Eczema or Something Else?

Hi @aaitken121 and welcome to Connect. That sounds so frustrating to be unable to find a solution to this rash.

I thought @gardeningjunkie and @randyste may be able to share suggestions or offer you support while you search for answers as they have experience with eczema.

Back to you @aaitken121 does the steroid cream help with the bumps while you have them?

I am not familiar with the look and placement of these rashes as my 3 types of eczema are represented differently. I have seen others with eczema that have a similar appearance and recommend you show these photos to different sites. Inspire has an excellent skin site o eczema where I learned a tremendous amount plus got mental support. Someone may see themselves represented is these photos.
I just got home from a check up from my derm today and told him how helpful the New Zealand Dermatology site has been for me and he said yes it is about the best. Aaitken221 today go to dermnetnz.org which has an amazing list of skin diseases, including eczema. Even the eczema site has the most extensive list of types of eczema types, even rare forms like one of my types is. It helped me self diagnosis one of my types that the doctors were treating as a different type. Like you the first thing all derms do is take the easy way out and prescribe a steroid. It helps many types, but in the long run can cause serious side effects- Google this. For one of my types steroids fuel it! I am not kidding when I tell you I know as much about my types of eczema as most derms do. Derms study a multitude of skin issues and I focus on my types. Pain is a serious motivator in forcing us to take action. If your derm tells you that you have eczema, you must get him to figure out what type you have. Just like with cancer, most have different treatments.
The reason you will be helped by this NZ site is the extensive groupings of photographs; best I have ever found. I don't know if you even have eczema, but learn about all the various skin diseases and then with each type is an extensive library of photographs with excellent photos (you took great photos by the way, helpful). Each type will have different variations and I had to scroll though pages of a type I was most suspicious was what I had before I found a photo exactly like mine! I took that information in with me to the dermatologist who then said, oh yeah, you're right and we have been treating it wrong so now lets try this different treatment.
You are doing the right thing reaching out and trying to learn from other sufferers with skin diseases, we are eager to help others like others helped us early on when we didn't have a clue where to begin or what to do.All of us who reach out are warriors! We have to keep battling and trying to figure out how to get our lives back. I feel better today than I have for over 6 years as all my 3 types of eczema are under control, yet it has been a long road with successes and set backs. Will I have issues in the future, undoubtedly as eczema is chronic, so am enjoying my pain free life today. I so hope you get to this point but it will take time to do so, mainly because all of us seem to have a unique combination of treatments or avoidance's that help.
Last year I broke down and began an anti inflammation diet which turned the corner for me. Prescriptions, avoidance's which can be learned though dermatology and allergy testing, going to several derms as each has offered new ideas, dietary additions and eliminations have been the team of factors that have me where I am today. Skin is a complex organ.

I am not convinced either that I have eczema. I had one small spot close to my knee that they biopsied that itched like crazy. It came back as eczema. Before I finally went to the dermatologist. My lower legs from the knees down had turned red with no itching or anything else. The eczema finally cleared up in that one spot. So I was given a steroid ointment which I did 2 weeks on my legs. What a pain! It did nothing. Hydrocortisone didn't work either. My blook work after the steroids came back with high CO2 levels. My protein uring came back as high also. My nephrologist is watching these and so am I. I haven't had protein in my uring for about 20 years! A friend asked me if this could be some sort of a acidosis. This has been going on since August when I first noticed by legs being red. I'm now doing Cerve' lotion 2x a day and it's doing nothing. Any suggestions?

There are a dozen types of eczema. If a doctor told you that you had cancer wouldn't you ask what type? To be treated correctly you need to know the specific type. I have or had 3 types and all different causes and required different treatments.
Be aware steroids are only a treatment. In some case, not all as you have learned, they may help your skin heal faster for certain types of eczema, but they do not identify what is causing the eczema. The eczema will return unless you learn the cause. That said if you have Atopic Eczema that is a very complex form with various causes know and unknown.

I never had any bumps. Nothing of this rash/redness bothers me other than I know it's not normal. Steroids didn't help at all. I ready to try an all natural cream I've come across. The way I figure it, it can't hurt me any more than all the other prescribed stuff I've endured.

Sue Mersereau