Now, as I have already expressed, because of my own history of many discoveries of nutrients that have made a great difference in my life, I decided not to return to the dermatologist but to begin to understand the condition better and to search for a "natural" solution.
I was searching but, in the meantime, the eczema was spreading all over my hands and moving up my arms. Thank goodness, it still only showed as small dry patches on the sides of my chin and at the lower inside areas of my eyebrows. In these locations, the manifestations were easily covered with makeup, but my hands were not so easy to hide now.
Many women know that evening primrose oil is on the market for purposes of helping the female population deal with mood swings due to PMS. I really didn't know this and was no longer in need of this product for this purpose. At some inspired moment, knowing that there was some connection between eczema and evening primrose oil in some unknown person's life, I purchased a bottle of softgels from the local drugstore and, eventually, from a favorite vitamin source, and began to take one a day. For some strange reason, drugstores seem to insist on carrying the product with 1000 mg per. Vitamin catalogs or stores often carry 500 mg per softgel. I prefer and use the latter because I've never been sure that it would not be something that would have other effects, some perhaps not wanted. I did realize that the product has a very high source of Omega 3. Seven years later, I believe that there is nothing in the product that is not good for a person.
I cannot say now just how long it took to begin to convince me that it was helping but I did gradually realize that it was clearing up. I would occasionally neglect to faithfully take one a day and, believe it or not, it was noticeable that the condition was more sensitive and itchy very soon thereafter. Within a month or so, the improvment was undeniable. If I took it, it was better. If I stopped, it increased. It is now seven years that I have been taking the 500 mg softgel every day and I have never had anything close to the kind of itchy, traveling and awful looking skin "rash' that I had from late 2003 and well into 2004. On the other hand, many times I have neglected to take my daily "serving" and very soon after have experienced the recurrence of the original symptoms.
The original symptoms, by the way, began with strange itchy little bumps between my fingers which then began to dry and increase. When I would be washing my hands, hot water would make the areas intensely itchy. First it was only on one hand, which made me believe, as I mentioned before, that it was a contagious skin disease that I had contracted, and was soon going to give to someone else. When it reached the other hand, I decided to take that downtown run to a dermatologist. By the time it spread over my hands, it was not always bothering me more than just its awful appearance. It was always sensitive and somewhat itchy but more unsightly that anything.
I have recommded this "remedy" to others. In one case, reluctantly, to the parents of a child. Whether or not it was tried long enough, I don't know but they did not feel that it helped. I nevery insisted because I was a little wary myself about whether or not there could be side effects. On the other hand, one of my adult daughters has had success with minor manifestations of just the kind of patches, etc. that I would get on my face.
I already made reference to the fact that there is a well known connection between asthma and eczema. It would need a lot more research to determine whether or not my favorite little softgels could make a difference - but because mine was connected with pollen allergies and, therefore, elements in nature affecting my breathing, I think there's a very real correlation and my guess would be that it would have to help those who have these conditions.
My "dissertation" may not seem convincing enough as I have tried not to be extremely repetitious about the symptoms coming and going, but seven years of watching my skin and knowing that the tendency is still quite present and very easily remanifests itself, I consider myself blessed to have discovered this easy solution and relief to a very annoying problem.
