Ok so I don’t have an ex-stepbrother like Cher from Clueless (although I do have a dreaded ex in there somewhere) and also while we’re on the subject, how can Alicia Silverstone still look so amazing even though her eyes are looking at her brain? I roll my eyes on the daily and it is not pretty. I guess it helps if you’re Alicia Silverstone.
Meanwhile you can totally listen to our podcastย episode where we discuss Clueless here, or on iTunes, or on the embedded player at the end of this post. Still one of my favourites, and one of the most downloaded!
Anyway, dearly beloved, I have gathered you all here today to discuss eczema. Of which I have small patches popping up now that it’s winter.
Now, last year I was like “oh look, I have eczema, I haven’t seen that in 30 years!” and I used all sorts of shit on it that people recommend and it just got worse and awful and I had an angry red patch on my inner elbow for AGES. I was like “but they said coconut oil works!” and thought I just had to wait for it to work. It never worked.
Cue me headed onto several flights to get to Portland with a fresh monkey bite on my leg (remember that? that was fun) and it was swollen, bruised and unhappy. Doctor administering the four injections directly into the wound recommended various things and while I was at the chemist collecting them, they recommended a cortisone cream to help with the flying/inflammation situation. She told me it worked for eczema too and I used it once on my arm and my angry red patch disappeared. Huzzah!
So now it’s a new winter and the eczema is peeping through the skin on my other inner elbow (and my hairline, yay) just threatening to take over the joint and start ordering me about. I keep dabbing on the cortisone to keep it at bay (in amongst all the other things I put on it “just in case” hi calendula I’m looking at you), but I’m all about the prevention.
Seeing as I haven’t had eczema since I was a kid, I’m pretty clueless in this department, and of course Dr Google gives me conflicting answers. My diet is pretty awesome, I’m working on extra hyrdration and if I could lower the stress, that would be rad… its a work in progress. Working mum life isn’t a total breeze 110% of the time, and while I’m pretty chill in general, there’s still a lot to balance. I also like magnesium baths and smelling like coconuts, but I also enjoy skin that isn’t mad at me.
So if you have experience with eczema, please let me know what worked for you? Please? I bet you know first-hand how much itching can drive you craaaaaaaaazy.
Bec says
I don’t have eczema, but I get pretty bad psoriasis which is similar. Besides the things that you’ve already mentioned (limiting processed food, extra water, lowering stress) I have found that using Moo Goo products on my skin helps to prevent flare ups. And if I do have a flare up, they have an eczema & psoriasis cream to ease it.
I also take flaxseed oil tablets every day & that seems to help.
Everyone is different, so you just have to find what works for you. Good luck. x
Stacey says
Oh yes I have a nasty psoriasis-related issue under my nails, which is a bummer and a half. I’ve always had it though, it’s impossible to get rid of. Thanks for your tips – Moo Goo is one brand that keeps coming up over and over again so I definitely need to have a look at what they have! I used to use their lip balms religiously.
I put ground flaxseed on my food every day but it sounds like you get a higher dose from a supplement. I do have a whole large bottle of it AND FORGET TO TAKE IT ALL THE TIME. I’ve just now got up and taken it out of the cupboard to put it somewhere more noticeable, so thanks for the reminder!
Maxabella says
Snap! Moo Goo all the way for me too, Stace.
Stacey says
Sold! to the lady in the pink hat ๐
LouisaG says
I have had a flare up too! Started with a rocking eczema mo, awesome. Cleared that up with a potion of jojoba oil, geranium, lavender, frankincense and tea tree essential oils. Then it flared up on my chin, and now runs from the corner of each eye to each temple. I’m a mess! It’s sore and itchy, and fucking ugly. So eczema often relates to gut health. I’ve realised for at least a year my dairy intake was excessive. I am sipping my first coconut milk cappuccino. *sniffs* I did so love my full cream Fleurieu Milk with cream on top coffees! #stompsfeet
Stacey says
Ah shit, that sounds awful! You poor thing. I bet your mo smelled nice though after all those oils?!! A small bonus haha.
I’ve been working extra hard on my gut health all year, but I think my cheese weakness isn’t helping anyone but my tastebuds haha. Drinking homebrewed kombucha as we speak, so will keep up the routine and see if I can continue to nip it in the bud. I look at it and i’m like “NO! YOU MAY NOT STAY!”
Louisa Gormley says
Gut health is so important, and yes my thing for cheese is not good. I’m such a greedy guts. No more cheese for a while. Good news is kombucha is AMAZING – I load mine with ginger. Recently had an amazing ginger and carrot brew….. All kinds of awesome. Good luck Stacey.
Stacey says
yes ginger is my favourite too! Every time I make a different flavour I always wish it was ginger haha. Carrot is a good idea I’ll try that! Good luck to you too my love <3
Madeleine says
My 2 year old had eczema for a while and the only thing that worked was oat extract – I bought a bottle from Escentials of Australia when I went through a phase of making my own skincare. I’ve used it on myself whenever my skin turned red or itchy, and it’s one of the only things I’ve found that have an instant soothing effect. Some people swear by the MooGoo brand’s eczema products, but they didn’t work for us. I also recently got some horrible red, dry, scaly patches around my nose and under one eye (this has happened before and is usually caused by a reaction to skincare or haircare products (I think it was my shampoo this time) and what’s working on that is the Antipodes Manuka Face Mask. It’s the only thing that seems to soak in and make a difference.
Stacey says
Oh yes oats I forgot about those! I hear they’re good to put in the bath for itching situations. I had an itchy, scaly, dry patch near my mouth once and I found out it was a pretty rare reaction to the pill I was taking. the doctor wouldn’t believe me and told me it was just eczema, haha. I swapped pills and doctors.
Madeleine says
Oat baths didn’t actually work on my toddler, only the oil – I figured it was more potent or something.
Also, do you mind if I ask what pills you were taking? I started taking medication recently (Sertraline/Zoloft for postnatal depression) and I thought it might be making my skin worse but haven’t seen that listed as a side effect anywhere.
Stacey says
I’ve had a few oat baths in my time and I just figured they weren’t that great because I wasn’t totally itchy. I think you’re onto a winner with the oil!
I was taking a birth control pill, I can’t remember which one it was now. I had a brain fart after kids and told the doctor to give me a script for this one I hadn’t been on for years – Trifeme I think. It didn’t mesh well with me :-/
maddypenny says
I hear you on the brain fart. I feel like my head opened up and my brain gently floated away after my first child was born and hasn’t returned yet ;p
Stacey says
Words just entirely escape me, which is terrible when I’m recording the podcast. I’m like “THE GUY WITH THE THING!”. I thought it was baby brain and sleep deprivation but no…. just it’s never coming back now
Brielle says
Prescription cortisone to get it under control. Moisturise to help prevent it, but mine seems to flare when my skin is dry rather then food as far as I can tell. I use QV bath oil in the shower and KenKay dermalogical moisturiser.
Stacey says
Cool thank you! I’m thinking it’s my dry skin coupled with indoor heating. I have to remember to moisturise EVERY DAY. I’m so lazy.
Reannon @shewhorambles says
My lady babe gets it in winter – only on her thighs & upper arms. I swear by the moo goo stuff too
https://moogoo.com.au/eczema-and-psoriasis-cream.html
And when my boys were smaller I’d fill a sock or stocking foot with rolled oats & hang it from the tap as I filled their bath, then used it as a soap for them. I think I’ve read that the Go-To Exceptionoil is good for skin issues too. I use all their face stuff & it’s really gentle so maybe it’s worth having a look at that!
Good luck!
Stacey says
YOU LEGEND THANK YOU!
Michelle Weaver (@pinkypoinker) says
I get it sometimes around my eyebrows and beside my nose. I used to get it really badly but I started taking fish oil tablets years ago and I hardly ever get it now… only if I forget to moisturise two days in a row or something. The cortisone cream works like magic doesn’t it. (I don’t take the fish oil anymore but I do eat oily fish every day without fail.)
Stacey says
OK so those in the know are saying omega 3s…. now if I could just remember to take my supplements! Love that cortisone cream, it seems to be the only thing that works.
Kit@Life through the haze says
I get it at the moment I am certain mine is stress related! Not sure what I had to be stressed about as a kid I think then I just drank far too much milk and snuck chocolate whenever I could because I wasn’t allowed it. For me I will try the calendula or paw paw for 3 days if they haven’t work in the first three days I don’t bother trying with them anymore and simply whack on the cortisone cream. I hate using steroids for eczema but I figure that I don’t deny my kids the steroids that they need when they have asthma. Given that Asthma and Eczema are from the same family of inflammatory conditions why should I not put cortisone on my own inflammation.
Hugs this time of year is truly the worst for eczema xoxo
Stacey says
Thanks gorgeous! It really is terrible weather for it and it’s been crazy having to deal with it again after all these decades. I barely remember having it as a kid but I know I did. At least I don’t have to use the cortisone much but I agree – you shouldn’t deny yourself what’s going to work x
Lauren says
Aromababy Barrier Balm, it was recommended by the exzema foundation back when my son was a baby and it worked so well. My mum uses it on her exzema patches and my sister uses it for her dermatitis. We all love it. x
Stacey says
Oh fantastic thank you – I’ve not heard of them so I’ll check it out!
Zena says
I use to have bad eczema! I had to do everything from no fragrant wash powder for the clothes and bed sheets to QV wash in the shower to low sugar, alcohol, healthfood shop bread and probiotics. It worked and I have never had it back except on my hands when I became a mum. When my son got it I used Moo Goo products and did the A-Z children’s online class at Red Tent. Solved the problem. I think for big peeps winter and stress can add to it too. With eczema there’s an imbalance so it’s both an external and internal thing you have to fix. I could go on and on but there’s a Clueless podcast waiting for me.
Stacey says
I did that class too! Hope you enjoy the podcast, it brings me MUCH JOY
Chelsey says
Yes! I hadn’t had eczema since I was a kid then BAM! last year it shows up all over my eyes and forehead. Ditching the dairy did wonders for mine and managing stress and diet seemed to be a big part of it too. I’ve simplified my skincare products and try to use as natural as possible (loving Skin Soothe from Pure Botanicals and various oils that I alternate so my skin doesn’t take it for granted), saving the steroid ointment for when it becomes unmanageable.
Stacey says
Right, off to check out Pure Botanicals, thank you! I’m the oil queen so have got that bit down pat.
theplumbette says
Eczema is the pits. I used to get it when I’d change my shower gel. But I’d still need to put cortisone cream on it to get rid of it. I hope you can find something that works. xx
Stacey says
Thanks mate! So far the cortisone seems to be the best way x
Anna F says
My 5 year old has always had eczema, I was assured she’d grow out of it but it’s actually getting worse. I kinda feel like I could have a degree in Eczema management if that was actually a job ๐ I use a few different things for her as they seem to work on some parts of the body and not others. For eczema in her hair/hairline I use the Moo Goo shampoo and conditioner and it’s a miracle worker! For her body we’ve just changed from the QV range (which has worked for the last 4 years but then stopped working 6 month ago for some reason) to a combo Dermeze and Cetaphil. When the eczema is really red and angry I use the cortisone cream (I don’t like having to use it all the time but unfortunately nothing else works when it’s very inflamed) for 3 days and then use the Dermeze ointment ‘intensive moisturiser’ for a few days. When the eczema is dry but not red/inflamed I use the Cetaphil moisturising lotion each day to try and prevent or at least delay the next flare up. Dryness (especially from heaters, winds or using soap or fragranced bodywash) and sweat are my daughter’s main triggers but I’m also sure anxiety plays a bit of a part. When she was a baby I also put a barrier cream over the cortisone cream or intensive moisturiser which maximises the effect, although I don’t use it now as it’s impossible to keep on a crazy, hyper 5 year old ๐ I also found a bit of an improvement when I was sneaking bone broth into our dinners (I’d actually forgotten about that till now, thanks for reminding me hehe!). Good luck finding something that works, it’s so trial and error which is a pain but once you find something you’ll quickly get the hang of what works.
Stacey says
THIS IS AMAZING! Truly, thank you so much. I use Cetaphil in the shower and cocoa butter as a moisturiser, in addition to the healthy gut stuff/drinking lots of water. I seem to only get it in Melbourne winter – definitely going to try the barrier cream. THANK YOU AGAIN!
Emily Toxward says
My daughter gets it in winter, there’s a great product called Moo Goo, or even that PH neutral stuff helps QV oil, but you probably know that already! x
Stacey says
I’ve never used it! I’ve been using Cetaphil but I love the sound of an oil better. Thank you!
Missy D says
Same as Bec above, I don’t have eczema but do have psoriasis on my scalp. The only thing I’ve found that controls it pretty well is Nizoral 2% shampoo (from the pharmacy) and Elocon lotion (prescription only).