Will an antihistamine like benadryl get rid of pompholyx eczema? Or do I need something stronger from a MD?
358904
Antihistamines are not used to treat eczema, but topical steroids are. Usually I moisturize to stave off my eczema (usually it's just atopical dermatitis). But when it gets to the point where it does blister and peel, I get a steroid cream from my dermatologist. The steroid cream quells the inflammation by suppressing local immune response which will stop the flare up. Moisturizing only relieves some of the discomfort.
690604
I use Cortisone 10 Plus.  It also has moisturizers in it.  I have been lucky this year.  Mine has not been bad at all.  I don't think there is a permanent cure for eczema.  The only thing I can suggest (since your case seems to be rather severe), is to see your doctor and have them refer you to a dermatologist.  Only a dermatologist will be able to give you the best treatment for this condition.  Thankfully, mine is very mild, but in your case, a dermatologist is the only answer.  Please see one.  You'll feel a whole lot better.
332474
All the above answers are actually very good; there is not one simple solution to eczema.  Things that contribute to eczema include allergies to things such as foods, perfumes or soaps and it is helpful to try and identify these if possible.  Most of the time, it is impossible to do so and instead skin care plays a major role.  Avoid scratching if possible; sometimes this requires the use of topical Benadryl, steroids or Calamine to reduce the itching.  To avoid drying out the skin which precipitates many bouts of eczema, use as mild a soap as possible or, preferably, none at all.  Particularly in infants, the use of soaps or shampoos really isn't necessary and only serves to dry out the skin.  Also, avoid excessively long baths or showers for the same reason.  When drying off, don't rub the skin as this removes a lot of the natural oils.  Pat or air dry.  Then, apply a moisturizer (Eucerin is a good one without perfumes or colors) immediately to prevent drying out of the skin.  Vaseline works great for this as well, but can feel greasy afterwards.  Usually, these measures will lead to improvement in the eczema.  However, topical steroids may be necessary.  In general, these are quite safe.  In more severe cases, topical tacrolimus or pimecrolimus (Protopic or Elidel) may be useful.  However, these are associated with more side effects and are best left as a last resort.
732120
Fill a bag of muslim cloth with rolled oats and put it under your warm water bath tap when running your bath. This has a soothing effect and reduces itching. I suffered with eczema on my lower legs and feet for a couple of years and found the oats offered a little temporary relief. But eventually my eczema went away after having a course of cortisone injections. All the very best to you and hope you find something that works for you too.
351019
There are two different classifications of drugs you need to consider - antihistamines and decongestants.  The drugs Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and Claritan (loratadine) are antihistamines.  They essentially block the body's immune response to an allergen.  Decongestants on the other hand (most commonly Sudafed, or pseudoephedrine) don't block the response, but relieve they symptoms.  A combination of the two may be what you need, but you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out what is best for you.\n\nOne that wasn't mentioned, but seems to work best for me is Zyrtec.  Different drugs will work differently for different people, so what works for me may not work for you.  Also, keep in mind that many of the antihistamines on the market (Zyrtec & Claratin, for example) need to be taken for a few days before you really see a significant effect.  Benadryl works very quickly, but as you've seen, also makes you really drowsy.  In fact, if you look at a lot of over-the-counter sleeping pills, you'll find that many of them use diphenhydramine (which is Benadryl) as their active ingredient.  Makes sense, doesn't it?
831026
i have exzema too really really bad!!!!!!!! try putting sum ice on it it will also stop the itching.
973238
I used to have incredibly bad eczema on the palms of my hands. I never used Elidel or any other prescription medicine. I did have some success using MSM cream topically, and if it does come back I'd suggest giving it a try. I buy it at my local co-op grocery, but you could either try health-food/natural pharmacy type places, or else find it on line. The brand I used, which I thought was the best, was Source Naturals.\n\nBut there's a happy ending: after struggling with it for nearly 20 years, all of a sudden it just cleared up--completely! And there has been no trace of it for about 7 years now. I have no idea why it suddenly got better; I wasn't doing anything differently. But if it happened to me, it could happen for you.\n\nBest of luck. Believe me, I know what a life-disrupting condition this can be.
343996
Itches like hell doesn't it? In the UK its referred to as pompholyx excema. I found cutting down on dairy really helped and evening primrose oil capsules orally.
266312
An allergic reaction probably would've happened right away; but if you have taken Benadryl safely in the past, you could always try it and see if the symtoms go away.  It just doesn't sound like an allergic reaction, since you didn't mention itching and rash.  \n\nThis is more likely the beginning of an infection (doctors call it cellulitis) and you need to take antibiotics to get rid of it.  You can usually tell an infection by swelling and redness - but you shouldn't diagnose yourself.  You definitely need to see a doctor because, if it is an infection, it can keep growing in the tissue of your foot and you DON'T want to deal with that.  \n\nI don't necessarily think you need to go wait 4 hours in an emergency room (especially since you are working and all that) - unless you are having symptoms of an allergic reaction that is spreading over your whole body (like rash, shortness of breath, etc. - then it's Emergency Room time).  If you have health coverage, your doctor should see you right away once you tell him/her your symptoms (like the same day).  A lot of times, the people answering the phone at the doctor's office won't know how serious this can be.  If they won't give you an appointment the same day or, at the latest, the next day, ask for a call back from your doctor.  Definitely get it taken care of - sooner than later.  Take care :)
302617
yep. worked for me. only do it in short stints though. 5 or 6 minutes at a time.\nalso try pinetarsol (australian name) which is a pine liquid to dab on eczema. works wonders
269367
my 8 month old has had skin allergies since she was a newborn. she also has baby eczema. her doctor prescribed elocon...i think thats how you spell it. anyway, at the pharmacy, they can give you a generic which is a whole lot cheaper, but still works wonders. before the doctor had given me the precription, my sister in law had already told me about the cream. she's a nurse in the allergy department of hospitals. any way, the itching definitely has subsided, but hasn't totally gone away. i have noticed though that when i put a few drops of baby oil in her bath water that it keeps her skin from drying out and helps to prevent some of the itchyness. i tried lotion, but that also gives her an allergic reaction. \n\nmy best suggestion would be to try different suggestions and see whay works best for your child. although eczema is eczema, each child will react differently to things. also preventing the itch is a whole lot better than trying to treat the itch. keep her moisturized with a hypoallergenic formula, keep her clean, treat the eczema every night with the elocon or equivalent, and let her know that scratching will only inflame the area. good luck to you and your daughter.
301092
Calalmine lotion is good for a mild case.  There are also over the counter hydrocortisone creams that will help with the itch and redness and for a really, really bad case (I hope for your sake not) like with blisters you can get some prescription steroid anti-inflammatory medicine from your doctor.  Don't scratch!
247153
I have eczema - I went to the general doctor. He told me it was a rash - gave me something that helped a little but didn't get rid of it.\n\nI went to a dermatologist. He prescribed protopic. Cleared it right up. Occasionally it flairs up and I treat it. \n\nCheck with a dermatologist. And remember, no one else notices your condition as much as you do.
880834
any skin lesion that is itching does need to be seen by a doctor, you can try a caladryl lotion, I am not sure if benadryl is available as lotion over the counter, you can also take any itch ointment over the counter, You do want to see a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen or if new symptoms develope, good luck
1177742
hm. caladryl is the best thing for it. (a combination of calamine lotion and benadryl.)\n\ncommon home remedies include half cup baking soda in a warm bath or an oatmeal poultice.
277747
I know how you feel. My daughter has had eczema since she was born and she is now 10 years old. I have taken her to 8 different doctors and she has had allergy testing done also. She now has to take 3 shots per week because her allergies are so bad. Allergies do have alot to do with it but I recently took her to a childrens dermatologists at childrens hospital and she has recommended that we : 1. make her showers last for no longer thaan 5 min. 2. within 3 minutes of her getting out of the shower we put on fluocinolone acetonide "you have to have a rx for that" then put a thick layer of vasiline on top of that. 3. If the ecxems is really bad put her in wet wraps 2 times a day for about 2 or 3 days " all you need to do is get some childrens stockings, the thick ones, and wet them with warm water and squeeze them out , put them on the places that are bad, like her legs or arms, and then take a blanket out of the dryer and wrap her in it for about an hour. This may be hard for you since your child is only a  year old. 4. Put one capful of clorox in her bathwater 2 times per week. Make sure you don't leave him in there no longer than 5 minutes. All bath water and showers should just be warm not hot, hot water dries the skin out. I know this sounds like a lot but it has helped her. She still has problems but they are not as bad as they were. If you want to talk my yahoo messenger is michelle062605. Good luck and I hope that things get better for you.
1155375
If you are talking about visible eczema, the answer is no. If you are talking about severe idiopathic itching in the ear canal for which neither topical steroids or any of the new eczema medicines like Elidel have helped with the itching, then try capsaicin cream. This is a hot pepper cream used to treat arthritis and other muscle pains. Apply a small amount 3X daily with your finger or a q-tip for a few days and the itching will stop. Be aware that you will feel heat the first few days you apply the capsaicin but this will stop after a few days. After a few days of regular treatment usually a once a day application will usually stop the itching from returning. The good thing is that compared to steroids there are no side effects as long as you keep the pepper cream off your lips and out of your eyes. A dermatologist taught me this treatment option. This will not cure the the condition but it sure beats having an itchy ear.\n\nhttp://www.dermnetnz.org/treatments/capsaicin.html