Newbie here, eczema question :)

[Tsubaki]

Hi guys, I'm new here.

Basically, I'm not sure what I have. I think it's eczema but I'm not 100% sure.

So, sorry for the long text wall, but here's what happened...
About a year ago around August-September, I noticed tiny red dots on the side on my right hand's ring finger, between my ring and middle finger. I though it was just an itch and it would go away but...

As time went on it developed into blisters with clear centres and spread up and over my 4 fingers, and it feels like it's spreading over to my thumb as well.
My fingers were swollen and certain spots were very dry and cracked, and it bled a little. I could pull my hand into a fist because the skin was so tight that it hurt.
Them it started to ooze/weep a clear liquid, which was only slightly sticky when it dried. When I pop a blister that liquid comes out. It kept spreading and I remember one time it itched liked crazy for a brief while on the side of my index finger. The next day it has spread there.

In desperation I looked all over the web and found a blog that had a kiwifruit treatment, so I decided to try it. (According to the blog it says the type of eczema he has is a herpes infestation type).
It helped A LOT, for the first time over half a year I could see my fingers swelling down after one application of the kiwifruit treatment. I could see a huge improvement over the next day as my fingers weren't so swollen, and some of the bumpy blisters went away.
I continued to use kiwifruit until my fingers were almost back to normal... I was delighted.
However, it came back.
I didn't know what to do so I went to my doctor and he prescribed me Dermol. I used it and it went away. But I stopped using it after a while when my hand looked like it was back to normal, but those blisters started to come back again.

I went back to my doctor and he prescribed me a different cream, and I continued to use it for about a month. He said what I had was psoriasis.
During that month I could still see where my eczema was, and to my horror it spread really fast, further down the back of my hand and palm as tiny red dots. Faster than when I didn't put anything on it.

I stopped using the cream and read on a site that said that apple cider vinegar helped cure some people's eczema. So I started applying some on my hand. Naturally, as my eczema was quietened by the cream, I didn't know if it was working or not.
About two weeks ago the blisters started emerging again. However, the apple cider vinegar seems to help soften the skin so I kept using it. But new blisters keep popping up every day.

I'm at my wits end and don't know what to do, if I start using the cream again it'll spread up my arm and I don't want that.

My eczema doesn't itch at all, apart from that one time where it itches before spreading onto a new patch of skin. However, I can feel some sort of 'sore burning' when new blisters appear. It's only on my right hand, nowhere else. I'm confused as eczema itches and mine doesn't. I'm 18 and it's been a year since my eczema first popped up. I've never had any eczema of any type before.

Is there anything I can do to treat it, or better cure it? I'm pretty sure eczema is curable, but I don't know what I have.
Does anyone else have similar symptoms to me? What can I do? I need help and I feel depressed whenever I think about it.

[itchy4life]

Hello!

I'm not sure if the doctor you are seeing is a General Practitioner or a Dermatologist.  If he/she is a GP, then I would suggest that you go see a Dermatologist to diagnose your condition.  I've had atopic eczema since childhood, and I can tell you one thing for sure -- it itches.  Like hell.  But there are different types of eczema as well which may have different symptoms.  That is why it is important to know exactly what it is you have first.  There are so many forms of effective treatment out there these days that may help you, but you really have to know what you're dealing with. 

Hopefully there are some others here that can better relate to your situation and respond to your post...but keep us posted in how you do...

Take care

[Tsubaki]

Hi there, thanks for replying~

My doctor is a GP, and I'm a bit reluctant to go to a dermatologist since it costs about $200 a visit where I live.

The only thing that makes me confused about my condition is that it doesn't itch at all, 99% of the time. (The only times it does is when new blisters form, but that's not consistent itching).

I'm going to get a blood test soon just in case I'm allergic to anything, but I don't think I'm allergic to any foods. At least, I don't have a history of.
The main thing I want to know is some sort of pointer on what I have. But I have a feeling that if I go back to my doctor he'll only prescribe me more creams.

Thank you for replying, it's heart-warming to see a reply.
Once my blood test results are out, I'll be sure to post an update.

EDIT: I would like to know, what types of eczema are there that has blisters and oozes a clear liquid when popped? And doesn't itch? Apart from dyshidrotic eczema?

[Tsubaki]

Hi guys, an update.

I didn't receive any word about my blood test results, which probably means there's nothing wrong.

On New Year's day I went for a swim at a lovely clean beach filled with sea life (cockles, huge crabs, starfish, etc) and received sunburn because I forgot to apply sunscreen. Opps. Never again.
The following day I noticed my eczema had 'deflated' and sunk back into the skin. I was amazed, I knew the sea would help, but not this much! For now, I'm keeping a close watch on it. The skin looks almost normal, but it still has uneven patches of pink mixed with normal skin colour.
It seems too early to say if it's gone for good, but once my sunburn heals I intend to plan another trip to the beach.

I think it's all the beneficial bacteria from the sea, helping my skin. And maybe the minerals or something, too.

[itchychick]

Hi there, I'm so glad you got some relief at the beach.  I too find that a beach holiday is the best treatment for my eczema.  It's something magical about the combination of sun and seawater that makes a huge difference for me.

Hope you have lasting relief!

[itchy4life]

Hello Tsubaki,

Good to hear that you've found some relief!  I know sometimes a couple of hours out in the sun helps my eczema too...although I have yet to try the seawater. 

Take care