Help with dermatitis

[snowchickie79]

For the last few years i've suffered with dermatitis on my hands and when i got my BFP my GP told me i couldn't use my dermatitis cream anymore as it has a steroid in it. I used to have a break out every other week and just applying the cream for a day or two would make it go away.

Well I now have it covering the majority of the top of one hand and coming up on the second. It's itchy and looks hideous but not sure what i can try to heal it or at least remove the itch. I've been putting on a cream called Cetaphil which is supposed to be very good for dermatitis and sensitive skin but it's not going away.

Any tips from anyone would be great?

[Trillian]

Unless it is a very strong steriod cream, then it should be OK to use as it's only a topical ointment. I have psoriasis and I continued to use my steriod based creams and lotions during my pg's. My GP told me it was fine to continue using it for that reason.

[Karina]

I get chronic severe dermatitis, and after 23 years i still havent managed to work out exctly wht triggers it!! Anyway, I asked my doctor about it when I was pregnant and he said it was ok to use a steroid cream/ointment too. I only got a little bit of dermatitis at the beginning of my pregnancy and luckily it went away quickly but at the moment I have it really badly and my doctor has had to prescribe a "strong" ointment for me which is ok to use while breastfeeding. I used just an over-the-counter cortisone (dermaid, i think) when I was pregnant but it didnt really do anything for me. So I used another one I had to get on a prescription instead which worked. I also use soap-free wash (eg: QV) in the shower which does help a bit. I think I heard somewhere something about using oats, but I am not sure how they are used, but maybe someone else will know?

[artemis]

I know alot of ppl that have used Moogoo msm cream with great success on dermatitus ,excema etc.Maybe u can give that a go as a more natural alternative.They r Australian owned & based in QLD ,the owner ,Craig ,is always very helpful & they also have alot of info about their products on the site as well as info on different skin conditions.
I have dermatitus myself & currently have it on my nipples which is really awful & i'm just waiting on some Moogoo atm.It's really good on babies & children too

[faeriegirl]

my little man got put on a bunch of celloid suppliments by a naturopath which really helped his dermatitis

[~StarBright~]

i get it on my nose from the nickle in my glasses and i was told i could keep using the cream while i was pregnant coz it was a very mild steroid, but i am just using a tiny bit on my nose, not all over, i would double check with your dr and the pharmisist.
I find i have to use it everyday or it keeps coming back...

Good luck

[Trillian]

With the oats, you cut off a leg from a pair of stockings and tie a knot in it and rub it over you in the shower like a loofah scrub.

[Yael]

I have severe contact irritant dermatitis, primarily on my hands, but also on the rest of my body. I've just finished a year of UV therapy on my hands, which are now in remission (yah!, unfortunatly remission typically only lasts 6 months, so will probably have to start again soon).

I use the strongest hydrocortisone cream that you can buy in australi (chlorbetsol sp?), alternating with the 2nd strongest (Diprosone OV). Both of these are 100% fine to use during pregnancy according to both my obs and my dermo. There is no contraindictation for use of topical steriods during pregnancy, only steriod injections are the problem.

I'll try to come back on later and type an extensive list of the important things to do for dermatitis. Mine flared up dramatically with my 1st pregnancy, and it was hard to tell what happened with the 2nd as i was already having light therapy at that stage (which btw, was fantastic for my dermatitis!). They say the slightly increased core body temperature can cause the flare up.

It is a very very stressful condition to live with, I'm still being very careful, as i have it elsewhere (legs, arms, face, nipples, between my legs), and really don't want them getting as bad as my hands did.

HTH

[~StarBright~]

Mine seems to really ark up over metal.... if i wear certain belts or even buttons on jeans, i will get a really itchy spot on my belly, and as i said before on my nose from my glasses, and behind my ears.

It really only seemed to start after my first pregnancy, Yael, do the drs know what it is about pregnancy that seems to trigger people? I didnt really know what it was at first- just that i would scratch and scratch which of course made it worse!!! My belly would rise up like a huge welt, it wass\ gross, yet i dont seem to get it anywhere else. WEird..

[Yael]

I also have a reaction to nickle - especially from cheap earings (which is how i found out when i was 12 years old), any cheap jewelry, watch bands, studs on jeans etc.

I only wear gold & silver jewelry, and have to put bandaids on behind studs (or have them taken out, as i'm developing a reaction to bandaids now). I'm naughty and am still wearing my watch, even though i'm not supposed to as i have a big patch there now. I need to go paint the back with clear nail polish, i find that helps.

Starbright - they don't know for sure what triggers it - most peoples get better - but some get big flare ups. Might me heat, hormones, who knows?? But it sucks bigtime!

[Karina]

I also use Diprosone OV too. I tried the natural stuff for a change but it didnt work for me at all. My skin was at the weeping, bleeding, crusting over, swollen and insanely itchy stage. The diprosone made a huge improvement in just 2 days though. It wasnt cheap ($35 for the tube), but I claimed it all back on my private health insurance so I wasnt out of pocket for it in the end. I got told to not have long hot showers/baths and to make sure I wear cotton lined washing up gloves when doing the dishes, but I'm sure your doc has told you that already. Maybe you could speak with your doc again (or another doc!). A friend of mine swears by a homeopathic treatment for eczema.

[~StarBright~]

Does it ever suck!!! And when my belly is bad, it looks really gross!!!!

My belly hasnt flared up for ages, since i started figuring out that certain pants and belts made it start, but then i would find ANYTHING i wore while it was flared would then give it to me too, i basically had to wait till it cleared and then by a whole new wardrobe of pants, and i have some pants i LOVED but now cannot wear because they just make it come back!!

I find if i get my belly wet, like from doing the dishes and then something rubs on it, that will make it flare up, or as you said Karina, Heat and sweat. And yes HOT showers would just make it go sooooo red and welty!!! But befoe i knew what it was, i thought it was like a bacteria thing and so i would have a hot shower thinking i was killing all the yucky germs!!!!!

Now i know, i have my cream and it all seems ok!!

[snowchickie79]

All great feedback, thanks.
Yesterday my Mum got me some sorbolene cream, which Dr suggested and i've been putting that on like it's going out of fashion, i'm using a sorbolene soap which is actually soap free, but this morning it's worse. I have the blisters now.
Dr said that although the cream (I use Elocon) was probably ok during PG that it wasn't 100% proven to be safe, so best if I can to avoid using it.
If it keeps up like this then i'm going to have no choice. I don't know what causes mine. I only get it on the top of my hands, along the ridges of 3 specific fingers only, and on one of my cheeks (my face, that is .
I have always assumed it was a soap thing for my hands but have never been able to find a solution.

[Karina]

My midwife told me to be careful using Elecon as well, but my GP (who is also an Ob) said it was ok.

[snowchickie79]

My GP said best not to use the Elocon. I looked up the Elocon details online and under pregnancy it recommends not to use it.

I went to the chemist today and they have recommended Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream which is dermatologist tested and has natural colloidal oatmeal in it which is supposed to help soothe and heal. I'll give it a couple of days and see how it goes. Website is the name plus .com

Another product was called Medihoney (again name plus .com for website). Apparently they cook any bacteria or organisism out of the honey and then it makes up part of this cream which is all natural. Chemist said i could use that when PG so if the Aveeno doesn't work might give the Medihoney Eczema cream a go which also helps dermatitis.

Fingers are crossed that one of these works as I'm going to go nuts otherwise.

[Trillian]

Wow about the Elocon, that's what I use, both the lotion for my scalp and the cream for my body. I never used a lot of it though.

[snowchickie79]

I found the website drugs dot com and then search the drug name then choose the CUSTOMER INFORMATION (PDR) option then it gives you a full run down on the product and there is a part regarding use in PG and breastfeeding.

[snowchickie79]

Ok i've taken 2 steps forward and 1 step back.
Been over a week now and using Aveeno hand cream constantly, switching to sorbolene based soap and using cotton lined gloves to wash up seemed to be working. I thought I'd be able to put my wedding ring back on today but i've woken up with a new clump of blisters on both hands whereas yesterday it was almost all fully healed.. ARRGGHHH this is frustrating..