Question about eczema and teens/hormones

[Serenade]

When my younger son was a wee babe, he had the most horrible eczema imaginable -- oozy, bleeding eczema all over his body, and particularly bad on his face and scalp.  It was so bad a visiting doctor from another country took pictures of it.    The worst of it cleared up by the time he was two, and he'd just have occasional patches on his body from there on out, but his face stayed clear -- he ended up with beautiful skin, something I would have wept with joy to hear when he looked like a baby with a horrible disease.  Anyhow, now he is 15, and he has what looks like eczema on his face again.  Although it could be acne, I really don't know.   I don't want to take him to the doctor until next year because due to a last minute change, his doctor is not covered under our plan this year, so I'd have to pay cash, and this is not really an emergency.   I guess what I'm wondering is if anyone has had a child whose eczema flared in the teen years?   Like I said, it could be acne, but it seems to be only on a certain part of his face, and it seems to be flatter than what I'd think acne would be.  I've been having him put a thick cream on it that is good for eczema, and it seems to help a little when he uses it, but I'm wondering if I should have him try some Clearasil instead.

[Pawz4me]

Yes. Youngest DS's did. He's 19 now and it's getting a lot better again.

[Serenade]

Yes. Youngest DS's did. He's 19 now and it's getting a lot better again.

 

Good to hear it's getting better again. 

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Yes, my 15 year old has eczema issues again.  So far it has been fairly mild. 

[Arcadia]

Eczema runs on my maternal side of the family. The teen years are much milder than the infant/toddler years. Whatever works for childhood eczema still work on the teens for my extended family. All have very clear skin as adults.

[almondbutterandjelly]

My dd 17 has been battling her eczema quite a bit lately.  I was thinking it was drier winter air, but maybe it's the hormones.  Huh.  Also, we have to be super careful with her food allergies.  Milk makes the eczema flare up, too.  She's had some success with staying on top of it lately.  While skin is still wet after shower, she uses the thick lotion from the jar (Eucerin?).  Her eczema is on her legs and arms mainly.

[Serenade]

Thanks for the input.  It sounds like this is not unusual.

 

I can't help but worry about it, though.  Up until about age 5 or 6, he had a dairy allergy, but then he outgrew it -- I think that was also related to the eczema, even though I nursed him exclusively for 7 or 8 months, and largely cut dairy from my own diet during part of this time.  I've heard from several people that their dairy allergy came back when they were adults.  I really hope that doesn't happen to him. He'd be crushed.  He still has a tree nut allergy that he has never outgrown and that is hard enough.