Anybody with Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis?

I've had atopic dermatitis since I was born. And it gets pretty darn bad during winter and summer. I've had it on my face, arm, neck, fingers, feet, legs you name it. So it has taken a toll on my self-consciousness. Well, that's not the point of this thread.

I've always been told to stay somewhere cool and not to sweat. I recently have started walking/jogging and playing tennis. I can't help but sweat during summer and esp exercising in heat! I tried to exercise during morning or evening but exercise and sweating seems inseperable. Problem with sweating is that it makes my skin itch and I can't help but scratching. I know I shouldn't be scratching but it's just too itchy.

Anybody who has gone through similar experience and share tips on how to control this better? Thanks in advance

-Lemon Jello
 

My son has bad episodes of eczema too! His started shortly after he was born, and he recently celebrated his 9th b-day. This is a very frustrating thing to deal with.  We've done steroid creams that work, but to me  seem to have scary possible side effects. We had him tested for allergies and found a few so I try to keep his exposure to them a minimum which is hard because it's things you find all around like pollens, and molds that occur naturally outside. The things that seems to have worked the best for us are natural glycerin soap for his skin (no scent,fillers, etc.) Natural laundry soaps, and fabric softners. I use Seventh Generation fabric softner, and Biokleen detergeant. Basically I found simpler is better. He also takes Zyrtec at night when his allergies are really bad, and Singulair every night before bed. (He was diagnosed with asthma last year.) These things seemed to have helped us greatly. Summer is usually when he has it the worst, and so far not one flare up so far this summer! (Starts looking for some wood to knock on.) You've probably done most of these, but this is what's worked for us.

I have had eczema my whole life and it is worse for me in the winter.  I think that is because I wear more clothes and shoes and socks.  The only place I have had it this year (2007) is on the bottom of my feet, with crazy, maddening, itching.  So much so that I would take a hairbrush to it at times and just practically make it bleed by raking it so much! 
OK...here is where it may get weird.  Since we began our lifestyle change, and cut out refined sugar and chocolate, etc. I have not had a single flare-up!  Don't know if there are any facts to justify this out there or not, but there it is! 

Eczema and atopic dermatitis seem to have deep correlation (if not some kind of relationship) with allergies and asthma. Mindysmith, it's actually not weird that you stop eating certain food and eczema gets a lot better, so congrats on finding your no-no food! I have yet to find it, if I have any.

And yes, I take Zyrtec and it certainly helps. Beavis, it must be so hard for you! My mom has told me many many times that her heart would break everytime I would scratch myself until it bleeds and still scratch some more. It certainly didn't help with hypertrophic scars.. =\ And using steroid cream is not great for long run since it thins your skin and makes it more brittle and vulnerable.

My big question is any remedy or tips for itching while exercising due to sweat. I would like to lead healthy life with exercise but if it comes with cost of my skin, I'd rather just be healthy by diet without exercise.

-Lemon Jello

My husband and I both have eczama. I also have rosacea, which is aggravated by exercise, sweat, excess heat. My husbands eczama is aggravated by wheat. We use lots of lotion, very mild soap, detergents, no fragrances. I exercise anyway and just try not to scratch too much.

My son's eczema gets really bad when he is out playing all day in the summer. My solution (he hates it) is to rub him down totally in aquaphor. It is greasier than the normal creams he has to put on so it seems to protect him better. 

I am totally with you on this! I have had eczema since I was in high school and I always feel like such a wuss when my friends want to eat outside at restaurants or just "go outside" in general. I live in Texas, so the summers are often unbearably hot and you end up sweating like a pig from simply stepping outside to get the paper. With all this eczema I've just built up an aversion to being outside at all (which totally sucks) and I often forget why when people ask. Then, when/if I do go outside and get hot and sweaty or really cold and dry... I remember why.

I have noticed, too, that when I exercise the eczema gets worse. I have recently bought a trainer for my bike so I can ride it indoors (with air conditioning) and that helps a little. I have a tube of eczema cream that helps, but I'm not supposed to use it on my face (which is one of my problem areas). I haven't found my no-no food yet.

I used to take Zyrtec and that helped a lot, but it makes me insanely drowsy to the point where I can't get out of bed or drive a car. I'm very sensitive to allergy medications. They even put me on an over-the-counter childrens medication and THAT made me sleepy.

So I don't know what to do either. I know I'd rather be awake, healthy and thin with eczema than fat and sad (with a little bit less eczema). So that's what gets me through it these days.

I feel for ya.

Yeah, I've had eczema for about 2 years now, and it's spread to almost every square inch of my body except my armpits, genitals, palms of hands, and feet.  Everywhere else, I have it, and I know EXACTLY what Lemon Jello means by getting super itchy when you sweat.  Mostly I get the itches on my knees, torso, neck, and the inside of my elbow.

I know it might seem obvious, but you've GOT to keep your nails short.  And I have a "technique" for "itching" eczema without actually scratching.  It doesn't look normal, but it's better than scratching and bleeding.

When it's my neck that is itchy, I get the collar of my t-shirt to my chin with one hand, and then use my other hand to grab my neck and kind of twist like I'm trying to open a big jar.  The (cotton) t-shirt will "itch" with out damage (mostly, but you can't do it TOO much).

Similar with the inside of my elbows.  I put the sleeve on my shirt on the inside of my elbow (extended) and grab it with the opposite hand, then kind of put my hand (of the extended arm) to my shoulder (to where the hand grabbing the elbow is "trapped") and then twist.  It feels better than scratching and doesn't do as much damage.

With my torso, I just grab a bit of my shirt and rub my thumb against the itchy part, and it feels great.

I have no remedy for my knees, those get damaged when I itch those...

But yeah, that's what I do, I hope it helps..

Hey,

I have eczema, and I sometimes itch outside, although I tend to get patches that love to  hang around winter or summer. Moisturizing after showering helps no matter what time of year.

Also, have you looked into grass allergies? I'm pretty sure that I have one, although I've never been checked out. I used to play lots of sports and esp in with the cut grass I would always itch. I only put two and two together recently. But the itching tended to get better after I left the field/showered.

I also have allergies to soaps/lotions/laundry detergents. I break out in little itchy red spots!! Last time it was from regular Dove.. Dove unscented works great for me though! Make sure all detergents are no colors/dyes/scents. Arm & Hammer is my current favorite. I also had a problem with Lubriderm's honey and oat.. something like that (can't remember the exact name) which claims to be hypo-allergenic but obviously isn't.

I would suggest just showering after you exercise in cooler water. Also, try to rub itchy spots instead of scratching them, less damaging.

Thanks guys for your feedback. I tried twisting the skin, slapping, poking.. but it all goes to waste when I go to sleep apparently. My family members tell me that I scratch really hard (esp since my guilty conscience ain't stopping me) while I sleep. I think I should just buy some cotton mittens when I go to sleep. But it'd be too weird to wear that outside, right? *sigh* For now, I'll just stick with long sleeves and long pants for now, no matter how hot it is. That will also hide my dermatitis so that I would actually go out without being so self-conscience. I hope your eczema and atopic dermatitis get better!! Completely better!!

-Lemon Jello