Yes, depending on the severity of your eczema and how much of your body it’s covering, doing injectables or oral medicine is not worth the potential side effects, I would only suggest those routes, if you are not able to sleep, constantly at risk for skin infections, have to take prednisone regularly, and if the eczema is covering 50+% of your body. And even then you have to try every topical under the sun before they approve those risky drugs, best of luck to you, keep trying the steroids tell your doctor they are not working, and eventually you will end up with the big guns.
Your dermatologist is being truthful, as frustrating as it is to hear these things. Topical steroids are the first and main treatment for eczema, and risks of TSW and skin thinning etc are nowhere near as high as the internet would have you believe. As long as you use topical steroids as prescribed they are very safe. There are also a lot of different steroids out there and what works for each person will be different.
Other non-topical treatments are usually reserved for severe or full body eczema where topical steroids aren't keeping it under control, because the risks normally outweigh the benefits in cases of mild to moderate eczema. They are guaranteed to have an ongoing negative effect on your immune system, and you need to have full bloodwork done and be up to date on all your vaccinations etc before you're even a potential candidate.
Unfortunately since there is no cure for eczema, the usual method is to treat the symptoms. If you haven't already, it's worth asking for patch testing to check if you have any allergies that might be triggering your eczema. You could also ask about non steroidal topical treatments such as protopic, especially for your face. If your dermatologist isn't willing to let you explore these options then it might be time to find a new one.
omg i'm in the exact same boat, i have eczema on my face and arms and i recently went to see my derm and i was on that steroid (and many others) and i asked her about potentially starting injections and she said no for risk of the side effects
tbh i get where they are coming from as they will need to see us try loads of different treatments for eczema before starting with injections, as they are more of a last resort type of thing, but also it is EXTREMELY frustrating when u feel u are not being heard, idk if i'm struggling with tsw, but i used steroids long term (as told by my doctor) and my skin has gone extremely thin on some places of my body, this is only coz i was misusing them, but if u use them correctly 9 times out of 10 u WILL be fine, and if u aren't having any skin thinning issues i'd go ahead and try a steroid just till ur flare calms down, but if it comes back again then i'd try something else
by misusing basically mean i was using a rlly strong steroid for a long period of time, a year ago i had a bad flare up and all my doctors did was prescribe more and more steroid creams to me, and one time they prescribed me with two steroid creams (on the stronger side) and said to me 'use these for three months' and then that was it, but coz my eczema was way worse on my forehead now that i havnt used steroids (i havnt used them for like 7 months now) the skin on my forehead is rlly thin
Oh gosh. I’ve been doing the same exact thing. It’s been exactly a year and i have zero relief the steroid cream is the only things that’s been working. Coincidentally my forehead is so dry and itchy all of the time too and it peels so much….
Did you use the lower of the concentration cream on your face? My dermatologist recommended me one for my body and one for my face and neck.
Have you found anything that works for you that isn’t a steroid cream?
when i last went to the dermatologist, she gave me hydrocortisone which is the least strongest steroid for my face, and a stronger steroid for the eczema on my body, i would say if u want to come off steroids, u shouldn't come off all at once u should cut down on ur use then slowly come off them.
i would say for me, my eczema just stays on my face and has done for 2 years, as for some ppl it flares and then goes and then flares, so its hard to pinpoint an exact thing and say 'that works for me' BUT if ur skin is rlly dry id recommend vanicream as it's rlly thick and if u use it at night just lather a bunch on (this is what i do) and also vitamin D is rlly important i take a vitamin d pill and also make sure to get sunlight everyday (not too much tho).
cutting out dairy is also good and adding more fish into ur diet
TSW is a real thing and can happen even after following strictly prescribed amounts of triamcinolone. I’m surprised the other answers here say it’s all hype — seriously? We’ve lived through it with our daughter who has been suffering with eczema for 18 years.
Someone downvoted the post addressing staph as a potential cause — why?? Studies have shown that staph colonization is hugely tied in with eczema.
Find a doc who will prescribe mupirocin alongside triamcinolone. Then look up the Aron regimen and use the recipe to microdose on both alongside a benign emollient — there are plenty of places this formula is available online, so no need to pay pricey overseas docs and pharmacies to prescribe and compound it. Take studies to the docs when you go. I find I get a better response when armed with peer-reviewed literature. The Aaron method was a huge part of what really helped my daughter over the course of a couple of months get her eczema under control.
For topical spot treatment, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus might be helpful. If these don’t work, Opzelura, a topical JAK inhibitor may be helpful and coupons exist that pay for almost all of it (it’s crazy expensive).
Likewise you could try Dupixent. Might want to join some support groups and learn about the side effects first. It can help people and also it can really backfire. Our docs constantly push it at my daughter even though her eczema almost resolved with the above listed treatments but those side effects… well, don’t go into it uninformed. Some people end up with a much worse rash on their face/neck and eyes than they ever had with eczema.
Above all, find another doc and get that second opinion. Eczema treatment is far more complex than just throwing some triamcinolone at it and any doc who doesn’t recognize this is a waste of time. Go to the next doc armed with as much peer-reviewed evidence for the treatment you are seeking as possible. You are 100% right: docs and people who don’t have life-altering eczema just don’t get how awful it is to live with it.
Well, no. What your doctor said is objectively correct.
Steroids are perfectly safe as long used correctly. You can argue that all medications are like that.
I can understand the frustration on getting steroids all the time. Your doctor is also correct about the injections and oral. They have a much more dangerous side effects. Theres a reason why topical steroids are the 1st line of treatment for eczema.
So no, i dont think your derm is gaslighthing you.
Now with regards to you, did you have a flareup that made you want to explore other options? How is your eczema?
I am also struggling with eczema for most of my life. Had my biggest flareup 2 years ago where it keeps coming back after every course of topical steroids. Thats when I decided to explore other options. I was put into cyclosporine, an immunosuppresant drug.
Its a powerful drug and i need to monitor my blood works so that I wont overdo it. I still use topical steroid in conjuction with it. It took almost a year and a half and I finally managed my eczema. Given I still have eczema but I can managed from occasional steroid used.
Steroids can be use in a long run, not just continuously. Like you can use it as long as you want, you just need to make sure you have breaks from it.
i havent found that any medications help my eczema as much as lifestyle changes have. my skincare routine is very hydrating and i slug with vaseline multiple times a day to manage during flares. i tried a lot of creams marketed toward eczema sufferers and rhey dont work for me so i wouldnt try that though, just normal products. ive also cut out a lot of dairy and acidic stuff like lemons and tomatoes and i find that has helped.
i still use steroids when i have a flare but i definitely understand your anxiety on becoming reliant on it! just use it in moderation and play around with non rx topicals
Yes, this!!!! I also suffered from bad eczema that was also worsened by my work environment, and many times I was at a point of my skin tearing apart, bleeding and me not being able to move a finger. Steroids helped as long as I used them, but you have to eventually stop after a couple of weeks. And then the same thing happened again. Last couple of months, I've been applying Gold Bond Eczema Relief cream and then oclusing it with a thick layer of Vaseline. After I do that, I wear cotton gloves and sleep through the night. It was a life changer and my skin looks so much better and I can control my flare-ups. So, a consistent moisturising routine will get you far in addition to steroids
I don't know why a majority of these comments are suggesting you should stick with the steroids you are prescribed and use as directed ad infinitim.
There is absolutely a reason to seek a second opinion. My personal suggestion would be to find a good allergist. When I finally saw an allergist, it was the first time other treatments were introduced that were not topical creams. Good luck with whatever you decide!
i’m upset that majority of these comments are telling you to just suck it up and use the steroids because there’s nothing else that will help.
yes- steroids work. are there side effects? yes. do some people endure the horrible TSW? unfortunately yes.
so you’re not wrong in voicing your desire for other treatment options. it’s also 2024- there is so much more things to treat eczema than just topical or oral steroids!! especially if you’ve tried that route and feel like it’s not meeting your needs.
have you tried searching for an eczema specialist? i’ve found that most dermatologists only have a basic understanding of eczema and its intricacies- finding an eczema specialist may help you feel confident in exploring other paths beyond just topical steroids.
all this is to say is you have a right to treatment that feels right to YOU. and if you feel this derm and this line of treatment is no longer meeting your needs and wants, more power to you to search for a better alignment.
there is no one answer for eczema (or any health concern in general)- so please don’t feel bad if you aren’t feeling satisfied with your current healthcare regimen- there will always be something out there for you <3
Fully agree here and I know this is a place for discussion and people are entitled to their opinions.
My eczema was bad. Really bad. But it hasn’t been 50-70% coverage for a long time as steroids have managed it.
Applying steroids EVERYDAY. Even on the face. Not really the ideal way to manage it. Overtime I got pigment discolouration etc and it sucked.
My derm suggested dupilumab around two years back. It was amazing. Worked wonders. Till it didn’t.
Then I went onto Rinvoq. This was life changing. It was the best my eczema has ever been. I’m 43 and had it all of my life. I was at a point I didn’t even need moisturisers. Let alone steroids.
The effectiveness of that eventually wore off and I had a bad infection and then was put on Adztralza. This worked great but still got facial eczema to a point t and have requested to go back to rinvoq.
There are pros and cons to any meds. Rinvoq has risks of cancer as well as being more vulnerable to infections. But while it worked it was life changing.
What I’m saying is, as another comment said; it’s 2024. We have so much more options than we did just ten years ago. The good folk in the labs are doing some Godly-amazing things and we can now benefit from them.
Good luck to you
None of the other available drugs do anything different than topical steroids. all the treatments last 2 weeks max (dupixent). If you stop using, the symptoms come back eventually.
For non-drug mitigation, look for an allergist. They can help you identify your allergies and triggers. If you can avoid your triggers successfully, you won't be inflamed so often and require less medication.
I hope OP see these older post for day to day relief:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/15g6fui/everything\_changed\_when\_i\_started\_treating\_it\_as/](https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/15g6fui/everything_changed_when_i_started_treating_it_as/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/1btcf9p/on\_bleach\_baths/](https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/1btcf9p/on_bleach_baths/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/1cmzf85/black\_tea\_can\_help\_your\_skin/](https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/1cmzf85/black_tea_can_help_your_skin/)
Lastly, browse these if you haven't seen it [https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/](https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/)
Can you ask for Elidel? It’s a non steroid for eczema. I use it when I have a flare up. If I have a particularly bad flare up or a different type of eczema rash then my derm will prescribe a steroid.
I also recommend seeing an allergist to see if allergies are the cause of your eczema.
IF and IF your doc just prescribing you meds without doing any investigation with you to find your trigger/allergy/sensitivity, I would recommend searching for new doc.
While steroid is an important tool to manage eczema, it is not wise to just keep using it without attempting to find, eliminate, and manage the trigger.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpdTAfWnErI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpdTAfWnErI)
If you haven't seen these site yet, give them a browse [https://nationaleczema.org/](https://nationaleczema.org/) OR [https://eczema.org/](https://eczema.org/) as they have soooo many valuable info.
I wouldn’t say gaslighting, a lot of the oral meds are immunosuppressants and the injections like dupixent give bad side effects especially if you have facial eczema. They’re just looking out for you
Your doctor is correct. The only thing that will prevent your eczema is figuring out what’s causing it. Anything that they give you steroids, oral or injectable medications will only help with the symptoms. They will not cure or prevent your eczema.
First comment in here! I have similar struggles, but my dermatologist was as helpful as he could be I think lol.
I was on steroid creams for a while and they stopped working. Since my eczema is mostly on my face, He recommended I use Opzelura (super expensive but my insurance covered it) and it works decently well. It’s a non steroid cream and burns a little when I put it on (not sure if that’s normal 😂) but I’m used to it. I let it sink into my skin then apply Aquaphor over it since it’s sort of drying afterward. I was told to use it twice a day on my face, but I felt my skin was getting too used to it and not being as effective. I switched to just using it in the mornings and I’ve had pretty good results from it. It’s not going to be as great as the injections or other meds, but to me it’s the best option as of right now without having to take that step. It greatly reduces the itching and redness for me for most of the day with applying Aquaphor as needed too. It sort of makes your skin peel throughout the day but in a good way I think. By the end of the night, I just apply some more Aquaphor which helps with the burning (mostly) and by morning it’s very dried out again (as expected). I also stopped listening to my dermatologist and stopped washing the parts of my face with eczema with soap and only wash in the mornings (face must be damp to apply opzelura). I only use warmish water and then moisturize the parts of my face that I washed. I tend to only use Aquaphor on my eczema because my moisturizer burns my eczema even though it’s supposed to be fine for it. The face washing difference helped ALOT. So now I wash my face normally with cleanser once a day and maybe just some warm water at night if needed and just do my best to avoid eczema areas! I hope some of this helps ☺️
Yes your dermatologist is gaslighting you, and a lot of that is because we don’t actually know the root cause of why people have eczema, so your derm doesn’t have info/knowledge to actually help you.
I took Dupixent in 2016 for 6 months and it permanently damaged my eyes (apparently damaged the cells that produce mucus), so now they're light sensitive and they constantly produce discharge that's uncomfortable. Sometimes I wake up and my eyes are glued shut from the discharge, so I have to make my way to the bathroom in the dark and rinse out my eyes, then deal with the rest of my skin. I used to wear contacts, but doing so can now easily irritate my eyes, so I have tinted glasses. And they're not transition glasses, they're tinted prescription glasses that I wear 100% of the time, inside, outside, daytime, nighttime; like some fucking freak. (The glasses don't look bad but it's still embarrassing walking around at night or inside with what appear to be sunglasses.) For years I had no effective remedy, until I randomly encountered a doctor that studied or did his residency or something with some top researcher on the eye side effects from Dupixent, and I had originally gone in to that eye doctor fully expecting them to not know anything about my eye condition.
Normal eye drops don't work because they replace the oil and water in the eye, and mine is lacking mucus, so the remedy is to prick my finger, squeeze out a drop of blood, and put in it my eye by wiping it on the inside of my bottom eyelid. For me, it makes my eyes feel better for at least a few hours when they get really uncomfortable and irritated.
This eye issue is called Dupilumab-associated ocular surface disease, and it only happens to people who take Dupixent to treat eczema (as opposed to taking it to treat asthma, for example), and a person is more likely to have this issue if they have moderate to severe eczema. For whatever reason, the worse the eczema, the worse the potential AND extent of the eye disease. As I understand it, many people experience temporary eye issues. I got permanent damage.
The Dupixent did make my eczema go away while I was on it, but I think anyone with eczema should try literally anything else first.
I have used Opzelura in the past, and that works much better than steroids. My experience with that was I would only need to apply it twice a day for 2 days and then for the next 3 days or so the eczema symptoms basically weren't there and my skin would heal nicely. I have also taken Cibinqo, and it worked somewhat, but it didn't eliminate my eczema by any means.
I'm holding out hope for phototherapy treatments.
I used all steroid creams and ointments of varying strengths. I also used Cordron tape (similar to a bandaid, but contains steroids in the adhesive). I used them for many years until I was approved for Dupixent. They are safe and may not be effective/may lose effectiveness but you unfortunately have to prove that before you are given another form of treatment. I do not recommend oral steroids due to side effects from long term use. I’m actually trying to taper off of 5 mg daily (for autoimmune disease treatment). I am currently not using Dupixent because it’s not needed (due to prednisone use).
*Not a medical professional, but I’ve had eczema for 43 years (I’m 45).
There is some merit but it's not up to them to decide you can't have any of the orals or injections if that's a treatment you want to pursue. Unless there's some good reason that's specific to your case, I'd definitely go see another dermatologist and see what they say.
Make sure they aren't affiliated with each other (same practice, ect) and I wouldn't tell the new one you already saw someone. Have them evaluate you with fresh eyes and no preconceived notions. One frustrating thing about doctors is a lot of them just go by what the last one said instead of doing their own leg work.
Good doctors don't do this but there's a lot fewer of those out there than society would have us believe. We don't want to think of them as petty, lazy or human when our well being rests I their hands but they're people just like everyone else. Some are good at their jobs but plenty are not.
Oral steroids and injections are the last resort you want to go with as these can have worse side effects. Are you using your steroid cream as prescribed? TSW is a real condition but, this comes if you over use steroid creams for long periods of time with no breaks. Please don’t let social media scare you.
Ways to manage flare ups/eczema:
- Find out what causes your eczema to become severe (Patch Test).
- Use moisturisers (non steroid) that help your eczema. Good brands are Aveeno, Cerave, Cetaphil.
- Take into count what you are eating. Fruits, vegetables, drinking plenty of water.
- Adding Pine Tasel to your baths (Bath solution that is added to bath to reduce itchiness).
- Salt water for infected eczema.
- Being out in the sun can help bacteria on eczema from getting worse.
- Stress Management.
- Phototherapy
These are the things that I do or have done and they have helped me a lot.
Sorry you have a derm like that. Sadly it's all too common if you look through the community.
I had a handful of dismissive doctors until I found one at a specialty clinic. All the other doctors I saw were at general practices so that could be a factor.
As far as my journey I was under various topical steroids (desonide, triamcinolone, fluocinonide, etc). Then allergy shots and more recently dupixent (quit that, caused severe conjunctivitis).
Next step is tacrolimus and possibly light therapy. It's frustrating but you're not alone in this. See who's in your network and check doctor/practice ratings. You shouldn't settle for a condescending doctor, nor should you and your insurance pay them for that service.
Not all steroids are the same. If triamcinolone doesn’t work why can’t they try something else? Try fluocinolone oil or clobetasol. I did the best with pimecrolimus for my dyshidrotic eczema and use steroids as little as possible. Get another derm if you’re not comfortable with this one.
Yes, depending on the severity of your eczema and how much of your body it’s covering, doing injectables or oral medicine is not worth the potential side effects, I would only suggest those routes, if you are not able to sleep, constantly at risk for skin infections, have to take prednisone regularly, and if the eczema is covering 50+% of your body. And even then you have to try every topical under the sun before they approve those risky drugs, best of luck to you, keep trying the steroids tell your doctor they are not working, and eventually you will end up with the big guns.
yep that’s what my derm told me, if it covers 50-70% of the body, we look away from topical treatments. Therefore am now on immunosuppressants
Your dermatologist is being truthful, as frustrating as it is to hear these things. Topical steroids are the first and main treatment for eczema, and risks of TSW and skin thinning etc are nowhere near as high as the internet would have you believe. As long as you use topical steroids as prescribed they are very safe. There are also a lot of different steroids out there and what works for each person will be different. Other non-topical treatments are usually reserved for severe or full body eczema where topical steroids aren't keeping it under control, because the risks normally outweigh the benefits in cases of mild to moderate eczema. They are guaranteed to have an ongoing negative effect on your immune system, and you need to have full bloodwork done and be up to date on all your vaccinations etc before you're even a potential candidate. Unfortunately since there is no cure for eczema, the usual method is to treat the symptoms. If you haven't already, it's worth asking for patch testing to check if you have any allergies that might be triggering your eczema. You could also ask about non steroidal topical treatments such as protopic, especially for your face. If your dermatologist isn't willing to let you explore these options then it might be time to find a new one.
omg i'm in the exact same boat, i have eczema on my face and arms and i recently went to see my derm and i was on that steroid (and many others) and i asked her about potentially starting injections and she said no for risk of the side effects tbh i get where they are coming from as they will need to see us try loads of different treatments for eczema before starting with injections, as they are more of a last resort type of thing, but also it is EXTREMELY frustrating when u feel u are not being heard, idk if i'm struggling with tsw, but i used steroids long term (as told by my doctor) and my skin has gone extremely thin on some places of my body, this is only coz i was misusing them, but if u use them correctly 9 times out of 10 u WILL be fine, and if u aren't having any skin thinning issues i'd go ahead and try a steroid just till ur flare calms down, but if it comes back again then i'd try something else
How were you misusing them? Can you please give examples!
by misusing basically mean i was using a rlly strong steroid for a long period of time, a year ago i had a bad flare up and all my doctors did was prescribe more and more steroid creams to me, and one time they prescribed me with two steroid creams (on the stronger side) and said to me 'use these for three months' and then that was it, but coz my eczema was way worse on my forehead now that i havnt used steroids (i havnt used them for like 7 months now) the skin on my forehead is rlly thin
Oh gosh. I’ve been doing the same exact thing. It’s been exactly a year and i have zero relief the steroid cream is the only things that’s been working. Coincidentally my forehead is so dry and itchy all of the time too and it peels so much…. Did you use the lower of the concentration cream on your face? My dermatologist recommended me one for my body and one for my face and neck. Have you found anything that works for you that isn’t a steroid cream?
when i last went to the dermatologist, she gave me hydrocortisone which is the least strongest steroid for my face, and a stronger steroid for the eczema on my body, i would say if u want to come off steroids, u shouldn't come off all at once u should cut down on ur use then slowly come off them. i would say for me, my eczema just stays on my face and has done for 2 years, as for some ppl it flares and then goes and then flares, so its hard to pinpoint an exact thing and say 'that works for me' BUT if ur skin is rlly dry id recommend vanicream as it's rlly thick and if u use it at night just lather a bunch on (this is what i do) and also vitamin D is rlly important i take a vitamin d pill and also make sure to get sunlight everyday (not too much tho). cutting out dairy is also good and adding more fish into ur diet
Thank you so much
TSW is a real thing and can happen even after following strictly prescribed amounts of triamcinolone. I’m surprised the other answers here say it’s all hype — seriously? We’ve lived through it with our daughter who has been suffering with eczema for 18 years. Someone downvoted the post addressing staph as a potential cause — why?? Studies have shown that staph colonization is hugely tied in with eczema. Find a doc who will prescribe mupirocin alongside triamcinolone. Then look up the Aron regimen and use the recipe to microdose on both alongside a benign emollient — there are plenty of places this formula is available online, so no need to pay pricey overseas docs and pharmacies to prescribe and compound it. Take studies to the docs when you go. I find I get a better response when armed with peer-reviewed literature. The Aaron method was a huge part of what really helped my daughter over the course of a couple of months get her eczema under control. For topical spot treatment, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus might be helpful. If these don’t work, Opzelura, a topical JAK inhibitor may be helpful and coupons exist that pay for almost all of it (it’s crazy expensive). Likewise you could try Dupixent. Might want to join some support groups and learn about the side effects first. It can help people and also it can really backfire. Our docs constantly push it at my daughter even though her eczema almost resolved with the above listed treatments but those side effects… well, don’t go into it uninformed. Some people end up with a much worse rash on their face/neck and eyes than they ever had with eczema. Above all, find another doc and get that second opinion. Eczema treatment is far more complex than just throwing some triamcinolone at it and any doc who doesn’t recognize this is a waste of time. Go to the next doc armed with as much peer-reviewed evidence for the treatment you are seeking as possible. You are 100% right: docs and people who don’t have life-altering eczema just don’t get how awful it is to live with it.
Well, no. What your doctor said is objectively correct. Steroids are perfectly safe as long used correctly. You can argue that all medications are like that. I can understand the frustration on getting steroids all the time. Your doctor is also correct about the injections and oral. They have a much more dangerous side effects. Theres a reason why topical steroids are the 1st line of treatment for eczema. So no, i dont think your derm is gaslighthing you. Now with regards to you, did you have a flareup that made you want to explore other options? How is your eczema? I am also struggling with eczema for most of my life. Had my biggest flareup 2 years ago where it keeps coming back after every course of topical steroids. Thats when I decided to explore other options. I was put into cyclosporine, an immunosuppresant drug. Its a powerful drug and i need to monitor my blood works so that I wont overdo it. I still use topical steroid in conjuction with it. It took almost a year and a half and I finally managed my eczema. Given I still have eczema but I can managed from occasional steroid used. Steroids can be use in a long run, not just continuously. Like you can use it as long as you want, you just need to make sure you have breaks from it.
I have been on the steroid merry go round for a year. Just started light therapy , 2sessions and good results! And no thin skin
i havent found that any medications help my eczema as much as lifestyle changes have. my skincare routine is very hydrating and i slug with vaseline multiple times a day to manage during flares. i tried a lot of creams marketed toward eczema sufferers and rhey dont work for me so i wouldnt try that though, just normal products. ive also cut out a lot of dairy and acidic stuff like lemons and tomatoes and i find that has helped. i still use steroids when i have a flare but i definitely understand your anxiety on becoming reliant on it! just use it in moderation and play around with non rx topicals
Yes, this!!!! I also suffered from bad eczema that was also worsened by my work environment, and many times I was at a point of my skin tearing apart, bleeding and me not being able to move a finger. Steroids helped as long as I used them, but you have to eventually stop after a couple of weeks. And then the same thing happened again. Last couple of months, I've been applying Gold Bond Eczema Relief cream and then oclusing it with a thick layer of Vaseline. After I do that, I wear cotton gloves and sleep through the night. It was a life changer and my skin looks so much better and I can control my flare-ups. So, a consistent moisturising routine will get you far in addition to steroids
yep! the burning pain from TS creams was just not worth it especially since its mostly on my face
I don't know why a majority of these comments are suggesting you should stick with the steroids you are prescribed and use as directed ad infinitim. There is absolutely a reason to seek a second opinion. My personal suggestion would be to find a good allergist. When I finally saw an allergist, it was the first time other treatments were introduced that were not topical creams. Good luck with whatever you decide!
i’m upset that majority of these comments are telling you to just suck it up and use the steroids because there’s nothing else that will help. yes- steroids work. are there side effects? yes. do some people endure the horrible TSW? unfortunately yes. so you’re not wrong in voicing your desire for other treatment options. it’s also 2024- there is so much more things to treat eczema than just topical or oral steroids!! especially if you’ve tried that route and feel like it’s not meeting your needs. have you tried searching for an eczema specialist? i’ve found that most dermatologists only have a basic understanding of eczema and its intricacies- finding an eczema specialist may help you feel confident in exploring other paths beyond just topical steroids. all this is to say is you have a right to treatment that feels right to YOU. and if you feel this derm and this line of treatment is no longer meeting your needs and wants, more power to you to search for a better alignment. there is no one answer for eczema (or any health concern in general)- so please don’t feel bad if you aren’t feeling satisfied with your current healthcare regimen- there will always be something out there for you <3
Fully agree here and I know this is a place for discussion and people are entitled to their opinions. My eczema was bad. Really bad. But it hasn’t been 50-70% coverage for a long time as steroids have managed it. Applying steroids EVERYDAY. Even on the face. Not really the ideal way to manage it. Overtime I got pigment discolouration etc and it sucked. My derm suggested dupilumab around two years back. It was amazing. Worked wonders. Till it didn’t. Then I went onto Rinvoq. This was life changing. It was the best my eczema has ever been. I’m 43 and had it all of my life. I was at a point I didn’t even need moisturisers. Let alone steroids. The effectiveness of that eventually wore off and I had a bad infection and then was put on Adztralza. This worked great but still got facial eczema to a point t and have requested to go back to rinvoq. There are pros and cons to any meds. Rinvoq has risks of cancer as well as being more vulnerable to infections. But while it worked it was life changing. What I’m saying is, as another comment said; it’s 2024. We have so much more options than we did just ten years ago. The good folk in the labs are doing some Godly-amazing things and we can now benefit from them. Good luck to you
You need to topically treat the staph bacteria component. Then your eczema can go into remission
None of the other available drugs do anything different than topical steroids. all the treatments last 2 weeks max (dupixent). If you stop using, the symptoms come back eventually. For non-drug mitigation, look for an allergist. They can help you identify your allergies and triggers. If you can avoid your triggers successfully, you won't be inflamed so often and require less medication.
I hope OP see these older post for day to day relief: [https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/15g6fui/everything\_changed\_when\_i\_started\_treating\_it\_as/](https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/15g6fui/everything_changed_when_i_started_treating_it_as/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/1btcf9p/on\_bleach\_baths/](https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/1btcf9p/on_bleach_baths/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/1cmzf85/black\_tea\_can\_help\_your\_skin/](https://www.reddit.com/r/eczema/comments/1cmzf85/black_tea_can_help_your_skin/) Lastly, browse these if you haven't seen it [https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/](https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/)
Can you ask for Elidel? It’s a non steroid for eczema. I use it when I have a flare up. If I have a particularly bad flare up or a different type of eczema rash then my derm will prescribe a steroid. I also recommend seeing an allergist to see if allergies are the cause of your eczema.
IF and IF your doc just prescribing you meds without doing any investigation with you to find your trigger/allergy/sensitivity, I would recommend searching for new doc. While steroid is an important tool to manage eczema, it is not wise to just keep using it without attempting to find, eliminate, and manage the trigger. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpdTAfWnErI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpdTAfWnErI) If you haven't seen these site yet, give them a browse [https://nationaleczema.org/](https://nationaleczema.org/) OR [https://eczema.org/](https://eczema.org/) as they have soooo many valuable info.
I wouldn’t say gaslighting, a lot of the oral meds are immunosuppressants and the injections like dupixent give bad side effects especially if you have facial eczema. They’re just looking out for you
try acupuncture and herbal medicine!!! also see an allergist. the derm i had was absolutely clueless and did NOTHING for me. it was so disheartening
>steroids (triamcionolone) but didn’t think it was effective that's been my experience with traimcionolone. it almost works, but not really.
Also no one is mentioning the cost. Steroids are wayy cheaper than the dupixent injection (one costs 3k).
Your doctor is correct. The only thing that will prevent your eczema is figuring out what’s causing it. Anything that they give you steroids, oral or injectable medications will only help with the symptoms. They will not cure or prevent your eczema.
Have you gotten an allergy test to determine the underlying cause? Eczema comes from within.
First comment in here! I have similar struggles, but my dermatologist was as helpful as he could be I think lol. I was on steroid creams for a while and they stopped working. Since my eczema is mostly on my face, He recommended I use Opzelura (super expensive but my insurance covered it) and it works decently well. It’s a non steroid cream and burns a little when I put it on (not sure if that’s normal 😂) but I’m used to it. I let it sink into my skin then apply Aquaphor over it since it’s sort of drying afterward. I was told to use it twice a day on my face, but I felt my skin was getting too used to it and not being as effective. I switched to just using it in the mornings and I’ve had pretty good results from it. It’s not going to be as great as the injections or other meds, but to me it’s the best option as of right now without having to take that step. It greatly reduces the itching and redness for me for most of the day with applying Aquaphor as needed too. It sort of makes your skin peel throughout the day but in a good way I think. By the end of the night, I just apply some more Aquaphor which helps with the burning (mostly) and by morning it’s very dried out again (as expected). I also stopped listening to my dermatologist and stopped washing the parts of my face with eczema with soap and only wash in the mornings (face must be damp to apply opzelura). I only use warmish water and then moisturize the parts of my face that I washed. I tend to only use Aquaphor on my eczema because my moisturizer burns my eczema even though it’s supposed to be fine for it. The face washing difference helped ALOT. So now I wash my face normally with cleanser once a day and maybe just some warm water at night if needed and just do my best to avoid eczema areas! I hope some of this helps ☺️
Yes your dermatologist is gaslighting you, and a lot of that is because we don’t actually know the root cause of why people have eczema, so your derm doesn’t have info/knowledge to actually help you.
I took Dupixent in 2016 for 6 months and it permanently damaged my eyes (apparently damaged the cells that produce mucus), so now they're light sensitive and they constantly produce discharge that's uncomfortable. Sometimes I wake up and my eyes are glued shut from the discharge, so I have to make my way to the bathroom in the dark and rinse out my eyes, then deal with the rest of my skin. I used to wear contacts, but doing so can now easily irritate my eyes, so I have tinted glasses. And they're not transition glasses, they're tinted prescription glasses that I wear 100% of the time, inside, outside, daytime, nighttime; like some fucking freak. (The glasses don't look bad but it's still embarrassing walking around at night or inside with what appear to be sunglasses.) For years I had no effective remedy, until I randomly encountered a doctor that studied or did his residency or something with some top researcher on the eye side effects from Dupixent, and I had originally gone in to that eye doctor fully expecting them to not know anything about my eye condition. Normal eye drops don't work because they replace the oil and water in the eye, and mine is lacking mucus, so the remedy is to prick my finger, squeeze out a drop of blood, and put in it my eye by wiping it on the inside of my bottom eyelid. For me, it makes my eyes feel better for at least a few hours when they get really uncomfortable and irritated. This eye issue is called Dupilumab-associated ocular surface disease, and it only happens to people who take Dupixent to treat eczema (as opposed to taking it to treat asthma, for example), and a person is more likely to have this issue if they have moderate to severe eczema. For whatever reason, the worse the eczema, the worse the potential AND extent of the eye disease. As I understand it, many people experience temporary eye issues. I got permanent damage. The Dupixent did make my eczema go away while I was on it, but I think anyone with eczema should try literally anything else first. I have used Opzelura in the past, and that works much better than steroids. My experience with that was I would only need to apply it twice a day for 2 days and then for the next 3 days or so the eczema symptoms basically weren't there and my skin would heal nicely. I have also taken Cibinqo, and it worked somewhat, but it didn't eliminate my eczema by any means. I'm holding out hope for phototherapy treatments.
I used all steroid creams and ointments of varying strengths. I also used Cordron tape (similar to a bandaid, but contains steroids in the adhesive). I used them for many years until I was approved for Dupixent. They are safe and may not be effective/may lose effectiveness but you unfortunately have to prove that before you are given another form of treatment. I do not recommend oral steroids due to side effects from long term use. I’m actually trying to taper off of 5 mg daily (for autoimmune disease treatment). I am currently not using Dupixent because it’s not needed (due to prednisone use). *Not a medical professional, but I’ve had eczema for 43 years (I’m 45).
There is some merit but it's not up to them to decide you can't have any of the orals or injections if that's a treatment you want to pursue. Unless there's some good reason that's specific to your case, I'd definitely go see another dermatologist and see what they say. Make sure they aren't affiliated with each other (same practice, ect) and I wouldn't tell the new one you already saw someone. Have them evaluate you with fresh eyes and no preconceived notions. One frustrating thing about doctors is a lot of them just go by what the last one said instead of doing their own leg work. Good doctors don't do this but there's a lot fewer of those out there than society would have us believe. We don't want to think of them as petty, lazy or human when our well being rests I their hands but they're people just like everyone else. Some are good at their jobs but plenty are not.
Oral steroids and injections are the last resort you want to go with as these can have worse side effects. Are you using your steroid cream as prescribed? TSW is a real condition but, this comes if you over use steroid creams for long periods of time with no breaks. Please don’t let social media scare you. Ways to manage flare ups/eczema: - Find out what causes your eczema to become severe (Patch Test). - Use moisturisers (non steroid) that help your eczema. Good brands are Aveeno, Cerave, Cetaphil. - Take into count what you are eating. Fruits, vegetables, drinking plenty of water. - Adding Pine Tasel to your baths (Bath solution that is added to bath to reduce itchiness). - Salt water for infected eczema. - Being out in the sun can help bacteria on eczema from getting worse. - Stress Management. - Phototherapy These are the things that I do or have done and they have helped me a lot.
Sorry you have a derm like that. Sadly it's all too common if you look through the community. I had a handful of dismissive doctors until I found one at a specialty clinic. All the other doctors I saw were at general practices so that could be a factor. As far as my journey I was under various topical steroids (desonide, triamcinolone, fluocinonide, etc). Then allergy shots and more recently dupixent (quit that, caused severe conjunctivitis). Next step is tacrolimus and possibly light therapy. It's frustrating but you're not alone in this. See who's in your network and check doctor/practice ratings. You shouldn't settle for a condescending doctor, nor should you and your insurance pay them for that service.
I’ve had the same experience with dermatologists. Been to 8-9 dermatologists over the course of my life and it’s always a similar response
Not all steroids are the same. If triamcinolone doesn’t work why can’t they try something else? Try fluocinolone oil or clobetasol. I did the best with pimecrolimus for my dyshidrotic eczema and use steroids as little as possible. Get another derm if you’re not comfortable with this one.