If you have been diagnosed with eczema make sure they give you a specific name for your type. Over a dozen types with similar or different symptoms, different or overlapping treatments and similar or completely different triggers. I muddled along with a primitive eczema diagnosis for a decade not understanding eczema came different forms. With self education learned to ask dermatologists the right questions. I learned about testing and demanded the 5 Day Extended Patch Test for Allergic Contact Dermatitis,ACD. which I began to think was my specific form. No doctor had previously recommended this test. Medicare pays for this test, around $1,500. Not all derms or allergists are licensed for this test, if you are wanting this make sure you go to a derm or allergist with this speical education and training with the testing kit companies. It's not the simple 30 min prick in office test for environmentals. The test kit consists panels on your back for 5 days. For me it disclosed that that out of 78 chemicals and natural elements I was severly allergic to 5. This information saved my life, literally as I was ready to end it all because of my lack of sleep from itching and pain. My ACD is under control today because of contact removal.
Also please be aware you may have multiple forms of eczema with different triggers and treaments. I am now up to 4 types, Contact Dermatitis , CD, ACD, TAD and POD. Since my first form ACD showed up in my 50's I have now progressed and added 2 other, unrelated forms, Transient Acantholytic Dermatosis, aka, Grover's Disease or TAD. Also recently Perioral Dermatitis, POD. Derms assumed my specific symptoms for TAD and later for POD were tied to my ACD. Not so and in fact treatment for POD goes against the traditional use of steroids with most forms. In fact steroids after the first few weeks of remission feed the POD and then it truly blows up.
From reading this post it seems most responding have the Atopic form, which I do not. However, it is common for those with Atopic to develop ACD in adulthood. Please never assume you only have one form, especially if it is not responding to your traditional treatments.

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