Need help: Hand eczema improved, then suddenly relapsed

I’ve been dealing with what I believe is hand eczema/dyshidrotic eczema for several months and I’m trying to figure out why it keeps coming back.

The eczema is mainly on my hands, especially around my knuckles and fingers. During flares I’ll get dryness, itching, thickened skin, cracked skin and sometimes small bumps. Right now the skin isn’t extremely red or weeping, but it’s dry, thickened, and darker in some areas from previous inflammation.

A few things that confuse me: • Moisturizer absorbs almost immediately when I apply it, like my skin just drinks it up. • I’ve tried applying moisturizer to damp skin and sealing it with Vaseline afterward. • I stay hydrated and have been making an effort to drink more fluids. • I was prescribed a steroid cream. It worked really well for a few weeks and my hands improved significantly, but then the eczema came back and got worse again. • I work as a hairstylist, so my hands are exposed to water, shampoo, conditioner, and frequent washing throughout the day. ( I do wear gloves ) • I suspect there could be a trigger involved because the steroid helped initially but didn’t provide a lasting fix.

I’m wondering: 1. Has anyone had eczema improve with steroids only for it to come back worse afterward? 2. Could repeated exposure to salon products and wet work be enough to prevent my skin barrier from healing? 3. Has anyone found out their “eczema” was actually contact dermatitis from something they touched every day? 4. If moisturizer absorbs immediately, does that usually mean the skin barrier is severely compromised? 5. Did patch testing help anyone identify a trigger?

I’ve also been reading about gut health and inflammation, but I’m not sure how to go about that.🥺 Any advice or similar experiences would be appreciated.