Eczema/psoriasis ruining my life

Okay so I'm 18 now and I've suffered from severe eczema my whole life, mainly on the insides of my elbows, however the past few years I've accumulated tons of scars all over my body, and that's not exaggeration... like they're all over my legs, arms, back, face, stomach, boobs:'/
This effects my self esteem to the point where I don't leave the house if I can help it, I can't exercise as when I sweat my eczema stings so bad and just gets worse (gross I know sorry tmi), and I don't go on nights out because I don't want to have to cover every part of my body... makeup doesn't cover it and would just make it infected and it even makes it difficult to wear makeup on my face

Of course I've been going to the doctors about it my entire life and have tried pretty much every cream/treatment out there but NOTHING has worked permanently, and moreover it's the scars on my legs that are a huge problem and they won't go away either.

Does ANYONE have ANY advice, please, as it is literally effecting my life so badly. If you or anyone you know suffers, do you have any tips? Like I don't like my boyfriend seeing me because it's so disgusting...

Idek why I'm asking on here I am just pretty desperate haha.. thanks in advance:

Okay so I'm 18 now and I've suffered from severe eczema my whole life, mainly on the insides of my elbows, however the past few years I've accumulated tons of scars all over my body, and that's not exaggeration... like they're all over my legs, arms, back, face, stomach, boobs:'/
This effects my self esteem to the point where I don't leave the house if I can help it, I can't exercise as when I sweat my eczema stings so bad and just gets worse (gross I know sorry tmi), and I don't go on nights out because I don't want to have to cover every part of my body... makeup doesn't cover it and would just make it infected and it even makes it difficult to wear makeup on my face

Of course I've been going to the doctors about it my entire life and have tried pretty much every cream/treatment out there but NOTHING has worked permanently, and moreover it's the scars on my legs that are a huge problem and they won't go away either.

Does ANYONE have ANY advice, please, as it is literally effecting my life so badly. If you or anyone you know suffers, do you have any tips? Like I don't like my boyfriend seeing me because it's so disgusting...

Idek why I'm asking on here I am just pretty desperate haha.. thanks in advance:

Okay so I'm 18 now and I've suffered from severe eczema my whole life, mainly on the insides of my elbows, however the past few years I've accumulated tons of scars all over my body, and that's not exaggeration... like they're all over my legs, arms, back, face, stomach, boobs:'/
This effects my self esteem to the point where I don't leave the house if I can help it, I can't exercise as when I sweat my eczema stings so bad and just gets worse (gross I know sorry tmi), and I don't go on nights out because I don't want to have to cover every part of my body... makeup doesn't cover it and would just make it infected and it even makes it difficult to wear makeup on my face

Of course I've been going to the doctors about it my entire life and have tried pretty much every cream/treatment out there but NOTHING has worked permanently, and moreover it's the scars on my legs that are a huge problem and they won't go away either.

Does ANYONE have ANY advice, please, as it is literally effecting my life so badly. If you or anyone you know suffers, do you have any tips? Like I don't like my boyfriend seeing me because it's so disgusting...

Idek why I'm asking on here I am just pretty desperate haha.. thanks in advance:

I am 16 and pretty much in the same situation. Just don't do what I did and use aqueous cream as all the doctors prescribe but turns out it made my arms bleed, when I read the tub it actually says 'Don't use on irritated skin'.

The best two things you can possibly use are diprobase (large white bottle with pump) and Lush's Dream Cream. An under layer of diprobase as soon as you get up or out of the shower, wait to dry ( which it does really quickly) and pop a thin thin layer of dream cream on. The cream is a lifesaver. It's about £12 for a tub that lasts me 2-3 months at a time but it hydrates your skin and helps significantly plus it smells bloody gorgeous. xx

Heya, I have the same problem as you. My eczema has caused scaring over my hands and arms and outsides of my elbows and bits of my legs too. The cream i use is Epaderm and Zero Derm ( thats the new one i get prescribed cause its cheaper :/ ) New pots work best too. For scaring, my brother uses Bio oil and it works quite well ( he has eczema too) . I never tried it. If you have bad sores etc i recommend Hydrocoratzone and the one with antibiotics in it (I cant remember the name) . It fixes it really fast but you ll have to get that from a doctor.

For the self conscious things that a little more difficult. I was like that For ages. Even in summer i would be all covered up because i was so worried it would look bad. It took me ages to be able to wear short sleeves again. I can tell you now though, no one is fussed about it and if they are, they realllllllllly need to get a life and a hobby. Your boyfriend especially wont care, he loves you for you being amazing and you will always look beautiful to him I always make a joke out of my eczema because i've found that the best way for me to deal with it. People ask if its sore and stuff but they don't mean anything bad about it. Ill explane it to them and tell them "yeah, it looks like i've had a fight with a cheese grater" and then laugh and smile. For me i find it easier to explane it with a smile because it makes it less scary for people then they generally don't care about it people are nicer than you think Feel free to drop me a message if you want to Best of luck!

Hi I have had eczema my whole life and my mum was very good at teaching me how to look after it. This post might say some stuff you may already know but please dont take offence because I dont know how much you know:
1. Buy Aveeno cream (about 13 quid) because it is soothing for itches
2. Buy cotton bandages and use them to lock in moisture in your skin (ofcs wash regualry) esp helpful at night
3. Halfway through your day or if you have gone out in the day - come back home and wash your skin gently with wet cotton in a patting motion to clean up the sweat etc. Then apply moisture etc
4. Sleep in rooms with windows open to allow cool air on your skin and don't put on the air con or heater too much because it dries the skin
5. Eat good healthy food because often eczema is linked to what is going on, on the inside of your body
6. You can excercise - lightly - just prep your skin and then clean up well after with the same steps i mentioned in 3.
Try going outside for walks because the air and sunshine will help your skin to breath - even if you sit your garden it will help
If you have extra money to spare then buy organic creams containing pure rose oil because the less chemicals you put on your skin, the better. Often the creams drs subscribe can thin your skin and this is really bad for you
7. Take baths with oatmeal in old stockings at luke warm temperatures

As for your confidence - you have to learn to love yourself because your body is the only body you are going to have for the rest of your life. And dont be too harsh on yourself. We both have a skin condition so ofcs it will affect how we look. If someone ever makes a reark about your scars etc - ignore it because they simply don't understand the pain of having eczema. You ARE beautiful and if you can love yourself at your lowest then you are a lot stronger than you know (cheesy but had to be said!)
I had a horrible reaction to medicine two years back and my mum practically forced me into college when my face was bumpy, sore and i had eczema patches on my face. It was so terrible but 1. people didnt say anything like i thought they would and 2. eventhough it was so hard, i did it and i survived - i didnt die!!
Goodluck and be patient - eczema is a horrible thing but love your skin and dont be so hard on yourself - how can you expect it to heal when you dont treat it with love?

P.S there is a very good cream that helped me at Neal's Yard called Wild Rose - it cost about 40 pounds but honestly, it was one of the most helpful creams I have ever used. I only use this when I have really bad eczema tho cause it so expensive and is in a small pot

I cured my eczema although it wasnt as severe as yours. You need to do anulom vilom. Conventional treatments like creams, oils etc are not a cure for everyone. It might help reduce the pain or the discomfort but at the end of the day you are still stuck with it. The fact is since you have eczema there is something wrong with your skin, and creams and oils wont really cure that especially for severe sufferers. This is how I cured my eczema. Do this breathing excercise as much as you can, the more you do it the quicker it will be cured. I did it about 2-3 hours a day just watching tv or something like that.

- Breath in from one nostril while closing the other nostril with your finger. Then breathe out with the other nostril while closing the initial nostril you started breathing in with. Then breathe out with the same nostril. Then breathe in from the alternate nostril. This is called alternate breathing is an ayurvedic remedy for many problems. It was suggested by my dermatologist and it worked!

I never really tired/heard of this but i will give it a go! thank you

Bio-oil may help to reduce the scarring but unfortunately there is always a risk that it won't go away. Scars naturally fade over months and years so are likely to become less noticeable over time.

Regarding treatments, a high strength hydrocortisone can be good in the short term to give your eczema a kick start at healing, but really this is something you need to discuss with your GP and potentially asking for referral to a dermatologist if you feel you're not getting anywhere. You really need to explain to them how this is affecting your wellbeing, that you are unable to exercise or have a normal social life because of this.

As for other things that might be worth a try, make sure you're paying attention to the fabrics coming in contact with your skin and aim for looser cotton where possible. The key to keeping eczema at bay once you've improved it is moisturising your skin very regularly. There are loads of products but I'd recommend Aveeno as it's very unlikely to cause any stinging, and is the first one I'd recommend to any eczema sufferers. You should also keep a check on the laundry detergents you're using - baby ones are good for eczema sufferers. Shower gels and body washes and even shampoo can irritate your skin, so it's worth considering changing these to eczema-friendly versions (Aveeno or Cetaphil are good). If you're struggling to find adult versions, baby eczema products are just as good.

Sometimes it is trial and error with these products and there is a huge range to choose from, and what works for one person might not for another. I've seen people have severe stinging sensations from the mildest products, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't work for you the first time round, and be aware that it can take some days or weeks for a visible improvement. Lots of these companies offer samples too (off the top of my head, Aveeno, Aproderm, Dermalex), so that's definitely worth a look.

Please don't this as me being nosy, but have you been accessed to see whether or not you have asthma? I'm only inquiring because the two conditions are connected. I have both of these conditions which is why I asked. mine isn't as bad as your's; I only get it in small patches on my wrists and sometimes on the palms of my hands. This may not work for you, but I've found that Hydrocortisyl skin ointment tends to work for me and recently I've found that a small amount of Caldesene medicated powder works for me too.

I know this may not help you very much, but it was the only thing I could think off. Hopefully you'll find some form of treatment that works for you. feel free to pm me if you wish to talk anymore

I cured my eczema although it wasnt as severe as yours. You need to do anulom vilom. Conventional treatments like creams, oils etc are not a cure for everyone. It might help reduce the pain or the discomfort but at the end of the day you are still stuck with it. The fact is since you have eczema there is something wrong with your skin, and creams and oils wont really cure that especially for severe sufferers. This is how I cured my eczema. Do this breathing excercise as much as you can, the more you do it the quicker it will be cured. I did it about 2-3 hours a day just watching tv or something like that.

- Breath in from one nostril while closing the other nostril with your finger. Then breathe out with the other nostril while closing the initial nostril you started breathing in with. Then breathe out with the same nostril. Then breathe in from the alternate nostril. This is called alternate breathing is an ayurvedic remedy for many problems. It was suggested by my dermatologist and it worked!

Heya, I have the same problem as you. My eczema has caused scaring over my hands and arms and outsides of my elbows and bits of my legs too. The cream i use is Epaderm and Zero Derm ( thats the new one i get prescribed cause its cheaper :/ ) New pots work best too. For scaring, my brother uses Bio oil and it works quite well ( he has eczema too) . I never tried it. If you have bad sores etc i recommend Hydrocoratzone and the one with antibiotics in it (I cant remember the name) . It fixes it really fast but you ll have to get that from a doctor.

For the self conscious things that a little more difficult. I was like that For ages. Even in summer i would be all covered up because i was so worried it would look bad. It took me ages to be able to wear short sleeves again. I can tell you now though, no one is fussed about it and if they are, they realllllllllly need to get a life and a hobby. Your boyfriend especially wont care, he loves you for you being amazing and you will always look beautiful to him I always make a joke out of my eczema because i've found that the best way for me to deal with it. People ask if its sore and stuff but they don't mean anything bad about it. Ill explane it to them and tell them "yeah, it looks like i've had a fight with a cheese grater" and then laugh and smile. For me i find it easier to explane it with a smile because it makes it less scary for people then they generally don't care about it people are nicer than you think Feel free to drop me a message if you want to Best of luck!

Hi I have had eczema my whole life and my mum was very good at teaching me how to look after it. This post might say some stuff you may already know but please dont take offence because I dont know how much you know:
1. Buy Aveeno cream (about 13 quid) because it is soothing for itches
2. Buy cotton bandages and use them to lock in moisture in your skin (ofcs wash regualry) esp helpful at night
3. Halfway through your day or if you have gone out in the day - come back home and wash your skin gently with wet cotton in a patting motion to clean up the sweat etc. Then apply moisture etc
4. Sleep in rooms with windows open to allow cool air on your skin and don't put on the air con or heater too much because it dries the skin
5. Eat good healthy food because often eczema is linked to what is going on, on the inside of your body
6. You can excercise - lightly - just prep your skin and then clean up well after with the same steps i mentioned in 3.
Try going outside for walks because the air and sunshine will help your skin to breath - even if you sit your garden it will help
If you have extra money to spare then buy organic creams containing pure rose oil because the less chemicals you put on your skin, the better. Often the creams drs subscribe can thin your skin and this is really bad for you
7. Take baths with oatmeal in old stockings at luke warm temperatures

As for your confidence - you have to learn to love yourself because your body is the only body you are going to have for the rest of your life. And dont be too harsh on yourself. We both have a skin condition so ofcs it will affect how we look. If someone ever makes a reark about your scars etc - ignore it because they simply don't understand the pain of having eczema. You ARE beautiful and if you can love yourself at your lowest then you are a lot stronger than you know (cheesy but had to be said!)
I had a horrible reaction to medicine two years back and my mum practically forced me into college when my face was bumpy, sore and i had eczema patches on my face. It was so terrible but 1. people didnt say anything like i thought they would and 2. eventhough it was so hard, i did it and i survived - i didnt die!!
Goodluck and be patient - eczema is a horrible thing but love your skin and dont be so hard on yourself - how can you expect it to heal when you dont treat it with love?

P.S there is a very good cream that helped me at Neal's Yard called Wild Rose - it cost about 40 pounds but honestly, it was one of the most helpful creams I have ever used. I only use this when I have really bad eczema tho cause it so expensive and is in a small pot