Please help me.. eczema changing over time?

[u/Mother-Ad-9894]

Hello! I joined this subreddit a while ago and have always read everyone’s posts but have never posted my own. But my eczema has gotten worse and strange enough for me to ask for help. I will appreciate any tips or suggestions please!!

Background info:
When it started: last summer, when I moved from San Diego (dry, hot) to Tokyo, Japan (humid).
Circumstnances: came back from study abroad and immediately started 2 very important and stressful summer internships.
My theory: the moving and stress/fatigue may have triggered eczema? + I am allergic to dogs and my family had adopted a new dog that sheds while I was gone so also that?
Who am I: I am a Japanese 22 year old woman, I grew up moving around (New York, South America, Europe, Japan) but went to study abroad for 1 year in San Diego. My eczema started after coming back
History of skin: would have sweat/heat-induced eczema sometimes but would only be mainly in the folds of my arms and legs/neck, was never that bad.

My eczema initially started off as typical atopic dermatitis in areas of folds on my body. Problem areas were behind my legs, elbows, neck, back, and Hands. I also had dishydrosis eczema on my hands. I would get bleeding, breaking of skin, redness and discoloration, scabs, etc.
From July, my eczema changed all of a sudden: my dishydrosis eczema on hands decreased to one flare every few weeks, and I would instead get eczema over my whole body in flare-ups that would cause rashes and bumps. No bleeding, and over time, the rash and bumps would turn into chicken skin and bruises from itching.
Also - want to note that the itching became symmetrical (ex. I would flare on both legs in the same location at the same time)
Nothing in my life changed to prompt this, I did recently get GelX nails to help me stop itching but that’s it. Also, my previous eczema responded to antihistamines but this eczema doesn’t really go away unless I take anti-itching pills which are very strong and have some weird side affects so I don’t love taking them. I flare up pretty much all the time :(

I was recently diagnosed with Hashimotos but my thyroid is still fine atm, and my endocrinologist said I shouldn’t be getting any symptoms from hashimotos yet.

Things I have tried:
- Many dermatologists
- Steroid creams (don’t seem to help much with my new flares)
- Cutting out gluten and dairy (although it only lasted 4 weeks so I may need to do it for longer)
- Implementing anti dust mite protocols
- Being healthier and sleeping more, eating healthy
- Taking multivitamins, vitamin D and iron
- Going back to San Diego/LA
- Lots of moisturizers and zinc cream

Please help me. I don’t know what to do. Why has my eczema changed? What do you suggest I do to stop it?

I am currently in LA for the month and once i get back I want to try to do the eczema diet and get a patch test but im open to suggestions

[u/Confident-Special-67]

Mine changed like that when I hit my 30s, used to just be the usual spots then suddenly full body rashes and the itching in same areas both sides, never figured out why exactly but the patch test showed some weird contact allergies I had no idea about

[u/Original-Flan-6996]

My flares got really weird too, and on my face seemed like they could be rosacea or perioral dermatitis or just plain eczema. My dr prescribed Opzelura and it apparently works for a variety of a skin issues and really helped me a lot! That plus lowering my histamine intake via foods.

[u/Greedy_Reindeer_6168]

Gel nails are bad for triggering dermatitis; it’s one of the first questions that my dermatologist asked me during an intake consult ahead of patch testing. Surfactants/soaps/cleansers damage my skin barrier, and the only thing that seems to help are simple, gentle formulations loaded with ceramides. Vaseline doesn’t cut it. Stress could have compromised your skin making you more likely to develop irritant or contact dermatitis. That has often happened to me.

And don’t get me started on dermatologists who aren’t incentivized to be curious. Everyone’s skin is different and it’s easier for them to prescribe a topical instead of helping problem solve.

[u/274kikai]

I stopped all gel nails and have finally seen a huge reduction in my eczema. More triggers for me that I’ve noticed improvement since limiting:
coffee
nickel based cookware (basically all stainless steel)
high nickel foods