Great Eczema Advice That Anyone Can Use

 If your skin is red, irritated, inflamed, or scaly-looking, you may be suffering from the skin condition known as eczema. No one is quite sure what causes this condition, but it afflicts children and adults around the world. This article will share some useful advice about the treatment and prevention of this condition. 

 

Do not take a hot shower if you are dealing with eczema. Instead, showers need to be quick and warm. Avoid harsh soaps and choose a gentle cleanser, using care to avoid rubbing your skin hard. Once your skin is clean, gently pat dry. 

 

If you are getting ready to put something on your skin to moisturize it, like an ointment or a lotion, make sure you get your skin damp first. That will help the moisturizer do its job. It may be best to apply the product within a few minutes of getting out the shower or the bath. Simply pat yourself dry, so that you are not dripping wet, and then put the product on. 

 

Always select sunscreens that are PABA-free. PABA can cause problems for people with eczema. Even if your sunscreen is completely PABA-free, you should still read through the ingredients. If you can't find an over-the-counter sunscreen that works for you, ask your physician about the prescription variety. 

 

Avoid becoming overheated. Excess sweat can trigger eczema flare-ups. If you do work out, take a shower afterwards. In fact, shower after any bout of strenuous activity, which could include things like gardening or heavy housework. Keeping your skin clean will help to keep you comfortable and your eczema flare-ups at bay. 

 

Discuss medications with your doctor. If an over-the-counter medication doesn't do the trick, a prescription one might. Use store-bought and prescription medication as directed. Straying from the instructions could cause more harm than good. At the very least, it will be ineffective, resulting in a waste of both effort and money. 

 

For those that have eczema, skin care must be modified in the cold, dry winter months. During these months, you should use an oil-based moisturizer. The oil in these moisturizers promote moisture retention. The best form of moisturizer to use in these circumstances is an ointment due to the amount of oil it contains. Since ointments are 80% oil, it protects the skin more effectively than either lotions or creams. 

 

Sweeping can cause issues with dust, and dust is not good for eczema. Vacuuming will keep the house clean while helping you to avoid flare-ups. While you have the cleaner out, head up to the bedrooms and vacuum the mattresses as well. This will help ensure that your room stays as dust-free as possible. 

 

While it is not clear what causes eczema, there are effective ways to treat it. Dry cracked skin on your hands is called dishpan hands, a type of eczema. Wear rubber gloves whenever washing dishes. If you have a latex sensitivity, use thin cotton gloves underneath. When you're done with the dishes, immediately apply some moisturizer on your hands after gently patting them almost dry. 

 

Avoid scrubbing your skin. Eczema won't just scrub away in the shower. Scrubbing your skin when you bathe will only serve to irritate it. Avoid using exfoliating scrubs and rough sponges or loofahs. Instead, use cotton rags and a gentle, unscented soap for sensitive skin. This will be much easier on your skin. 

 

Consider getting rid of your carpets and throw rugs throughout your house. Carpet and rugs are known for harboring dust mites, allergens and other microscopic irritants which can cause an eczema flair-up. So consider hardwood floors or a low pile carpet if you absolutely must have carpet in your house. 

 

You may think that keeping your house tightly sealed with help keep the dust and allergens down. But in fact it just traps them and allows them to accumulate. It is better to have ventilation in your house and to use a good heap filter where needed to capture the offending particles. 

 

Vacuuming is a better choice than sweeping. Sweeping will stir up the dust and put it back into the air. Using a vacuum (with a good filtering bag) will capture the particles and remove them from the air you breathe and keep them from resettling on the surfaces of your house. 

 

You may find that rubber gloves or latex gloves can be irritating to your skin. In fact, many people are allergic to latex which has led to gloves being made that are latex free. So when you need to wear protective cloves, invest in some vinyl ones to reduce your risk of irritation. 

 

Rinse your laundry a second time. Laundry detergents can be terrible skin irritants. Even if you are already buying and using an unscented laundry detergent intended for sensitive skin, it may still cause your eczema to flare up. Try rinsing your laundry twice, getting as much detergent off your clothes as possible, just to be safe. 

 

Only wear soft, comfortable, natural materials. Don't wear clothes that are scratchy, itchy or irritating in any way. Organic cotton is an excellent choice in clothing materials for people with eczema. Always be sure to wash your new clothing items before you wear them. This will remove preservatives and any other chemicals that might be on the cloth. 

 

Sleeping when suffering from an eczema flareup may seem to next to impossible. You need to do whatever you can to make yourself comfortable. Put on moisturizer and be sure to always use cotton sheets on your bed. Also, be sure the room you sleep in is not too warm. 

 

Moisturize from the inside out. Be sure to include plenty of healthful oils in your diet. These include olive oil and sunflower seed oil. Fish oil or flax seed oil will help you get your Omega 3 fatty acids. Take a fish oil supplement and a good vitamin to get plenty of vitamin A and D. Supplement with E, which also has great benefits for the skin. 

 

Whether you, or someone that you know, is suffering from eczema, the advice you have read here will be very useful to you. You do not have to just passively accept your condition. Take action and use the tips that you have read here to control your eczema and prevent it from recurring. 

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