There are a variety of things that dermatologists recommend eczema patients do to reduce these aspects of flare ups. Keep in mind that you will have to alter your lifestyle to some extent in order to accomplish the feat but that the result is definitely worth the changes required.



Although you can only use these to help with duration and severity during a flare up, utilizing these modifications all the time will limit the number of flare ups you experience, so it is a good idea to always do the following things:

MOISTURIZE: Because your skin does not hydrate itself, moisturizing is very important to help control flare ups. It will help your itching, cracking, peeling, and scaling. After any occasion that your skin is wetted, you should moisturize with a cream or petroleum based moisturizer.

Lotions usually have an alcohol derivative that will cause drying, so lotions are not recommended. The moisturizer should be applied to wet skin to help seal moisture into the skin. This particular lifestyle change is probably the key player in your battle to keep eczema under control. Another thing that can help is to use non scented, non colored oil in your bathwater in addition to application of moisturizer after the bath.

Use non irritating products on your skin. This includes soaps, cosmetics, perfumes, jewellery, and laundry cleaning agents (detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheets). You should use products that are fragrance free and dye free where you can.

If the product cannot be fragrance and dye free, you should watch closely to see if it causes any irritation. If so, this is a product that you need to avoid. Hypo allergenic can mean a variety of things so what may be non irritating to one person may still irritate another. Different companies have different hypo allergenic formulas, so you may need to experiment with cosmetics.

Jewellery is often a culprit, but the majority of the time, it is the nickel used in the jewellery that affects eczema sufferers. For those who have had sensitivity to jewellery, purchasing nickel free jewellery will probably allow you to wear jewellery, just try one piece at a time, earring are a good first trial item. Use common sense with any cleaners or other man-made chemicals. Try to avoid contact with the skin through wearing protective clothing/gloves.

Perspiration should be cleansed from the skin as soon as possible. This normal body function can be a terrific irritant to you, but a quick bath with moisturizer applied afterward should help your skin handle exercise. Just do not let the perspiration remain on the skin for long.

Be prepared for extreme temperatures. Try to keep your body temperature regulated as much as you can during these times. In the winter, remember that wool clothing can be a scratchy irritant, so watch what you buy to winter clothes and always moisturize (as outlined above, except more often) during the winter.

The drier air tends to make your skin drier, often helping to trigger eczema flare ups. Extreme heat invites perspiration, so remember to follow the step on perspiration described above.

Control your itch. This can be done through applying moisturizer when itching begins and/or through the use of a cold compress. The cold compress reduces inflammation, therefore helping reduce the need to scratch.

Trim your fingernails. It is harder to break skin open with short nails. At night, wear cotton gloves to keep from scratching in your sleep.

Wear cotton. This is the most cost effective clothing for eczema patients and will allow the skin to breathe.

Reduce your stress. Create a support network for yourself, adding a licensed counsellor to this network is recommended because counsellors can help you learn stress management techniques. Stress has proven to be linked to eczema flare ups, although researchers have yet to find out how.