Well, this is a problem we often encounter at the healthfood shop where I work. First off, you need to cut out dairy (if you eat it), this is the number one culprit of eczema. An intolerance to dairy (or any other food) can happen at any time, so it matters not if you have been lactose tolerant in the past. It takes three months for dairy to get fully out of your system, so you have to be diligent in avoiding it. I'm not disputing that this is auto-immume, it is, and, you can help that out by getting on some Echinaforce tincture by a company called Bioforce (you will find it in independant healthfood shops). Also, their Calendula Complex will help, as well. It has Calendula and Viola Tricolor in it, which will soothe the irritation, calm the redness, and take care of the root issues by detoxing the lymph glands. In the interim, if that stuff you got from the States doesn't take care of the itch as much as you would like, try Grandma Vine's Antiseptic Gel (also found at your local, independant healthfood shop). It is a brilliant product which puts a protective, breathable layer down on the skin while effectively stopping the itch so you won't scratch it; it stops the "itch/scratch cycle".
Best advice I, as a practitioner of natural health, I can give you. Let us know how you get on....
~A
