First time eczema breakout, HELP!

Klurton

Hi everyone,

About a week ago, out of nowhere, I got a bad rash on my neck. Before long it had spread and now its pretty bad. I went to a pharmacist coz I'm broke and can't afford a doctor, and he said it looked to him like eczema. I was shocked because I've never had it before. He prescribed mE Hydrocortisone (1%) which has so far done nothing, so I stopped using it. The rash is itchy and red, I also have a dry patch on my skin and beside my lip at the moment.

Does this sound like eczema to you?

More than likely I will have to go to a doctor because I now cannot leave my house without a scarf. Eczema sufferers, if you think this is eczema, do you have any advice??! Will this rash clear up? I have a horrible fear it won't go away!

Any advice would be much appreciated!!!

I only have mild eczema. So if yours is bad enough that it needs medical attention, go to a dermatologist or GP, my advice is only with regards to the mild type that doesn't need medical care.

Firstly, try to figure out what the trigger is. Mine are:
- Having hot showers (easily solved by turning down the temperature of the water)
- Stress (not as easily solved, but sometimes you just have to give yourself some TLC.
- Being run-down (this needs attention towards activity, sleep and diet)
- Scratching the dry patches (obviously the prevention there is to just not scratch)

When it does flare up, I only take lukewarm showers and I use E45 cream after the shower to moisturise the area. If it's bad, I buy a tub of emulsifying ointment from the pharmacy. It's a big tub of white waxy stuff that you can use in the shower instead of soap. You have to rub it in your hands with some water to get it going and then you use it instead of soap on the affected areas. It takes a while but it works on me.

The problem in your case is that firstly, yours sounds like it's bad enough that you should probably see a doctor, and secondly, it's on an area of sensitive skin (neck/face) so I'm not sure if you could use the emusifying ointment and E45 on those areas.

My best advice is to see a doctor, and in the meantime relax about it - the stress is probably making it worse. I'd stop wearing the scarf too, as it could be irritating the area more.

Outkast_IRE

E45 cream helps mine a lot , has to be put on straight after a shower on the affected areas.

Twee.

Sorry OP, we cannot give medical advice here.