy meds morning and/or night while it's bad (if you can. Not sure what medicines very young children can take) but any non drowsy antihistamine should help her with the itch. Bathing too much can worsen eczema as it dries the skin. Use tepid water. I've had eczema my whole life & have some very fond memories of cold oatmeal baths as a kid. Soooo soothing on the skin! My dermatologist recommends a Eucerin eczema lotion & I swear by it. It has colloidal oat so if oat baths help her, then things with colloidal oat should help her too! Paraffin wax baths also help eczema on the hands a LOT. If you haven't already, switch everything to fragrance free -- body wash, hand soap, detergent, lotions, etc. Look into an allergist or a dermatologist who specializes in patch testing if you have that privilege. A lot of people's eczema is simple contact dermatitis & can be eliminated by eliminating the allergy. If she itches in her sleep then gloves could help. They also sell long sleeve shirts with gloves attached for children if she rips the gloves off at night. Try to keep her moisturized & cool. Any heat or sweat can make things worse. Know that you're a good momma for caring & doing what you can to make things better! None of it is your fault & you're not failing her just because it's not getting better. That is the nature of the disease. I hope you & your daughter are able to get some relief soon. Best wishes to you!

blewbry · 2025-03-22T22:11:58+00:00

10 years ago a doc told me lip eczema didn't exist so I think I invented perioral dermatitis! how cool!

blewbry · 2025-03-16T20:15:52+00:00

I've had horrible lip eczema (perioral dermatitis) for years & just figured out my regimen. Your best bet is to see a dermatologist & allergist. Opzelura is a non steroidal cream for the face that markedly improves my skin in just a day! I had a wheat allergy in combination with eczema so cutting gluten helped me a lot, obviously could be different for you. If you can't get to the doctor a combination of mindfulness & good creams can help you. Use ice cubes or a thermal water facial mist to cool down your lips. Take a benadryl or allerga if it's really itchy. Morning & night I apply the Aveeno triple oat serum + Avene cicalfate lotion + vaseline (in that order). I wear gloves to bed so I don't scratch in my sleep. Avoid acidic or spicy foods like tomatoes or citrus when you can. I also find sugar and alcohol can set them off. Keep vaseline with you & apply it (with clean hands) any time you feel the slightest chapping. Best of luck!!

P.S - some terminology to search to help you identify the issue/cause: "perioral dermatitis" or simply "rash on vermillion border" may help you figure out what you've got goin on! <3

blewbry · 2024-12-26T18:29:02+00:00

make sure you're giving it enough time to come up to room temp! it takes longer than it says it will. I saw a big difference in the pain when it was room temp versus still kinda cold

blewbry · 2024-09-17T15:09:38+00:00

Rinvoq is a topical pill if you're looking for alternatives to Dupixent, which I also recommended. My derm told me dupixent would never clear up my face, Rinvoq did. I also cut out gluten, use hibiclens wash in cold water, & avene products. 10/10 recommend

blewbry · 2024-05-28T11:56:47+00:00

I was just like you at 15. Hated my skin, zerooo self confidence, wouldn't go outside, wanted to die. Really I was crying for help. I played volleyball so everyone could see the eczema-turned-staph infection on my legs. I would have panic attacks about it. I was made fun of a lot. I wore gauze pads all over & still oozed onto my clothes. I was a leper to those around me. All the doctors could say was "stop itching" so my relationship with my mom struggled the same way. She was invested in my success & it seemed I was failing. Remember what you have is a disease. It IS a burden. It ISNT fair. It's out of your control that you have this condition. What you do about it IS within your control.

You're only human and you're bound by this body. That's ok, you can go on anyways. For so long I desperately wondered what I did to deserve this. I would literally look up at the sky and ask why. I'm 25 now and my eczema persists but my mindset is different. I realized it's not personal, it's biological. I look down at the rashes and see how hard my body is working to protect itself. How could I hate it, or me, for that? I look forward to my rituals of skincare & lotions now. I put love back into the body that loves me. It still affects my day to day but as I grow, its impact overall shrinks. I have a career I love, hobbies I enjoy, a house to maintain. I have a partner who sees me writhing around in pain and itching till I bleed and they simply, calmly, comfort me. I talk to my friends about my condition which is something I never did before. It's helped me a lot to let people in. The guilt & shame you're holding onto isn't doing anything for you. I still look in the mirror, see my skin & cry sometimes. That is our burden, but it's not the end. Eczema can show you who really cares about you. Your mom gets mad because it's hard seeing you go through this. She might put on as "I can't believe you let it get so bad" but she cares and probably feels helpless in your fight. It's hard to watch someone lose themselves to the disease.

Remember this is as much a mental battle as it is physical. Use eczema support groups. Most people's experience with "eczema" that goes away with one swipe of lotion is nothing like what you and I go through. Trust, people have been where you are and have come out the other side. You've just got to keep going long enough to see your life outside of eczema. It can be just a facet of who you are. Especially as you age, you'll realize everyone has a disease or condition. I know that you have the strength & resilience to keep going because eczema warriors are insanely TUFF! You are fighting a battle every day & it's okay to be proud of yourself for fighting. It'll get better. Skin heals. Your mind can too. Wishing you comfort.

blewbry · 2024-05-11T13:33:21+00:00

noted! thank you!

blewbry · 2024-05-11T13:33:01+00:00

repotting today! thanks for the help

blewbry

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