I have suffered from bouts of eczema for as long as I can remember. So as you can imagine, when it comes to managing it, I know exactly, what to do. Over the years, I’ve tried so many eczema products and remedies – some have worked and some haven’t. I’ve read books, watched documentaries; I’ve changed my diet. When it comes to eczema, I know what I’m talking about. (Not to sound big headed, but I do.)
I’d hate to think of anyone struggling to deal with their eczema, so I thought that I would share my top management tips for living with it. Just like any skin condition, if you treat it right, you can easily get it under control. You might even be able to get rid of it for good – miracles do happen!
Okay, so let’s talk eczema management.
Get your skincare right
Of all the advice I’m going to give you, this is one of the most important. If you want to beat eczema once and for all, you need to get your skincare right. For years, I tried product after product – from over-the-counter ointments to prescription creams. I found that almost nothing worked, or it would work for a couple of days and then make my eczema worse.
What I’ve found is that when it comes to eczema, natural is always best. For me, aloe-vera-based products have been my saving grace – until I swapped to them my skin was red, raw. I was constantly itching and my skin was cracked, sore and inflamed. To keep eczema at bay, applying a natural moisturiser morning and night is crucial. As well as any time you start to itch – cream stops you scratching and prevent soreness. Look for a natural cream – aloe vera based if possible, and invest in it.
Be wary of bath products
Use the wrong bath products and you can undo all your hard work at combating your eczema. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but bubble baths are out unless you want skin that’s red and raw, that is. Bathtime can still be relaxing; it’s just a case of finding products that work for you and don’t upset your skin.
I tend to use two products in the bath/shower and those are an aloe vera shower gel and a range of dead sea treatments. For baths my favourite is dead sea salts – these are fantastic for eczema as they’re natural and also, extremely soothing.
Know your triggers
Just like other allergies, eczema flare ups are caused by triggers. The bad news is that there are lots of triggers. Anything from pet hair to certain foods can cause eczema flare ups, so working out what your triggers are is important. The best way to do this is to keep a diary of all your flare-ups, including what you’ve been doing and what you’ve eaten. This will help you to determine what causes your eczema to get worse.
I live in a house where there are cats and a dog, so the doctor suggested my eczema could be caused by pet hair. However, as I had grown up with animals, I knew that wasn’t the cause and did some investigating. I found that my triggers were certain soaps and creams, mould, hay fever, and synthetic clothing. It took time, but by process of elimination, I was able to work out my triggers, and so can you.
Hopefully, this advice has given you some ideas for making it easier to manage your eczema. If you have any questions, please feel free to post them in the comments and I will do my best to answer.
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