Hey everyone,
I’m sure most of you know that I have, for most of my life, had eczema. Scientifically, it’s known as atopic dermatitis, but I personally refer to it as a pain in the ass. In saying that, however, I have discovered some ways to calm down my eczema that have proven very effective (I have it on my hands, I need something that works). These tips may also help with psoriasis, and could help if you develop a rash or extremely dry skin but you may not need to use them to the same extent.
- Emollients are your friend, like, your best friend - This stuff is better than any whole body moisturiser you will ever use.I had already had eczema for years before I started using emollients, and I don’t know how I survived until that moment. Having used one prescription cream after another, I wanted something gentle but effective and I got just that. I first used a brand called Epaderm, and I now use a brand called Elave, but both are wonderful. But just a disclaimer, there is a particular smell that emollient creams give off that isn’t necessarily unpleasant, but won’t smell like your favourite strawberries and cream moisturiser.
- Don’t shower every day - or wash your hands an excess amount, either. I know it sounds gross and you could never imagine not showering every day but look, your skin gets dried out with all the water it comes into contact with, and for someone with eczema, this is twice as bad as we cannot retain moisture in our skin. If you can’t bear the thought of not showering every day, though, make sure you are moisturising properly and showering at a mild temperature, as water that is too hot can dry out the skin even more.
- Too much coffee, alcohol or fizzy drinks makes for a rough time - unfortunately, some of the best things in life come with a price, and these drinks are included in that for people with eczema. Coffee naturally dehydrates, and so do alcohol and fizzy drinks, so your skin is not being hydrated from the inside, and cannot hydrate itself by retaining moisture. That means you’re going to have a flare up that will be pretty painful and won’t die down until you are re-hydrated naturally. In terms of keeping on top of flare ups, everything in moderation. Don’t feel like you have to cut these things out of your life, but go easy on them if you don’t want horrible, itchy patches popping up. And this leads me to my next tip,
- Drink lots of water - but not too much either. The best thing I ever did was download a water tracking app. I set myself a daily amount and tried to hit as close as possible to that, which kept my eczema pretty calm and also helped my acne and how tired I was feeling. Don’t underestimate water, it’s pretty damn powerful.
- Don’t be afraid to try natural remedies - I personally hated all the creams given to me by doctors, so much so that I stopped using them entirely and started researching natural aids for eczema. Some worked well, some didn’t, but at least I knew what I was putting on my skin wasn’t a weird combination of chemicals. My natural recommendations are aloe vera, coconut oil and bee propolis. If you’re trying to use natural products to clear up eczema, I suggest doing lots of reading, experimenting on your skin (expect to react badly, you don’t know what your skin likes until you try everything), and if all else fails on the extremely natural route, try Lush’s Dream Cream, my skin’s second favourite after aloe vera.
I hope that this helps some of you who may be suffering at the moment, especially during the summer months when the air gets warmer. Just remember not to scratch!
Much love,
Jess | stylenua
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