Three Essential Products for Successful Eczema Management

Any individual with eczema needs to have a quality cleanser, moisturizer, and itch medication on hand at all times.

Since there is no cure for eczema, those living with this condition need to focus on prevention and management in order to find relief from their symptoms. While discovering an allergic trigger for your eczema through allergy testing will work wonders towards the prevention of flare-ups, unfortunately not all eczema sufferers will enjoy this benefit. In this case proper skin care will be the single most important tool for managing eczema.

Here are the three types of products you will need to properly care for your skin and manage your eczema.

Cleanser

Everyone needs to cleanse their skin to remove skin gland secretions, dead skin cells, bacteria, fungus, cosmetics, skin care products, and plain old dirt. However, eczema sufferers need to be careful not to irritate skin in the process. Therefore they will need a specially formulated cleanser that is fragrance-free, dye-free, and low-pH. The ideal pH for an eczema cleanser is 5.5 or below. By comparison most regular soap has a pH of 7 or higher.

When cleansing, it is important not to use excessively hot water or spend more than 10 to 15 minutes in the water, as this would dry out the skin and increase the risk of irritation.

Moisturizer

Immediately following a bath or shower, individuals with eczema need to moisturize to help maintain skin hydration and promote a strong and healthy skin barrier function. Again, it is best to look for products that are fragrance-free and dye-free to minimize the potential for irritation. If you have any known allergies (especially to nut oils or other food/plant derivatives) be sure to check product labels carefully. For example, many products contain oat oils and extracts which could pose an issue for a few individuals with specific food allergies.

When trying a new moisturizer for the first time, it is recommended to apply a small pea-sized amount to your wrist and then wait 24 to 48 hours without washing to see if any redness, rash, itchiness, or other sign of a reaction occurs.

Itch Control Product

To help control any flare-ups that do occur, you will want to have some kind of itch relief medication on hand. This will help reduce the urge to scratch the affected area, which helps reduce the risk of infection and also helps break the cycle of flaring and itching that can otherwise drag on and on. Some over the counter itch medications can be helpful, but if you don’t find relief, or if you find you need to use the product in a greater quantity or for a greater length of time than the label recommends, you need to see your allergist for help.

At Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Medical Group, our eczema experts can help you select the best products to use in your skin care routine as well as provide help in identifying your allergic triggers. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment.