Summer hopes and vinegar

I live in California and I hate to gloat but it’s basically summer here. As an “eczema sufferer” this means my eczema is about to get worse. It gets worse in part because of sweat and clothes that don’t let certain areas air out. For me it also means small bubble like blisters in my hands. I hate them because they itch like hell and it makes shaking hands embarrassing. I get them during the winter but they are worse and more constant during the summer. During this time I usually use my steroid cream like crazy but even that only helps so much because I try to not over use it, plus almost as soon as it disappears it comes back. The other thing that makes my eczema worse in the summer is shaving. I want to wear shorts and skirts more often, this requires shaving and the constant shaving irritates my legs and the eczema leaves them supper itchy and red.

I am not sure that I will ever be able to avoid all of this but I’ve been doing some research into what things help other people. I know to keep my hands washed and moisturized but I recently read that apple cider vinegar has helped some people so I decided to try it. Here is my experience:

The first time that I tried it I dabbed toilet paper into the vinegar and placed it on my finger for 10 minutes. There was an immediate relief of the itching and the next morning there was some reduction in the size of the blisters. The next night I left the apple cider vinegar soaked toilet paper on my finger and part of my hand for 30 minutes and two days later those blisters had almost disappeared. I stopped using the vinegar and focused on moisturizing my hand. A couple of days later new blisters appeared in a different part and I’ve been using the steroid cream for comparison. Unfortunately, it has been really hot and it’s been impossible to keep things under control so I’m trying out the vinegar again.

I am not sure if my early success with the apple cider vinegar was just a placebo effect or if it’s really going to help but I am hopeful that this will make my summer more enjoyable, even if my hands will be a bit smelly :) I also plan on doing more research and will post updates. 

Have a great day!