The No Cause, No Cure Paradigm for Eczema is Wrong
I’ve always been a questioner. This is why I believe eczema can be healed and reversed (and new science backs this). When I was a little kid, I asked lots of questions because I wanted to know how and why things worked. Conversations I?d frequently have with my parents would go something like this:
Me: ?Why does my tummy hurt???
Parent: ?Probably because you just swallowed your gum.?
Me: ?Why would gum make my tummy hurt??
Parent: ?When you swallow your gum it can stick to your insides.?
Me: ?Why would it stick to my insides??
Parent (frustrated): ?Oh, I don?t know, it just does!?
At this point I usually stopped the dialogue because I was clearly annoying my parents and I was frustrated that I didn?t get the answers I desired. Even as little kid I couldn?t understand why gum wouldn?t be digested like the rest of my food?? It also didn?t make sense to me that it would stick to my insides. There is always a reason why (even if not everyone know the answer).
Those same feelings of frustration and disbelief came to the surface for me when I was told I had Eczema. I was instantly transported back to my childhood when I heard the words ?there is no known cause or cure.? It was so infuriating and disheartening.
No cause. No cure. Yet, you?re still miserable, with a very real rash that makes you crazy because you want to keep scratching it incessantly and your doctor hasn?t provided you with any help at all. This is exactly how I felt.
The majority of conventional medicine still clings to the old idea that eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is purely a topical rash that makes your skin red and itchy, causes lesions, and is related to allergies.
And if you?ve ever had an eczema breakout you know that this isn?t just something to brush off, or something you should have to live with- ?it?s a problem that affects the way you look and feel too.
I?ve never accepted the no cause, no cure paradigm- there?s always a reason why something is happening. Your body just doesn?t start to malfunction- it?s way too smart for that. There are complex physiological processes that occur over time that culminate in conditions like eczema. We?ll get into the details of that later.
Those of us in the functional medicine community, as well as many researchers, are redefining what eczema actually is. In December 2014, this groundbreaking study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology confirmed what many of us suspected all along- that eczema is indeed an autoimmune condition. The study showed that by blocking 2 key proteins involved in the body?s ability to fight off bacteria and viruses, the eczema was reversed. In the process of eczema, these proteins mistakenly target the body?s own tissues, causing an autoimmune reaction which can result in the body attacking the skin. That sounds like a cause to me!
But before we get into the details of how eczema develops as as autoimmune (AI) condition, let?s review what eczema is and briefly discuss the types.
What is Eczema?
As an inquisitive and frustrated kid, I?d reach for the encyclopedia when I got one of those ?it just is? answers from an adult. Encyclopedias helped, but were still limited in information on many topics.
Now we have an overabundance of information coming at us 24/7 thanks to the internet, but it?s hard to digest and make sense of it all. So, let?s break eczema down.
Eczema is more commonly referred to as Atopic Dermatitis (AD) clinically. That term is very telling since atopy or atopic is Greek for ?being out of place? and dermatitis is ?inflammation of the skin?. What?s interesting is that in my graduate training (which was conventional medical clinical pathology) we learned that atopy refers to an allergic reaction or hypersensitivity occurring in a part of the body NOT in contact with the allergen. Based on this definition you?d think that conventional medicine would?ve realized the cause of eczema isn?t occurring on the skin level, but that hasn?t been the case.
Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is defined by the Mayo Clinic as ?a condition that makes your skin red and itchy. AD is long lasting (chronic) and tends to flare periodically and then subside.? It?s the most common type of eczema and research suggests that a family history of atopic conditions such as eczema, allergies, asthma, and hay fever is a predisposing factor in developing it. The data compiled from my research analyzing over 7,000 patients shows that 1 in 5 people with a family history of eczema have eczema. 20% is significant.
Typical symptoms include:
- Itching, which may be mild to severe, especially at night
- Raw, sensitive, swollen skin from scratching
- Small, raised bumps, which may leak fluid and crust over when scratched
- Weeping wounds
- Thickened, cracked, dry, scaly skin
- Red to brownish-gray patches, especially on the hands, feet, ankles, wrists, neck, upper chest, eyelids, inside the bend of the elbows and knees
Eczema symptoms and appearance differs from person to person. A mild form might look like red, irritated, and slightly speckled skin, to more severe forms where the skin is significantly inflamed, with lesions that are bloody and weeping. Discolorations often occur during the outbreaks and as the skin heals.
7 Types of Eczema (Yes, …there?s actually more than one)
There are many different types of eczema according to various sources. You could go a little crazy researching them all on Dr. Google, so we?ll cover the most common ones here.
Most varieties of eczema are named for where they occur or because they look slightly different than your typical atopic dermatitis. Regardless of where it located or how it looks, it?s still eczema.
- Contact Dermatitis occurs when an irritant or allergen contacts the skin causing redness, burning, swelling and sometimes blisters. It can be caused by things such as frequent hand washing, solvents, chemicals, foods, metals, animals, pollen, and plants like poison ivy. For the record,?I don?t believe contact dermatitis should be classified with these other forms of eczema as the cause is external contact and can happen to anyone regardless of health conditions and family history. It doesn?t appear to be AI in nature.
- Dishydrotic Eczema occurs on the palm side of fingers, palms of hands, bottom of toes, and soles of feet. It presents as red spots, bumps, or blisters. Scaly patches, flaking, and deep cracks can form from damage to the skin. This type is 2 times more common in women. I can vouch for that since this one type that I had in a very classic presentation which makes it easier to distinguish from some of the other types.
- Hand Eczema is different from dishydrotic in that it occurs on the back of your hand and fingers, as well as the webbing between fingers. It visually looks more like typical atopic dermatitis.
- Neurodermatitis, also called Lichen Simplex Chronicus, which is similar to AD in that there?s significant itching but differs in that the surrounding skin is healthy. It occurs in isolated patches that look thick, discolored, dry, scaly or flaky and can be mistaken for psoriasis. There can be underlying dysfunction of the nerves in this area.
- Nummular Eczema, also known as Discoid Eczema is characterized by coin or circular shaped lesions that can be raised. Inflammatory reactions occurring in the body and dry skin are thought to play roles in developing this type of eczema. It can look like ringworm which is a fungal infection so it?s worth ruling that out. ??
- Seborrheic Dermatitis, Scalp Eczema, or Cradle Cap typically occurs in areas where there are high concentrations of oil producing sweat glands including the scalp, face, neck, upper back, shoulders, and chest. Individuals with immune system dysfunction are at increased risk for seborrheic dermatitis. It can have an oily or greasy appearance, unlike the other types of eczema, with white to yellow flakes.
- Stasis Eczema/Dermatitis, also called venous stasis dermatitis, is a special type of eczema that occurs in areas where there?s decreased venous blood flow resulting in pressure build up causing fluid leakage from veins. Red, swollen, flaky, itchy skin occurs initially and if not taken care of can progress to ulceration, infection, and/or permanent thickening or scarring of the skin.
What Causes Eczema
If you type in ?causes of eczema? in Google, you?ll get a variety of answers like:
- No true known cause
- Dry or irritable skin
- Genetic variant that affects the skin’s barrier function
- Stress
- Immune system dysfunction
- Hormone Fluctuations
- Bacterial or viral infections or imbalances
- Environmental conditions such as cold, dry weather or humid, hot weather
- Allergens
Unfortunately, while many of the above are absolutely true, most conventional doctors still treat it like it?s a condition that only occurs on the surface and don?t address most of that list. They?re likely to suggest topical treatments and possibly tell you to avoid a couple of foods, allergens, and hot or cold weather. They neglect the impact of the true root causes beneath the surface.
The worst fact of all is that some doctors are still of the old school thinking that there is no cause or cure for eczema.
Thankfully, research is evolving and know we know otherwise.
Given that eczema is now considered an autoimmune condition, we know the conditions need to be ?just right? for one to manifest.
These are the 3 key factors that come together to initiate autoimmunity:
- A genetic predisposition/family history
- Intestinal permeability (leaky gut)
- Environmental triggers such as stress, infection, gut or skin dysbiosis (imbalance between the good and bad bugs), food sensitivities or allergies, trauma, hormone imbalances, toxins, and nutrient imbalances.
With autoimmunity, the immune system mistakenly targets a body tissue and tries to attack it like it?s a foreign invader. If you have eczema, this means that the autoimmune process is attacking your skin. And to get rid of eczema, you need to address each of your root causes, which are covered in numbers 2 and 3 above.
For me, the perfect storm for eczema flares was high stress levels, hormone imbalances, GI infections and dysbiosis, leaky gut, and food sensitivities. Histamine containing foods, exercise, and hot showers made it even worse. This scenario is very similar for most of my clients as well.
A New Paradigm for Eczema
Just like when I was a kid, I wasn?t satisfied with the explanation of what causes eczema, so I developed my own process to explain the cycle of how it occurs.
Stage 1: Flare Up
You know when a flare up is coming because your body send you little signals in the form of tingle, slight itchiness or a burning sensation. On the inside the panic begins to set in and you?re thinking, ?Oh no, not again!? These are the subtle hints that you?re body is unhappy and it?s trying to tell you. The flames have been stoked and a fire is beginning to burn inside.
From a physiological standpoint, your immune system is activated from one or more triggers like foods, chemicals, toxins, or microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses) and has begun attacking your body tissues. Having a genetic predisposition toward eczema or autoimmunity, and a leaky gut make this the perfect storm.
At this point, trying to stop or slow the flare is a good idea as it will help begin to reverse the inflammatory process. Start with your diet as many significant triggers for eczema are food related. At a minimum go gluten and dairy free, but likely you?ll find other foods that need to be avoided while you heal.
Getting stress under control right now is key as it?s often what pushes you over the edge into a flare. It?s hard to eliminate it, but try to manage stressors by maintaining boundaries, saying no, or asking for help. If you can completely eliminate a stressor (like avoiding a toxic person or situation) even better! Also, finding an outlet like journaling, deep breathing, meditation, or walks in nature can profoundly reduce the stress response.
Stage 2: Outbreak
Your flare up transitions to a full blown outbreak when the tingle, burn or minor itch escalates to constant itching causing red, inflamed skin with welts, wounds, and/or blisters. At this point it can appear to be treatment resistant since all of the root causes likely haven?t been addressed.
The outbreak occurs when the inflammatory process mediated by the immune system goes unchecked. The inflammatory chemicals have kicked up and are peaking resulting in your extreme discomfort and many symptoms. During this phase eczema can interfere with life, making social gatherings, work, sleep, and sanity difficult due to the incessant itching. There?s a full blown inflammatory fire raging inside.
Getting to the bottom of all of your triggers and root causes is essential now so you can heal. ?Addressing diet and stress may do the trick for some, but others may require deeper digging or testing which is easiest with assistance of a trained professional. Even though I do this for a living, I call upon my friends and colleagues to make sure I?m not missing anything. We can all use some help now and then!
If you haven?t begun dialing in your diet- there isn?t a better time. You need to focus on taming the fire burning within. Anti-inflammatory supplements and foods are super important now. This blog article I wrote provides a recipe, as well as 6 healing foods and supplements to help put out the flames.
Topically, some people may benefit simply from coconut oil, but I personally didn?t and many of my patients echo that sentiment. The same can be said of shea butter. However, by combining these an easy and wonderful healing salve can be made.
Eczema Healing Salve Recipe
- ? cup unrefined, organic coconut oil
- ? cup unrefined, organic shea butter
- 10 drops calendula essential oil
- 10 drops yarrow essential oil
- 10 drops rosemary essential oil
- 5-10 drops frankincense essential oil
Mix these together in a bowl by hand or with a mixer. It will be hard and clumpy at first, but eventually will soften and everything will come together. Note: you can play with the essential oils as some people respond better to certain ones than others. If you can?t some of these, that?s fine too. These all have healing, calming or anti-inflammatory properties.
The most important thing to remember in the outbreak phase is the root causes. If you don?t identify and address them all, your eczema is likely to return at some point.
Stage 3: Healing
Relief is in sight! ?This is when you start to feel better and symptoms are less severe, but still present. You may or may not be itchy. Your skin still shows signs of irritation, but no open wounds and blisters. It may also appear thick, leathery, scaly, dark, or ashy now. The fire within is now just smoldering embers.
Your immune system is now ramping down and under control, but in physiological time things go slow which is why there are still visible signs (think of how long it takes to completely heal a cut or broken bone).
Steering clear of dietary triggers or any other triggers you?ve identified through self investigation or testing is still a must to maintain healing. Continue use of natural topicals to protect the skin and help rebuild integrity. Nutrients like vitamins A,C, D, and E, biotin, zinc, selenium, and collagen support healing and skin structure.
Stage 4: Clear Skin
Hooray!! When you?re suffering through an eczema flare you often don?t think this day will come, but it is possible to completely reverse eczema and have clear skin again. You?re skin is fully healed and looks great again. No more hiding in long sleeves or gloves!
Think of this stage as maintenance or dormancy. You immune system is finally calmed down and balanced so the attack on skin is over. The fire is out completely!
Maintaining a healthy diet, stress levels, and getting adequate sleep will help keep you here in your happy place.
Common Treatments for Eczema
Again, if you look eczema treatments up in Google, you?ll get a list that looks like this:
- Over-the-counter medications such cortisone cream, Benadryl cream, or antihistamines (Benadryl, Claritin, and Allegra)
- Prescription medications topical corticosteroids, oral steroids, and oral antihistamines. ?
- Moisturizers that contain petroleum jelly, mineral oil, or synthetic emollients like lanolin or glycerin
- Special baths with bleach, salt (sea salt or table salt), baking soda, epsoms salts, oatmeal, or apple cider vinegar. ?
- UV Light/Phototherapy
- Wet Dressings
- Stress Reduction
While the medications may be helpful at first for managing symptoms, they don?t address the root causes and the eczema returns. Long term, the topical creams can damage the integrity of the skin and the topical steroids and oral medications shut off the body?s natural inflammatory response which is counterproductive to healing the body.
The moisturizers typically suggested sometimes work and other times cause more irritation due to the ingredients. Unfortunately, if they do work it?s only addressing issues at the skin level and not what?s beneath the surface.
Special baths can definitely be helpful in managing symptoms, but some need to be use with caution. I am personally not a fan of the bleach baths, ever. Sea salt, table salt and apple cider vinegar can be great, however should be tested first since they could irritate open wounds. Oatmeal baths are also very soothing as long as you know you don?t have Celiac or it?s skin variant called Dermatitis Herpetiformis. If you do, you should probably avoid oatmeal completely as it?s often contaminated with gluten.
Phototherapy from the sun is my preferred use. While using phototherapy lamps that emit UV light definitely have benefit, there are a few more risks associated with them due to broader spectrum of the light rays, such a burning, blistering, accelerated aging/breakdown of the skin, and skin cancer. More recently narrow band UVB therapy, which uses a smaller spectrum and thus less radiation, is a better option for artificial light therapy.
Wet dressings can be very helpful in healing eczema when used with natural moisturizers. However, topical corticosteroids are often used and I believe they?re a bad long term strategy for the reasons given above.
My Methodology for Healing Eczema
While some of the commonly used treatments listed above can be helpful at soothing?or even resolving some symptoms, they?re all missing the most important factor: addressing the ROOT CAUSES.
Even if you?re in remission and asymptomatic, you?re still at risk for a flare up because you haven?t addressed the important factors lingering beneath the surface. You?re trigger might be work, family, or financial stress, a stomach virus or infection, passing of a loved one or pet, a divorce or separation, moving to a new town or job, or even injuring yourself exercising.
My major trigger was always work related stress (or not addressing it) as it is for so many that suffer from eczema.
The good news is that I healed my eczema and we, together, can heal yours too.
My process starts with a detailed history, from birth until now, that identifies all of the contributing factors to your eczema and what potential root causes need to be investigated.
Next we order the appropriate tests to identify your specific and individual underlying causes.
From there, I design a comprehensive program based on your results and history that addresses all of your root causes in a systematic way. We don?t throw the kitchen sink at you all at once and hope it works. Instead, the plan is outlined in a step-by-step manner that makes it easy for you to follow and allows your body to heal.
If you?re tired of living in the eczema cycle of remissions and flare ups, or have an active, raging outbreak that itches so bad and looks so horrible it?s affecting every aspect of your life and you don?t think it will ever end, I invite you to work with me and my team to heal your eczema for good.
We?ll work together to put the pieces of your health puzzle in place. We?ll guide you at every step with a plan of action to get your body healing and skin happy again.
If you?d like 1-on-1 support troubleshooting which root causes are contributing to your Eczema, and get a specific plan to reverse it, the first step is to book a 1-hour ?Eczema Root Cause Troubleshooting Session?.
Thanks for that,
I’ve had a long history of eczema , mostly under control now, though horrible as a child. I like the leaky gut approach and will target milk as a possible driver of my inflammation
Pete
Glad to hear it’s mostly under control. Looking into diet and other root causes now is a good idea, since it tends to be easier when you’re not in a flare. Good luck!
I am a 54 year old woman, recently diagnosed with palmoplantar eczema. My outbreak has lasted over 6 months now. I feel as though I’m losing my mind! The treatments are not helping and my insurance will not cover the cost to find what is triggering it. What can I do? I am losing my ability to walk on my feet, my hands are getting worse and now my shoulder is breaking out and itching. I am at a loss.
Hi Mary,
The best place to start is always diet. If you haven’t done any elimination, you can start off with gluten and dairy as those are 2 big offenders. If that doesn’t seem to help you can progress two other foods such as eggs, nuts, corn, and soy. I also recommend looking into histamine related issues as those are common root causes as well.
Best of luck!
My daughter has what the doctor referred to as Autoimmune Eczema. He said that the immune system was to complicated to actually pin point what might be the cause. This happened yesterday. Although she has had a few outbreaks over the years and used creams to clear things up, it seems to me to come and go depending on the season. She has been complaining about her stomach lately and her hand are at their worst ever. It pains me to see her like this. I am going to try your healing salve recipe and I think we will cut out dairy products, like milk and ice cream. She been off the milk over the summer to see if it would help with her stomach pain and constipation it seemed to, but she went back to milk this September when she started school. I really appreciate your article, it makes me feel better knowing that I can do more than buy her a cream with steroids for her hands.
There are absolutely many options to heal eczema. It’s a matter of identifying and reversing the root causes. You’re definitely starting out with the right steps! If that doesn’t provide complete resolution you need to do some more digging. Good luck and let us know if we can help!
Dear Doctor,
Nice discussion! If it may help anyone, may I explain what helped me? After years of itching that intensified horribly toward the end, it is mostly under control. Three things were necessary.
1- Wash all my clothes in a skin sensitive detergent.
2- Stop eating all wheat. (Wheat has been terribly tampered with)
3- Try to not become stressed.
Again, thanks so much.
Stephen
Stephen, thank you so much for sharing your experience- we love that. It definitely highlights the fact that everyone has very individual causes. Eliminating wheat/gluten and stress are 2 of the biggest ones.
This was a really insightful post! Thanks so much for all the info!
Thanks! We’re glad you like it!
I?m unable to find the blog article you mention here.
Hi Carol,
Which blog article are you looking for?
Dr. Davis,
You wrote, “This blog article I wrote provides a recipe, as well as 6 healing foods and supplements to help put out the flames.”
However, there is no link to the article. I would also like to read it.
Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for bringing that to our attention. We fixed the article so the link is in there, but here is a direct link as well: http://drstephaniedavis.com/favorite-morning-beverage-causing-eczema/.
Thanks!
Hi Carol,
I think this might be what you’re looking for: http://drstephaniedavis.com/favorite-morning-beverage-causing-eczema/
Thanks!
I have developed varicose eczema lately was wondering is it hormonal as I had my womb removed 6 months ago now I’m beginning to find lower part of head on each side of occipital bone area itchy and also redness around my neck. I am 61 years old. Never had any thing like this before Brigid
Hi Brigid,
Hormone imbalance is absolutely one of the main root causes of eczema as it contributes to inflammation. A hysterectomy can cause depletion of hormones contributing to this.
I?ve never experienced eczema until a couple months after my hysterectomy (kept my ovaries) I truly believe that is the root cause of my eczema. If it?s hormone related then, what approach should I take to get that into balance? And which type of eczema would you call that type of eczema?
Do you know much about eczema on the gums? I started having irritated gums with redness, pain, swelling, bubbles with salty liquid in them which turn into lesions, all only on my gums. I’ve seen dentists, periodontists, and recently an oral surgeon who wants to do a biopsy soon. No one knows what it is. But I’ve also recently had severely itchy bumps on my back that hurt or bleed when I scratch them, an now a patch on my forehead which is red and scaly and also very itchy but painful when I scratch it. I’m thinking they might be connected to my gum issue?
Hi LF,
It could definitely be eczema and be related to what’s going on in your mouth. Have you looked into oral allergy syndrome? It’s in the spectrum of disorders in the ” allergic triad” of allergies, asthma, and eczema. Regardless, the key is to identifying what the root causes are such as foods, nutrient deficiencies, hormone/inflammatory imbalances, gut and balances or infections, etc.
I used to suffer with severe hand eczema so I can completely understand the struggle! Over the years I have tried all types of creams, prescriptions and over the counter. Nothing has ever worked. I received the Made from Earth Pure Aloe Treatment on 1/2018 and I immediately put it on. I was pleasantly surprised at how it soothed my sore hands, even with this first application. On the second day I was shocked at how my hands felt and the pain wasn’t as bad, I can honestly say I saw a difference . It only gets better with each passing day. I have been using it now for 4 days and my hands haven’t looked or felt this good in a very long time!
Hi Paulette,
Glad you found something that is working for you. Aloe is definitely one of the many options for topicals that help soothe eczema.
Hi, very informative article. Thank you for your time. I recently developed an eczema like reaction on my left eyelid and it?s been very hard to manage. Could make up trigger this?
Thank you so much.
Hi Stephanie,
This is an absolute yes!! Unfortunately when I was pregnant with my 7 month old, I was one of the minority with eczema flares (mild ones). Eczema improves in pregnancy for many women. Since I’ve given birth, I’m still having occasional mild ones on my eyes which is new. Eye reactions seem to be related most to three triggers: makeup, personal care products such as lotions, face washes, or makeup removers, and foods. It could be many things but this is a good start. Also consider your laundry detergent and pets if you have any.
” …I?ve never accepted the no cause, no cure paradigm- there?s always a reason why something is happening… ”
Good! Maybe I’ve come to the right place, then: I believe this is what I am experiencing; it started with a few pox-like blisters in the crook of my right arm & behind my right knee. This would be about 4 weeks after recovering from this year’s lovely strain of influenza(s) & about 3 days post- a subsequent but different “viral-esque” type of illness (less severe than the flu(s)).
Very itchy, especially at bedtime; they now appear to be oval & flat … maybe “crusty” or at least dry. Never did progress to other locations.
May I ask if I can consider this yet another “gift” from a childhood adverse event to an “administered antigen/adjuvant”?
Before you slam the door on me, please understand these factors: I was born in Japan to American parents, my dad was USAF. Three years later when they were to return to the US; their re-entry was delayed due to my status as a “non-responder” & inadequate titers. To hasten this process I was double, then triple then quadruple-dosed until sufficient titer was achieved.
Since then, it has been determined that I have both the MTFHR & HLA mutations (chrom1 & 6) & if this would have happened today, the approach of the military physicians would have been much different. I just do not know why it would wait 47 years before presenting. I’ve certainly had viral illnesses since then & it’s never happened before.
Hi Christine,
It looks like you’ve done quite a bit of homework knowing some of your genetic information and considering your past history. Good for you as history is half the battle! As an epigenetic consideration, the adjuvants could be considered a trigger, but need to be viewed as a part of an in depth history to get the entire clinical picture. Regarding the blisters and their location, it definitely sounds viral in presentation. Perhaps something in the herpes family such as shingles (if you’ve had chicken pox or the vaccine). I recommend working with a functional medicine practitioner if you want to dive deeper as navigating this type of situation can be complex and frustrating.
Yours is the first article that I feel explains how my daughter?s skin feels.
She?s never had eczema before but started with little spots on her face when she started secondary school in September. Only on her face and I managed to control them.
However in January her hands started with the spots and I won?t go into all the long details but it?s now mid-March and she?s had her hands bandaged for around a month and can?t attend school. Every time they?re exposed to air or water for more than 10 mins they start splitting and then weeping then bleeding. Her whole body was covered (apart from feet) and that all cleared up after three weeks but her hands also got infected and I suppose have been affected the longest. We have an appointment at a dermatologist on Tue who I hope will do allergy testing.
She?s never had it before in her life. I did as a child as well as asthma and various allergies so there?s a family history. School may have been the stress trigger. We?ve taken her off dairy to try and help.
Thank you for this blog which like I say is the first one I?ve found that I relate to. I?m going to read through it all again!
Hi Rebecca,
I’m so glad you found the article helpful. I know from experience how frustrating it is to be in “the system” and not get any answers. Hopefully the allergy testing will begin to shed some light on your daughter’s root causes.
Your insight about your daughter’s stress playing a role is brilliant and so true. Consider having her talk to someone to help her get through any unresolved emotions or try EFT tapping. Getting to the bottom of this now will serve her well throughout her life.
Thanks so much for the praise. Suffering with eczema or any other skin condition is extraordinarily frustrating, especially in children. That really pulls at my heartstrings having 2 little ones. Good luck mama!!
Dr. Stephanie,
Thank you so much for this informative article. I have suffered from eczema for quite some time now. I remember as a child/teen I would develope small, fluid filled bumps on my fingers and toes. My mom has the same thing, and a doctor once informed her that they were sweat bumps, which I now know they are a type of eczema. Fast forward to now, and I have 3 consistent areas of my body that repeatedly flare up. Those areas are the base of my scalp, inside of one ear, and buttocks regin. My mom informed me that when I was a baby, I had cradle cap in the same area where I get the eczema. I now occasionally have random small patches that will come every once in a while on my arms and once on my knee. The areas of consistency for me are the 3 above areas first mentioned. I notice flare ups when it’s getting close to my monthly cycle. This month has been especially awful for me with my cycle not arriving. I am having the worse fatigue. I suspect the extreme fatigue is due to the overwhelming amount of inflammation occurring in my body. Would I be correct to make that assumption? I eat healthy, take daily supplements, and have had my blood type tested for foods I should avoid (a test conducted by my naturopathic colleague). The top foods I avoid are wheat, dairy, and corn. I have been contemplating having a blood test to check for food allergies. I love doing things the natural way, and I am trying my absolute best to heal myself internally. Would you recommend taking a blood test for food allergies? Eczema is the toughest to combat. My apologies for this long post.
Thank you again for this article! So happy to have stumbled across it ?
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for the kind words! I appreciate them ?.
You could get blood testing done for IgE allergies (true food allergies) or IgG food sensitivities (temporary and usually go away once you heal your gut and immune system). I’d also urge you to explore your cleaners and personal care products since you seem to be getting quite a bit of your eczema on your head. That’s a great place to start- if you dig into these areas and it doesn’t resolve, you may need to dig deeper with more advanced testing.
I ugly cried when I read this!
Two of my sons had eczema and it was a mildly annoying itchy dry rash. I would put cream on it and it wouldn’t bother them.
With my other son his eczema changed our whole life. He would be red raw, in pain, screaming he had eczema on his face and around his eyes. His skin would bleed and become infected. I tried every cream on the market and most of them would make him scream in pain until I put him in the shower and washed them off.
I went from doctor to doctor to specialist. I got told to put him in a bleach bath, cover him in steroid cream and that eczema had nothing to do with gut health.
Reading this just blew me away, I had no idea that eczema was an autoimmune condition.
It’ was very validating to read so thank you.
Jacinta,
Thank you for sharing that. I know how hard it is to watch your child suffer, which is one of the main reasons I do this work. I really want to help educate the public not only about the root causes of eczema, but chronic diseases, so our children can live healthier lives than us.
I did a liver cleanse last week which required me to eat only fruits vegetables and nuts for 5 days. After the cleanse, I did something that I normally would NEVER do. immediately after a cleanse, I ate some salt and vinegar lays potato chips that my cousin gave me.
I had a horrible headache and then my entire back and neck stiffened up with tremendous pain. After 2 days of suffering, this morning I woke up with one of my usual coin shaped eczema patches on my hand on one on my buttocks.
Is there a correlation?
Hi Robbie,
Probably. There are several factors that could have contributed to it. I’m not sure to what extent you did a cleanse, but 5 days is pretty short. Also, not sure if you used any nutrients or supplements. That said, you potentially could have changed how your liver is functioning, but perhaps not fully. Typically in our practice we do liver support for an extended period of time for this reason. It takes a little while for things to get going in the right direction and proper liver function and elimination are key for eczema sufferers.
You also may have reacted to the potatoes themselves or an additive in the potato chips as those are common triggers.
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you for this great article. I am in the midst of a flare up right now and seeing an allergist/immunologist Tuesday for some allergy testing. I am experiencing the flare up on my face and neck right now and was wondering if you have a favorite brand of make up that is chemical free? I know I shouldn’t wear any during a flare up and I don’t at home but to embarrassed to go anywhere without covering up.
Any make up brand suggestions?
Valerie Ausing
Hi Valerie,
That’s a GREAT question (and a topic close to my heart)! I never had eczema on my face until pregnancy and breastfeeding…and on my eyelids/corner of eye no less!! I typically go makeup free on days when I’m around the house or out and about without having to “have my face on.” When I do wear makeup, I try to keep it as clean as possible. Primal Life Organics has really clean products and you can get small samples so you don’t have to spend a ton of money on products that you don’t like! You can also blend them together to customize shades for yourself. They have sales pretty frequently too so that helps :). I’ve recently heard good things about beautycounter from several patients and friends, so that is another option. One thing to be aware of is that many of the natural and organic brands use minerals, some of which come from metals. Nickle, Cobalt, and iron can be allergens and causes of eczema for some people.
I hope this helps!! Good luck!!
Thank you so much! Just ran across this page today and looking at other articles etc. from you, I know where to find great information! Thanks again!
Glad to help!! I know how difficult navigating the eczema journey is.
Dear doctor,
I don’t know which type of eczema i have. I have itching all over my body and it spreads everytime i scratch it. It appears on my legs arms hands buttocks chest back and everywhere. It might be fungal eczema because i’ve been to several doctors which prescribed me different medicines but some of the similar diagnosis was that it is caused by fungi. I kept using a cream that my most current doctor has been prescribing me. I use it everytime it flares up. But because i’m afraid of the long term side effects i tried to stop using it when my skin is clear again but it’ll only end up flaring a few months later. The doctor said that i should lose weight and lessen my intake on eggs. Do you have any recommendations on how to permenantly heal my eczema? Thanks.
Hi Daniel,
If your eczema is indeed caused by a fungus, this is a systemic issue (like all root causes of eczema are). Chronic fungal issues on the skin are a symptom of deeper dysbiosis throughout the body. It’s very likely you have fungal species such as candida in your gut and elsewhere throughout your body. I recommend starting with the basics first. Definitely clean up your diet and concentrate on eating a whole foods rather than processed foods. Cutting down on sugar whether natural or processed will go a long way in combating fungal issues as well as dysbiosis. If you think eggs are a problem you could do a trial elimination of those as well as dairy and gluten to see if that helps.
Switching to more natural personal care products and cleaning products in the home can also help significantly.
If those steps don’t work, you might want to consider working with someone that can do testing and guide you through treatment, especially if you’re dealing with gut and skin infections.
There are several blog posts on this site that help guide you through some of these steps.
Good luck!
Thank you so much doctor! I have another question. Is it possible for the skin to heal itself if i don’t scratch and just let it be? And should i continue using bar soaps or liquid soaps? I’m currently using a liquid soap that have rice bran as its ingredient and i don’t know if it could be a trigger or not because my doctor told me to use bar soaps instead coz liquid soaps could cause irritation. Thanks so much
The skin can definitely heal itself if it has proper nutrients, inflammation is kept in check, and you don’t scratch/cause trauma. Cleansing can be hard….I recommend tepid water as too hot can exacerbate eczema. Different people do well with different cleansers. Dr. Bronner’s is good for some people but not others. Try to find one with natural ingredients and moisturizers like shea butter, jojoba, sea buckthorn, calendula, or chamomile as those usually support the skin and don’t make things worse.
Hello. I have a grandson with asthma, allergies and eczema. He is 15 and needs help desperately. How do we actually get in touch with you?
Hi Elaine,
On our website tou can go to thr consultion page ( http://drstephaniedavis.com/consultation) to connect with us. I’ll also have a member of our team reach out to you as well via email.
Have a great day!
Hiii my name is sreeraj…i think i have neurodermatitis…my feet is always itchy and is kind of leathery..plzz suggest me a treatment because this condition is causing hair loss for me as well ….
Hi Sreeraj,
Sorry to hear you’re you’re suffering with ND. If you haven’t tried anything yet, I recommend beginning with an elimination diet to see if you have any dietary causes. You could also add in some anti-inflammatory nutrients such as fish oil, D, and curcumin. If that doesn’t help, you might consider testing for the underlying causes.
Hope this help!
Hi I?m rachy,thanks a lot dr Stephanie I?m so glad I came across ur article . I recently moved from my country to another country and when I arrived , I have been having eczema problems .currently now I have one on my finger I think it?s hand eczema but I?m not really sure. It?s really itchy kind of looks like a blister,sort of circular but not a perfect circle and has little tiny bumps on it.i also have sth similar on my breast. Please can u say what kind of eczema it is and how I can deal with it
It?s been there for a couple of months and I have been using a certain cream. Sometimes it kind of feels like it?s working and other times I?m just in doubt .i really don?t know what to do ,pls help me out
Hi Rachy,
Sorry to hear that! Moving can be so stressful which is major trigger for eczema. As you probably found in the post, reducing stress is essential. We can’t eliminate stress from our lives but managing it will go a long way. Since you recently moved, this might mean finding new friends and a community to support you. It also might mean asking for help when you need it. Make sure you have good boundaries in relationships and don’t overextend yourself.
In addition, if you haven’t already done so an Elimination Diet will be a very good idea to identify any dietary triggers. Using more natural personal care and household cleaning products is useful as well and calming the flare.
Beyond this, it often requires testing to get to the root of what’s causing the eczema. So when you feel up to it, you might want to try these steps to see if you can get the flare calmed and subsiding.
Good luck on your healing journey!
I’VE BEEN TO SEVERAL DERMATOLOGIST AND THEY ALL TELL ME THE SAME THING JUST HAVE TO KEEP PUTTING THE CREAMS ON. MY SON IS 4YEARS OLD AND HAS SUFFERED WITH SEVERE AND I MEAN SEVERE ECZEMA SINCE HE WAS A BABY. HE HAS BEEN SO BAD THE PAST 6 MONTHS THAT NOTHING IS CLEARING IT UP HE HAS IT FROM HEAD TO TOE ALL OVER! HE WAS TESTED FOR OUTSIDE ALLERGIES AND WAS ALLERGIC TO ALOT BUT THE ALLERGY MEDICINE IS NOT HELPING THE ECZEMA AT ALL! WHAT ARE MY NEXT STEPS TO GETTING HIM HELP HE COMPLAINS HIS STOMACH HURTS ALOT.
Hi Maeson,
I’m so sorry to hear about your son. Little ones struggling with eczema really get to me the most (from one mama to another)!
If you haven’t tried an Elimination Diet with him that is where I recommend starting. Do a 4 week trial of eliminating gluten and dairy. You could also add in a probiotic (Bifido species only for now) and fish oil.
Switching to more natural personal care and household cleaning products also minimizes exposure to potential triggers. Consider the home environment too: mold, mildew, carpets, animals, fabrics such as wool, etc., may be contributing as well.
There are several additional blog post that might be useful to you on the site, as well as some Facebook live videos I’ve done.
If all of that doesn’t help, you might consider doing some testing on his gut to get to the root causes.
Good luck mama!
Thank you so much for this. This is one of the first articles I?ve read that offers optimism and hope for a cure.
I was recently diagnosed with eczema after a major flare that occurred after a very bad flu. It?s been 5 months and I?m constantly in a flare state. Nothing has worked thus far but I?ve just begun a gut healing protocol (anti inflammatory diet, collagen, beef liver pills, digestive enzymes, infrared saunas, dry brushing and coffee enemas).
Things were better initially, but now I?m feeling worse and depressed. It?s such a cycle with stressing about my discomfort and trying to stay calm so the stress doesn?t aggravate things more. When healing, does it tend to get worse before getting better?
Hi Cristi,
Yes, things sometimes do get worse before they’re better during treatment- especially at the beginning. Typically, there are lots of ups and downs at the beginning of treatment, but the further along you go, the good days outweigh the bad.
If you hit a long rough patch that means you might need to change up your treatment plan.
Also keep in mind that fully healing eczema can take quite a while in some people, so don’t lose hope!!
Good luck!!
Good day,
Please could you advise as to how I can go about arranging a consultation? I’ve been suffering from eczema since birth but over the last 10 years it has become significantly worse to the point where all the severe conditions you describe above I have.
Kind regards
Nicholas Simons
Hello Nicholas, please visit this page to help schedule a consult: http://drstephaniedavis.com/consultation/
Hi Stephanie
Thank you for bringing clarity to this chronic illness. I feel so frustrated by the general view that eczema has no cause, that it?s purely a skin disorder, that there?s no way to cure it, etc etc. I?m 40 years old and have had eczema all my life but noticed there were phases when it went away completely and periods when it returned. Most recently, in the last 7 years, it returned at a time when I was physically and emotionally drained and not looking after myself very well – not sleeping enough, burning candle at both ends, compensating with sugary foods. Now after 7 years I?ve decided to put my health first and finally I have completely stopped steroid creams and petroleum based emollients. Thought I would mention that I accidentally discovered SOYA LECITHIN as a culprit – I?ve since learned that it contains a chemical used in manufacturing which really should not be ingested!
Anyway, now I?m on the road to recovery I have my 4 year old son to help who also has eczema. Unfortunately I?m still having to use steroid cream now and then because it is really hard to engage him in this process of searching for the trigger when he?s so young. He will, however, grow up learning to put his health first and I will help him, over time, to find his triggers and to take care of himself properly.
I wish so much that your view on eczema becomes the norm in allopathic medicine so thank you for putting it out there.
Hi Dr. Davis,
I have developed AD over the last 2 years starting about age 45. First it started across my eyebrows and moved to my ears, and now it’s patchy on my hairline and other areas. I even met with an ENT because my internal ears are so itchy and uncomfortable. The eyelids are extremely uncomfortable as well. From everything I’ve read it says that eczema tends to start in childhood, but this wasn’t the case with me. I have also read that it can be related to hormonal changes so could it be due to perimenopause? Is it possible for eczema to appear so late in life? I am struggling to find the root cause and also trying to exclude food items from my diet. Thank you for the informative article as it was very beneficial.
Hi Kerry,
First let me say, you are very similar to me! I didn’t get eczema until I was 39 and I know one of my key triggers was imbalanced hormones (my profile at that time looked menopausal!!!). We do know that there are hormonal types of eczema, especially related to progesterone, and these tend to show up when we’re older and the stresses/wear and tear of life have caught up with us.
Based on your pattern of eczematous spots, it sounds like you might have a fungal issue that needs to be taken care of. *However* I strongly suggest confirming this via testing so you know everything you’re dealing with. In practice we never treat based on signs or symptoms alone, especially with regard to the gut since there are so many factors at play here (you could also have bacterial dysbiosis, parasites, viruses, etc.) that also need to be addressed.
Conventional medicine really doesn’t address these underlying factors, nor does it talk much about eczema beginning in adulthood when we see this all of the time in practice. You’re definitely not alone 🙂
Good luck and let us know if there is anything else we can do for you.
Thank you for your reply. How would I confirm a fungal issue, and what type of test would that be? Is there a specific name I should ask for? Is this something I could do with my GP, or would it be with a specialist like a dermatologist?
Hi Kerry,
Fungal issues can difficult to pick up. Typically in our practice there is a suspected fungal issue we order a comprehensive stool test and organic acids. If it doesn’t show up there, we do serum antibody testing for Candida.
Since these are functional labs (stool and organic acids), most conventional general practitioners and dermatologist will not order or know how to use them unless they are trained in integrative or functional medicine. A GP could absolutely order the serum candida antibodies test.
Hi Dr. Davis:
I have been reading & re-reading your articles trying to help my husband find a solution to his hand problem. 2 years ago (59 years old) after vacationing in Arizona he started that his finger tips would thicken & crack & bleed along with his palms peeling (all on the inside of his hands and extremely hot & red on the inside like a fever in them in the palm). The first dermatologist thought fungus and prescribed Terbine for 30 days & lamsil cream. Second dermatologist thought eczema and metrotrexate. The third dermatologist though contact dermatitis and did a 70 patch test which showed positive to iodopylcarbonate & vitamin E possiblly. With elimination & careful produce selection for 4 months things did not change. If he has a cortisone shot the symptoms are gone within a week, which we cannot keep doing.
We have tried every steroid cream with no relieve. Have tried Colchicine for a few months and then was switched to Cellcept 2000 mg against our better wishes. After 3 months the cellcept has lessened the symptoms but they are not gone. The hands do not appear to go in cycles it is just a constant problem.
After reading some of your articles our thoughts were turned towards possibly Thyroid or vitamin deficiencies. we came across an endocrinologist who ordered several labs for zinc, TSH, Gliadin antibodies IgA, and a urine/Saliva test which may have contaminated results. Now I have the results and can not reach the Dr. for over a month who ordered as he is a retired doctor practicing on the side. I have an overload of test results with no meaning or where to go next.
Have I spiked your curiosity???? I would be happy to engage in a phone conversation to review the test results if you would like.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
By the way, our family Doctor says eczema & take metrotrexate, another dermatologist says Psoriasis and metrotrexate and the latest dermatologist say dermatitis & take cellcept.
Hi Cindy,
It can definitely be frustrating cycling through the medical system, especially when nothing seems to be working. It definitely sounds like he has an underlying inflammatory process that could be autoimmune. The important thing to remember is that regardless of what it’s named, with this type of situation it’s essential to identify the underlying root causes to reverse the inflammatory process.
It looks like you’ve started looking down the right path regarding testing, but there are more pieces of the puzzle necessary to get an accurate assessment of the situation and underlying causes. To identify any necessary testing would require a full history to see which additional tests are necessary.
If he hasn’t changed his diet, you might want to start there- at a minimum doing gluten and dairy free, Paleo, or Autoimmune Paleo. Since diet is only one of the common root causes, doing a functional medicine history and assessment to identify necessary testing and additional steps of treatment would be advised.
Thank you so much doc for this article. for almost 5 years I’ve been suffering from re occurence of eczema all over my body. Been to different doctors as well, prescribe with different kinds of creams. But still comes back. So depressed for years now. which worsen my situation, i guess. Im desperate to find cure, searching the net, and i found this article of yours.
I’ll try to follow your recipe.
Thank you so much.
Godbless Us.
Glad we can help you on your healing journey!
Best of luck!
Your article was amazing as my daughter – after 2 years trying to figure out why her childhood eczema came back with a vegeance in her 20’s – we finally figured out (through a naturopath) that not only was she Celiac but that not knowing about the Gluten allergy over the years led to her leaky gut syndrome. Thankfully he put her on the right track with an autoimmune detox diet plus GI tract repair, Prebiotics and slew of other supplements to help her gut clear – however, I have to ask – she went from the “outbreak” stage to the “healing” stage almost immediately after starting her GI tract repair – but the healing stage is really taking its toll on her skin – she feels irritated constantly, itchy, red and the picture you have posted is exactly what her skin looks like all over her body – my question to you is – how long does that “healing” stage last before she will move onto the “clear skin” stage. Is it weeks, months, years? He told us to have patience and because of her Celiac and autoimmune detox – she is very limited to oils and moisturizers she can use to help alleviate her itching/scratching – is there a “norm” or does is this the storm before the calm ?? Thank you !!
Hi Liv,
So glad to hear your little one is on the path to healing. Unfortunately, the journey is so different for everyone and there’s no easy way to predict exactly when the skin will clear up 100%. If there is still irritation present, that means there is still an inflammatory process going on in the body that has not completely healed or perhaps that there are still some root causes that haven’t been identified. With Celiac, there is the potential that there could be some cross-reactivity from other foods or microorganisms such as Candida that could be perpetuating the issues. If she continues to stall in her skin’s progression of healing, you might want to dig a little bit deeper into additional root causes.
Best of luck and wishing you continued healing!!
Thank you for your response – my daughter is 21 years old BTW lol – BUT – she did suffer from ezcema as a baby/toddler but it went away after she turned 6 or 7 for some reason – and she has not had a flare up since then – now – 14 years later – her skin just erupted out of nowhere and her arms/legs got covered in boils/acne. After almost 2 years of going from doctor to doctor where they tried to treat her for acne, staph infections and hormone imbalances – we finally found a brilliant naturopath who took one look at her rash and said she’s Celiac for sure – after extensive bloodwork this was confirmed so for the past 2 months she has been diligently completing an auto-immune detox diet and although the rash/boils she had diminished considerably – the eczema and dry patches of skin are now back with a vengeance and this is where we are looking for some healing answers. Your article truly showed the healing process pic which is what her body is going through – we are just wondering if this is a long healing period and we should wait it out (more than 4-6 months) or should we be digging deeper at the 2 month stage ? Our Naturopath says we have to be patient but a second opinion is always nice! Thank you again for your time 🙂
Hello. We have a 2 year old who literally is COVERED with open wounds on his hands, arms, feet, and legs. COVERED- not a square inch is not a sore. He can?t play outside, and in public everyone stares. He has fits of scratching in public sometimes too. Blood will be all over his and my clothes. He?s on and off antibiotics for staph infections from the open wounds and he has molluscum now too. We?ve tried every steroid, every type of bath, every otc cream & ointment, every homeopathic remedy, Buffalo tallow, lush dream cream, calendula oil, probiotics, fish oil and wet wraps overnight. He was breastfed until he was 27 months (exclusively – no other food – until he was 6 mos and has had eczema since he was around a week old)
We are currently using one steroid cream once a day and cera ve healing ointment 2-3 times a day. He takes Zyrtec and Flonase in the day and Benadryl at night so he can sleep & we do bleach baths (1/4c to a FULL tub of water) once or twice a week. On the nights he doesn?t take a bleach bath, we put liquid coconut oil in his bath water.
My friend wants me to try gluten free but this is easier said than done considering we have 5 children ranging 16 to 2. Also, I?m CERTAIN pollen is the trigger. The minute he walks outside in the spring the itching and bleeding begins. I can SEE the inflammation rise in his skin before the itching and scratching. It breaks my heart to watch him cry at the window while the other kids are playing outside but we can?t let him out to play during high pollen season. When the oak trees are leaving green dust on the cars here in South Louisiana he?s at his worst. Just walking from the back door to the garage triggers him. 3 minutes after being in his car seat he starts scratching and bleeding. Many episodes take place in his car seat.
Ragweed is almost as bad as oak. He?s suffering from the ragweed now. So how can eliminating gluten help if I?m CERTAIN pollen is the trigger? I want to bring him to get allergy testing so he can start allergy shots, but I can?t take him off the antihistamines because there?s no way he can go a week without them. It?s THAT bad. His pediatrician had to put him on a round of oral steroids a few weeks before we went to the beach just so he could tolerate the outdoors without open wounds. After a month or so the eczema came back of course.
I wish they would create a medication that could make those 2 malfunctioning proteins function properly.
Is there a way to test for a leaky gut? I really don?t want to go the gluten free route unless I?m certain gluten is affecting him. I?m certain the pollen is the trigger, but maybe gluten hinders his ability to respond properly to the pollen???
Sorry so long
I?m at my wits end 🙁
Thank you for any advice you may be able to give me,
Bridget
I?m at a loss. My 6yo daughter has been battling a skin issue since March or so. We were told it was ringworm, treated as such, with no luck. Then it was treated for bacterial infection, with no luck and worsening. Fast forward a couple of months and a dermatologist diagnosed her with nummular eczema. We went to dye free soap and a thick cream for moisturizing. Clobetasol ointment was given to be used on the patches that are actively scaly. It responded almost immediately to the cream, as I?m guessing they were infected. However, her legs again broke out shortly after healing. Then around 4 weeks ago, I noticed what looks like a fungus on her pinky fingernail. Her heel also has a place that is cracked and peeling. So I take her back to her pediatrician and they start her on Griseofulvin. We are two and a half weeks into taking a 30 day prescription and as of yesterday, her palms and soles are starting to peel. One fear is that it will spread to her scalp. We were not told to change any eating habits, but I?m beginning to wonder if we should. I know their is stress, as we are dealing with a custody issue that cannot be helped. So I need to be able to do all I can in other areas to help prevent further damage, if possible. I apologize for the long post, I?m just grasping for straws!
Hi Bridget,
Yes, there are tests for leaky gut, but I don’t run it very frequently because almost 100% of the people we work with have it. Cutting out gluten is one of the first steps we take to reversing the process, not only because so many people are sensitive to gluten, but it is also extremely inflammatory. There are studies that show that even in people who are not Gluten Sensitive that the consumption of gluten causes a transient leaky gut. If you have issues with your skin, gluten should be eliminated until the clear skin clears up. Also, if you think pollen is an issue you should check out pollen cross-reactivity Foods on Google as those are probably contributing to the issue as well.
Best of luck on your healing Journey!
Just wanted to thank you for posting this and giving hope to someone who feels disgusting and WORTHLESS……its giving me a reason to really do some changes and its really up to me to find the root ,dairy was defiantly a factor. Been extremely stressed because of my atopic dermatitis i havent been able to work reg job so that just creates huge stress factor. Alone and no money….
But i have a bit og hope..And o THANK You, Debi
Hello. My five year old was diagnosed at 3 months of age with Atopic Dermatitis. It has been awful to watch her suffer over the last five years. We keep on holding out hope that it could magically disappear over the next few years, as we have been told some people do around ages 5-7. She seriously asks for new skin for her birthday. We tried removing stuff from the diet with no success. We have zero fragrance in the home, no pets, everything is free and clear. We found out a few months ago that she is allergic to beef (crazy) and we already knew of her allergies to raw egg, weeds, dust, and what seemed like every type of animal as they were reading it off. We do the prescription creams, occasional prednisone, have tried bleach baths, even light therapy three times a week. Sometimes things seem effective for two seconds, but then it?s like her skin knows we are making progress and retaliates. But we never, ever have gotten to a calm period. She is never cleared up. It?s not a few spots, but her head to toe skin. There are still patches, too, and times that are worse than others of course. But it is never good. Prednisone obviously gets us to a few days of bliss (which a person would normal skin would still freak out over, but is far better than her normal) but she can?t live on prednisone obviously. I just am at a loss and my heart breaks for her. At daycare, they were always very helpful with keeping aquaphor on her spots, keeping fragrances out of the room as best they could, etc. I fear that school will be less understanding this year and it terrifies me. I feel like even if I control things at home, I can?t control the other environments and classmates who have pet hair on their stuff, clothes washed in scented soaps (oh how I miss that smell), and things like that. I just feel helpless in helping my child. I totally believe it is autoimmune but I feel like I can?t figure out how to make it stop. Thanks for letting me share with all of you who clearly understand the struggle as well.
Hi Nicole,
So sorry to hear that your daughter is still struggling. I would also encourage you to Healing her gut, not only through the elimination of foods, but by using healing nutrients. The use of a comprehensive stool test would be beneficial too since most everyone we work with and the clinic has some level of imbalanced gut bacteria or or Wert infection that is perpetuating the issues on the skin.
I also encourage you to speak with her teachers and School nurses so they are aware of the magnitude of her condition and the need for you to support her. We are the only advocates our children have 🙂
Best of luck and continued healing to your little one!
Hello Dr. Davis. I have a 5 year old son that was first diagnosed with Eczema when he was 5 months ol. He was given some cream and it went right away up until he turned 5. I took him to a dermatologist and they diagnosed it as nummular eczema. The maedication they gave him worked decently in the beginning and now the flare ups are back. They would now like to test for lupus. Also we are native of California and have recently moved to North Carolina 5 months ago to be exact and he didnt have anything on his skin until the 2nd week of being here. Also he is a big eater but he eats like a typical 5 year old a blend of decent and not so great. Thank you in advance
Hi Jennifer,
Environment definitely plays a role in eczema so either humidity or dry air could be an exacerbating Factor. It sounds like in the case of your son that moist air might be. However, it’s important to recognize that likely isn’t the underlying cause. With 90% of the kids that we see in our practice, food and a disrupted gut microbiome are the two most significant underlying root causes. I recommend initially eliminating gluten and dairy to see if that helps (perhaps eggs since they seem to be a major issue in the Pediatric eczema population as well). Focusing on Whole Foods versus processed foods is significant as well. If that doesn’t seem to help you should look into having his gut checked out.
Best of luck!
My son is 10 months old and was diagnosed with eczema when he was about 6 months old. He seems to have a few different types on different parts of his body (some round crusty spots or a grouping of small red dots). The big issue though is his face. For about 3 months We have used steroids (otc and Rx) recommended peds and Derm but within a day or so of stopping (as it is to be used for a few days then stopped) his skin ?flares?. I used quotes as I don?t believe it is a flare- I think his immune system is not being suppressed any longer from the steroid and this is why he becomes inflamed and itchy again. I?m trying to use Burt?s Bees ointment on it through out the day (coconut oil, Shea butter, cottonseed oil, jojoba etc). I don?t know if it helps using ointment or if I should just not put any thing on it. Do you have any advise for a first time Mom who does not know if she is doing the correct thing ? Any thing would be greatly appreciated.
Ps- I am completely on the same thought process that the use of topical steroids likely was counterproductive to his natural healing processes.
Hi Jeana,
It’s definitely difficult being a first-time mom and trying to navigate these waters… it’s even difficult when you have multiple kids and treat the stuff daily 😉
Regarding topical steroids, ESPECIALLY when it comes to babies and kids, the use of cortisone/steroids is fine short term as long as you are working on the underlying root causes. It’s absolutely a Band-Aid and not a cure, but it can help dampen the flames when you are trying to treat the actual causes. I always tell parents it’s really important for babies and children to sleep and if the eczema is disrupting their sleep that’s counterproductive. It’s also not helpful if there are open wounds that are vulnerable to infection.
Obviously I’d prefer the use of more natural topicals, but if they are not doing the job then cortisone can be helpful in the short-term.
I recommend addressing the diet first for any food-related triggers and causes. If that does not work then diving into gut health, dysbiosis, infection, and other causes is necessary.
Best of luck, mama ?
It?s hard to find a trigger when he doesn?t clear then flare. We did have allergy testing done (blood) which showed a slight allergy yet still a class 0 to egg. It also showed a class 2 allergy to garlic. Dairy and soy come back negative. He did start having noticeable eczema when we began solids. Attempted to have 1 food for 3 days to see if there were any reactions and none were observed. Formula was dairy then attempted soy to see if dairy was an issue. Skin seemed to stay the same until just recently (but then I?ve stopped all steroid). How would one begin looking at gut health, dysbiosis, infection ? I will say he had thrush, was on oral nystatin for a little over 2 weeks then oral diflucan for 14 days. Do you think this could impacted his gut health negatively?
Thank you for your previous reply !!
It definitely sounds like he has dysbiosis. In our virtual Clinic we do comprehensive stool testing with the little ones to assess for this. Frequently we find severe bacterial dysbiosis and or fungal issues like Candida. Yes I’m really suspicious of fungal infections I often run on microbial organic acids as well because that’s better at detecting fungal issues. I will also add that it’s not always the food even though food seems to be a major contributor. Quite often, especially with the little ones, dysbiosis is a huge factor.
Does your one on one sessions require a computer camera or can it be done over the phone?
Hi Delora,
Our sessions can be done via computer or phone depending upon your location. If you’re in the US or Canada, phone can be utilized.
Thanks for asking!
My 3 year old grand-daughter has occasional asthma flare ups when she catches a cold, eczema at present all over her body and over the last 6-8 weeks constipation. Her parents parted around 16 months ago and she stays with both parents, 5 days with mum and 2 with dad. I feel she has been suffering with stress/anxiety when she is away from mum, getting extremely distressed when going to dad’s which is hard to witness. The constipation is very distressing to see also as she appears to be hiding and trying not to do her ‘poos’. Dad has been getting exasperated and cross with her because of soiled underwear and doesn’t follow advice re bathing and putting creams on her skin for her eczema. We are wondering if her increasing eczema and distressing constipation symptoms being endured every day now could be caused or made worse from the emotional stress/anxiety of being separated from mum and not being given the love and understanding from dad in regard to the constipation. She is having 5 or 6 overflow stains on underwear a day and it breaks my heart to see her hiding and suffering in silence. I remember when I was a girl (14-17) going through a stressful emotional time I suffered with constipation and my body broke out in eczema. I was told and believed it was due to stress. It took me years to get the right advice and get it under control.
Hi Elfra,
I’m so sorry to hear that. My heart breaks for her as no child should have to live like that. Her eczema and bowel issues are absolutely related to the stress she is experiencing. We know from research that adverse childhood events (ACES) significantly impact us not only in childhood but in adulthood as well if not dealt with.
She is so lucky to have a grandmother like you that cares much and is looking out for her. I encourage you and her mom to take the appropriate measures so she isn’t suffering in silence as you mentioned. The anxiety she’s experiencing now will only increase if left unaddressed. I’m not sure how open her father would be to counseling, but I think it would be beneficial for everyone involved. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) would be beneficial for your granddaughter. Be sure to look for practitioners that work with children as they are definitely different than adults when it comes to addressing anxiety and emotional issues.
Additionally, providing her with as much love and support when she is with her mom and you will also go a long way. Having little ones myself, I understand completely how difficult it can be to make a three-year-old understand. The important thing is that she feels safe, heard, and her needs are being met in all aspects of her life.
Sending lots of love her way.
Good luck!
Thank you very much for your reply….I have passed this on to Mum and we will see what we can do for this precious little girl. Elfra
My pleasure:)
Hello Dr Davis,
I have a question… my 6 year old daughter is said to have Lichen sclerosis. I know this is commonly seen more in post menopausal women, but more rarely in pre- pubescent girls sometimes as well, and is said to be an auto immune condition. I am worried sick because nothing seems to work very well in controlling the condition (Except the nightly Epsom salt and oatmeal soak baths), but I saw tonight a tiny round spot on my daughters neck/chest area smaller than a dime size. It is red and has tiny raised bumps, I thought previously that she had been bitten by a mosquito, but upon closer inspection, I think not. I am now worried this is eczema also. Lichen sclerosis scares me and has me thinking my daughter will have an autoimmune disease in the future (my mother has leukemia, and also rheumatoid arthritis).. I dont know if lichen sclerosis and eczema are similar but they seem like they are to me. Or what if eczema is affecting her genital area and its not lichen sclerosis? Is that possible? The doctors are not great.. we’ve seen many. This is new and rare to them for a child. I cry myself to sleep worrying about her future health and what all this means.. like can someone just have eczema or lichen sclerosis and that’s it- (other wise full healthy life),or do they usually have a bad autoimmune disease as well at some point ) because I’m not sure if these things so young are indication of a rough future health wise, or if she could very well have no other health issues? I dont know where to turn. And I wanna help my baby so much. It hurts when you cant fix something for your child. She has ok bloodwork. Would eczema show in bloodwork ? Any advice would be life changing. Please help. Sincerely, a concerned mommy.
Hi Rachel,
Oh Momma, I feel your pain. It’s so difficult to see our little ones hurting, especially when things as complicated as I know immunity are brought up.
First let me say, being diagnosed with an autoimmune condition is not horrible in most cases if you handle it properly. This means leading a clean lifestyle based on your individual needs….for instance, switching to more natural/less chemical personal care products and household cleaning products will be beneficial for her. Also eating a diet high in organic fruits and vegetables and healthy fats. Keeping her stress levels low and sleep good is also essential. And above all, making sure she has great gut health.