With GD there are variations. Plus over the years the breakouts have some differences. Some with GD, very few, don't have the itching. My sister only has rash under her bra area and it doesn't bother her much. Yet her biopsy was positive for GD. I've told her about cilantro, but her itching is so minor she can't be bothered with drinking fresh or frozen cilantro.
I do know the cellular structure of our skin is changed. In GD areas the cells lose collagen and aren't tightly connected and no longer are an effective barrier.
You can look it up.
Each of us has various timetables. For me the initial outbreak was 1 year and then I had 6 months on and 6 months off. My first outbreak was the most extensive covering all of front and back torso and not only itchy but the most painful. Subsequent ones didn't cover upper front torso or up into my neckline on my back, I guess they felt better but the itching and pain was still awful. On the earthclinic GD site a man said his initial outbreak was going on for 6 years and then he did the cilantro smoothies and he went into remission. GD, aka, Transient Acantholytic Dermatitis has the word transient in it, meaning it comes and goes. Your initial outbreak was relatively short, if you do have a recurrence it may be short to. Some only have one initial outbreak.
During remission, after about 5 months I would feel it coming on as I would get a tingling sensation in GD areas that had previous activity. I would have a few scabs in breakout area that never changed even when inactive, in 6 months of dormancy they never would fall off and then the next recurrence would come and they would be lost mixed in with new. Same pre-breakout sensation was true with Allergic Contact Dermatitis, ACD on hands, I would get a tingly, not unpleasant feeling under my skin with no visible eruptions, but I knew it would be breaking out in a few days.
I'm still surprised at your side effects from using steroid for what I gather was a short period of time. I have heard of thinning and damage after years of use and I can see how the palms of my hands have thinner skin because I used steroids on and off for 10 years before I learned of the 5 Day Extended Patch test to diagnose allergens. Is it possible to get Dysidrotic Eczema, DE, on only one hand? What you are describing sounds like DE symptoms. Look that up on dermnetnz.com and look at photos. Your descriptions of the cracks and split finger tips is part of DE, one son has it but on both hands and his feet. He's lucky because with it only pain but not the itching. DE is a hard one in that it is not tied into allergic contacts, it's chronic and you know the side effects of long term steroid use used to control it. Also I have shared that I am allergic to one of the 5 classes of steroids and I wonder if you could have a steroid allergy and have ACD like many of us do with other types of eczema and yet with ACD, normally once you cease contact with an allergen the rash will heal within a month or two.
Last ditch resort I had to go to was an annual corticosteroid injection of Kenalog 40. Very potent and getting this injection too often can cause serious internal side effects on your organs. Annually was considered safe. It was supposed to help some with GD, in my case I didn't notice a change, yet with my ACD it dramatically helped my internal inflammation side effects of stinging, burning and itching inside my skin for my ACD.
However only 2 things have gotten me into my drug free state today.
1. Cilantro stopped my GD (for now)
2. Eliminate processed sugar free, limit natural sugar and initially give up all gluten. I've been on this anti-inflammation plan now for over 2 years and don't need steroids, topical or injections and am ACD symptom free. I had eliminated all the ACD contacts which is a must and I got no more ACD rashes, yet the internal inflammation was still present. Sugar feeds the yeast living in our intestines. They are alive and discharge waste though our intestinal membranes which thin with age. These pass though and into our bloodstream and our histamine army trying to protect us attracts these wastes thus raising our inflammation. You have to detox your body of yeast, starve it out. Yeast feeds on sugar and sends messages to your brain demanding it and that's why we crave sweets. Once starved out your craving for sugar ends. Great easy to year classic book written by a pioneer of tying in what we eat to many diseases helped me, The Yeast Connection Handbook, by William Crooke, MD. I will follow this plan for life. Living pain free is a tremendous motivator in having the will power to detox ourselves without any outside help. Rehab is not needed!