Eczema Skincare: The Endless Pursuit for the Magical Lotion or Potion

My bathroom and bedroom are both full of a plethora of lotions and potions. These have accumulated during a lifetime of struggling to manage my furious eczema flare-ups. For as long as I can remember, I have been hunting and hoping to discover the magic formula that will soothe and ameliorate this broken and battered skin on my face and body.

What convinces me to buy a particular product?

I must admit I am easily duped by all the slick and shiny packaging and branding that skin products use. Whenever I see the words, “suitable for eczema skin,” I am instantly instilled with hope, and then when I read magical buzzwords, such as soothing, hydrating, moisturizing, calming, transforming, and alleviating. Well, then the deal is firmly sealed.

What products have I tried and tested so far?

A few have been prescribed by the doctor, mainly emollients (some examples of these include: Epaderm, Doublebase gel, Zeroderm, Cetraben, Elidel, Protopic). Whilst the vast majority of been purchased from the big bad web (examples of these include Aveeno lotion, Cetaphil, Urtekram, Egyptian cream, Aquaphor, Burt’s Bees, Palmers cocoa butter, Neals Yard, Eucerin, oil, Child’s Farm, E45, Medivase, Weleda Skin Food, organic shea butter, Ameliorate, etc.) The list is exhaustive and the whole ordeal is exhausting.

How much have I spent on skin products?

Over the years, I have thrown thousands and thousands of pounds at skin products. Convincing myself that eventually, my endeavors would prove fruitful. I am sure if I had chosen to save that money instead, I would have been the proud owner of a luxury yacht or my own teeny-weeny private island. But instead, I am the (not so proud) owner of my own disorganized drugstore.

Why oh why do I keep the product?

There are a few reasons why I have chosen to keep the plethora of potions and lotions. One reason is that I have spent my hard-earned money on them and so it seems somewhat wasteful to dispose of a full pot of a perfectly good product (even though it may not be compatible with my skin).

Another reason is that I tell myself that perhaps I could pass this potion to somebody else. My skin may not like the product, but surely there might be a family member or friend whose skin might benefit from the product. Or, maybe my skin might evolve and change in nature and sensitivity in the future, so it might actually decide it likes a product (that it had previously rejected). Wishful thinking, indeed!

Sadly, returning the barely used product is not an option because the product has been opened and (barely) used.  So, for these reasons, I find myself lumbered with surrounded by a mountain of tried and tested products.

What do I hope the cream will do for my eczema?

Even though I have had very little success so far. In my head, I have always believed that I would eventually stumble across this magical, mythical cream/ointment/balm (delete as applicable). I would apply it once…and bam!...a lifetime of eczema damage would instantly be reversed or erased from my whole body. It would be a case of…‘what eczema?’ Oh, the naivety under which I operate makes me quietly chuckle…when I am not crying, of course. So, I still secretly hold unto hope.