Is the NHS doing enough to treat Eczema?

Do you feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall? I did, and still do! How do you get the most out of your GP?

Instead, I went through years of on and off eczema and numerous allergic reactions. The doctors make you believe, that you will always have eczema. Well, I will accept this and live my life covered in eczema. I use to ask my GP if I could see a skin specialist. He replied, " They can only offer you, what we are offering". This is the kind of helpful advice I had to put up with.

The only worthwhile medications they offer you are steroid creams and antihistamines. These are very powerful, but next to useless if you don't use them properly. This is why eczema sufferers need accurate guidance on how and when to use them.

The moisturizing creams your GP offer you are very hit or miss. Most of them are standard creams like Doublebase, Diprobase and Aqueous. If these creams are good, why are so many people shopping elsewhere? Why are people paying a fortune for alternative treatments?

What action needs to be taken, to improve treatment for dry skin sufferers?

First, our doctors and nurses should be more aware of allergies. They need to give their patients more direction on how to use potent medication properly.

Another option is to open group classes across the country or globally, where people can learn about controlling dry skin conditions and allergies. I know there are groups like these, but there are very few of them.

Imagine if you can learn the following topics in one or two days. You could save yourself a lot of trouble.

• How to control eczema using techniques and routines.
• How to use the medication and when to use them.
• A course on how to control house dust mites in your house.
• Information about which foods to avoid, low risk allergy recipes and which foods will benefit your skin and immune system.
• Which alternative treatment you should consider looking into and which ones you should avoid.
• Information about the immune system and the gut.
• Which products you should consider using.
• Which allergies you should look out for. For example, metal, clothes and chemicals.
• A crash course on how to handle Anaphylaxis. You can practice using an Epipen.
• And many more.....

These types of classes would be immensely helpful. If alcoholics can have thousands of Alcohol Anonymous groups, why can't we have the same for people with allergy problems?

How do you use your GP the best possible way?

Your GP can be useful if you have eczema, believe it or not. Ask your GP for three different kinds of steroid creams. These are mild, moderate and potent, or you could call them a Zap Pack. If your GP accepts to prescribe you these steroid creams, then ask your GP how often you should use the most potent steroid cream. Your doctor should say to use the potent steroid once a week, just to keep your skin under control. Ask your GP to add a non-drowsy antihistamine, to stop you from feeling itchy.