I am unaware of what type of eczema you have been diagnosed with. In order to treat correctly you must know what type you have. If a doctor told you you had cancer you would ask what type because you know each type is treated specifically.

If you are suspecting that contacts are the issue you must get the 5 Day Extended Patch Test to test for Allergic Contact Dermatitis, ACD, a common form. The term dermatitis and eczema are interchangeable. Look up this exact test. It can tell you if you are allergic to a hundred different contacts like your grooming products, linens, detergent, preservatives and even cortisone. The Patch Test is covered by my Medicare and most insurance plans but if uninsured ask your doctor if he/she knows of any discounts from the test kit companies. This test saved my life as I was so miserable with my eczema symptoms.

One type of location specific eczema is Perioral Eczema, while usually around the mouth it can also be around the eyes. This form is actually fed by steroids and occlusive (heavy) moisturizers. I noticed you are using hydro-cortisone to treat it (DermAid). I personally am allergic to both the Aveeno and Cetaphil you are using. I assume you have given up make up, a must, until you get tested. Don't even try to hide it with a concealer, this could be triggering it if allergic. If Perioral your skin must be kept clean, wash twice daily, but there are few soaps safe for most skins. You also need a soap that is not drying. I love Grandma's Lye Soap for face and body, new name is Grandma's Soap. It is a bar soap, only 2 ingredients: lye and lard. The lye is converted to glycerin during the soap making process so all that contacts you is lard and glycerin. It cleans and moisturizes. Go to their website and learn about it. I've used for over 5 years and just last year got approved by the Mayo as a SkinSafe product.

If you have eczema you must be proactive like we have all learned to be. Educate yourself. Best site I have found is the New Zealand Dermatology site, dermnetnz.org.

Go to their eczema site and try to identify a type that you may have. Their photos helped me diagnose 1 of my 3 different forms which my derm was treating as another type and treating it incorrectly. I brought her information from the website asking if she thought I had this form and all she said was "Oh yeah, that's what you have". With so many skin diseases and so many forms of eczema doctors need our help sometime. Once this new form of eczema for me was identified it was treated correctly and I no long have any symptoms.

Also with contact avoidance I am presently free of my debilitating ACD symptoms. It took me years to learn enough to get the right diagnosis's and treatments. You were right to visit multiple doctors, as it was necessary for me to do so also.

Share with us what form of eczema you have we may have your form and can tell you what did and didn't work for us. If you have not been told, demand testing.

Jump to this post