Discoid Eczema-have i found my trigger?

just went to the doctor an hour ago, who apparently specialises in dermatology in my university medical centre, for a few dry patches of skin i had on my back and one on my arm,, she diagnosed me for discoid eczema, Ive just looked it up online and it said it could be triggered by an allergy. Im not allergic to anything i know of, but the only thing i can coincide the patches with, is the use of a new type of tan i bought.. the ingredients are Aqua,Alcohol den.,Dihydroxyacetone,Glycerin,Butylene Glycol,Glycereth-26,Citric Acid,Phenoxyethanol,Methylparaben,Trisodium EOTA, Butylparaben,Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben,Propylparaben,CI 19140,CI 16035, CI42090 , and Parfum.

Do you think any of these may have triggered the patches?if so il discontinue use, if not is it safe to use it?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It is true that allergic reaction is one of the important causes of eczema. Allergic reaction can occur to strong soaps, Solvents, chemicals, certain foods, food additives, plants, metals, cosmetics, even urine and faeces of some animals.

Take some antihistaminic like Benadryl or Claritin and apply some calamine lotion on the rash. Also wear cotton clothes and apply good quality moisturizers. If the symptoms persist then please get it examined from a dermatologist.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[carbery]

Thanks so much for your response,  it was the weekend when i went to the doctor that time, and as it happened i forgot the ointment i had gotten in the perscription in my college house. I did however bring home E45 moisturiser which that doctor had told me to get aswell, and put that on the first night and next morning and even by the end of the following day the results were unreal the small piece on my arm had practically done, now maybe because id stopped using the tan(if that was the allergen) that led to it dissappearing aswell but the E45 cream didnt affect it in a bad way anyway.

The initial small piece on my back is still there but going, and the other  few patches that had come up around that, are now practically gone. In the last 2 weeks whenever iv exfoliated in the shower after , its redder where those patches were, but when my skin calms a few minutes later you cant seem them again practically and the roughness is practically gone too.

It ended up i never used that ointment, as when it came to me returning after the weekend, i read the info leaflet in the box which said it was a type of steroid cream, so i was afraid to use it. But the E45 was doing the job anyway so i felt ok with that. I think the positivity boost i got from the E45 must have helped too, kind of maybe like a placebo effect when u believe your going to be ok, then it ends up that you are ok kinda thing.
Anyway thanks for replying, im just glad the condition didnt persist.