itchy bumps every year!!!

[jblhf82]

Every year since about the age of 5, I have had break outs of itchy, red, raised bumps that appear on my elbows and the back of my hands and fingers. The bumps usually start to appear as the season starts warming up and lasts throughout the entire warm season. As a child the majority of the bumps appeared on my hands and fingers but now it seems to be on my elbows. The bumps appear slowly, one at a time. They are very tiny bumps. Some appear as tiny blister-like bumps while others are just raised, red bumps. I have popped some before and bit of clear watery-like fluid comes out. My hands will only have about 10 or so bumps but my elbows seem to explode. They don't always itch but when they do they can itch rather intensly. I scratch so much that many bumps are torn open and then scab over and continue to itch. I have applied topical creams and lotions but they only help temporarily. I have had several doctors look at it before and I have never had a definitive diagnosis....just creams prescribed for itching. I have never visited a dermatologist though....think it's high time that I do. Has anyone else had this or heard of this? Please help!!!

[FurballsMom]

Sounds like eczema.  I have eczema, too.  If you research "eczema diet", you will see that the consensus is that we should definitely avoid gluten and dairy.  Some of us are more sensitive to gluten and dairy so we figure this out a bit sooner than not.  The above suggestions are right on the money and will make a huge difference, but going gluten and dairy free is also very important.  It wasn't 'til I was an adult that I started breaking out with huge solid eczema blisters on the heels of my hands.  It still took me nearly a decade or more to realize that gluten and dairy are a big factor, since having gone to the appropriate personal care and housecleaning products.  

Country Save is an economical and greener laundry powder that may or may not agree with your skin.  It is also an HE laundry powder.  You will still have to keep trying different laundry products 'til you find one that doesn't irritate the eczema.  Sulfites are a big deal, too, so you might find that doing your laundry with just baking soda is the ticket.

Seventh Generation makes a really good dish liquid that is fragrance and dye free for hand washing the dishes.  Fragrances and dyes bother me in other ways besides the eczema, so fragrance free and dye free has always been important to me.  Unfortunately, the usual dish detergents are not made for sensitive people.  Even the ones that say they're for sensitive skin have strong smelling fragrances.  I'm not able to wear dish gloves, so the right dish liquid is very important to me, as I have to have my hands directly in the water.

Dr. Bronner's castile soap is a good all purpose household cleaning product.  The essential oils are natural disinfectants.  If these are still a problem, they make one that is fragrance free that is called "Baby-Mild".  As sensitive as I am to fragrances, though, the essential oils in the Dr. Bronner's that I usually use don't bother me.  

If you can implement the right personal care and household products and the gluten free and dairy free diet, I'm certain that even the seasonal breakouts should at least diminish.  I actually no longer get the giant solid eczema blisters on the heels of my hands any more by following this kind of combination.  Those blisters used to take forever to heel, like several months, only to reappear anew less than a week after the skin would heel.  So, mine was pretty severe.

So, diet is very important.  If you also get migraines, you will want to include Tyramine Intolerance in your internet research.  Gluten Intolerance is actually a part of Tyramine Intolerance.  Dairy is included, too, though mostly under the fermented products such as cheese.  In any case, eczema sufferers should definitely go gluten and dairy free.  A word of caution:  In your efforts to go dairy free, don't try to compensate with the soy substitutes for cheese.  Go to Dr. Mercola's website and look up the information he has put out on soy.  Then, do yourself a huge favor and either limit or avoid dairy all together, especially during the time of the year when you usually break out.  Soy substitutes should be avoided.  Many vegetarians and vegans have paid a hefty price by eating way too much soy to get their protein.  I have even run across one or two on this website.  This is a very important warning.  Not all soy is bad, but the vast 99.99% of the stuff on the market should be avoided.  Besides, soy substitutes for cheese don't really taste like cheese to a real cheese lover anyway.  

A very good non-soy substitute for butter is coconut oil.  You can buy it at a supplement store for a lot less money than you can elsewhere.  Just so you know that there is a healthy alternative for your gluten free toast.

[Suz41]

my sister use to get red bumps on the back of her arms and  the doctor had her use Eucerin cream it helped a lot,  maybe they are from an allergy you have or unaware of having, maybe look at the soaps you use like laundry detergent make sure they are free of dyes and perfumes,  Im not sure if these things can help

[ducky406]

An allergy test may also help, since it is seasonal. Perhaps you're reacting to something during the warmer months.

[mkh9]

Hi and sorry you have this problem. I have these types of bumps on my hands and legs. I don't have the fluid in them though. It sounds like dyshidrotic eczema. I used clobetasol topic (steroid) ointment on my hands and legs and it works well after a few days. But don't do what I did and put it on the rash on my face as it will give you big rebound rash problems. Now most of the time I dont' have to use the steroid on my legs and hands because I use Eucerin Plus dry skin therapy intensive repair hand cream. It leaves a coating that seals out the water. You want to make sure you dry the hands and elbows very well using a soft towel and don't itch not matter what as this spread it. It does seem to vary with the weather. I use glove a lot to avoid washing my hands so much. I hope this helps. A dermatologist is a good idea though.
mkh9