Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) is a skin condition characterized by red itchy skin. Eczema is common in children but can occur at any age, and it is typically chronic and tends to flare up periodically. The primary risk factor for atopic dermatitis is having a personal or family history of eczema and can be co-morbid with people who experience allergies, hay fever or asthma.
There is no cure for eczema, but things can be done to relieve itching severity and help reduce/stop outbreaks.
Please note this is not a comprehensive list nor are we medical professionals; discuss all options with your doctor or dermatologist before attempting any of the suggested treatments in this post.
1. Identify Your Triggers
Triggers are not the same for everyone; they can be textiles, soaps and detergents, scents, foods hot & cold temperatures, allergies, stress and hormones. Keep a journal to track seasonal allergies, asthma attacks, the things you eat and follow all of the stuff you put on your body, including textiles creams, scents, soaps, detergents and cleaning products. Track your stress levels, temperature changes, and dry air, and pay close attention to when you have breakouts.
2. Moisturize Often
Keeping your sensitive skin well moisturized with a good quality cream is a proven way to help soothe breakouts. Use gentle creams to moisturize and gently apply at least twice a day. Applying cream after a bath or shower on gently dried skin is an excellent way to help lock moisture in.
3. Use Lukewarm Water
I know hot water is the best! But hot water is drying to the skin, causing dry, itchy skin, which can inflame eczema or cause a breakout; it’s best to keep your showers and baths lukewarm.
4. Take a Bleach Bath
This sounds wild and extreme, but the American Academy of Dermatology recommends considering a bleach bath to help prevent eczema flare-ups. As with all treatments, speak with your doctor or dermatologist before trying.
A diluted-bleach bath decreases bacteria on the skin and related infections. Add 1/2 cup (118 millilitres) of household bleach, not concentrated bleach, to a 40-gallon (151-litre) bathtub filled with warm water. Measures are for a U.S.-standard-sized tub filled with overflow drainage holes.
5. Use Gentle Soaps
Soaps with harsh chemicals and scents can cause eczema breakouts or make them worse. Choose dermatologist-approved soaps with moisturizing ingredients. Choose fragrance-free or naturally scented detergents for your clothes. Don’t use bubble baths or bath additives with harsh elements, especially for kids.
6. Use Creams & Ointments Formulated to Soothe Eczema
Creams and ointments are better than lotions for people with eczema because they coat your skin and absorb slowly, protecting your skin for longer. When shopping for Eczema creams and ointments, look for ingredients that reduce inflammation and soothe irritation like oats, Copaiba oil, soothing oils, butters, honey and aloe. Avoid creams with irritating fragrances and certain essential oils like tea tree oil and ingredients like urea, lanolin, retinoids, Cocamidopropyl betaine, propylene glycol and ethanol.
Loot for creams like our Butter Up- Anti Itch Eczema Soothing Cream that is specially formulated to help soothe eczema flare-ups, contact dermatitis, bug bites, sunburns and generally dry, itchy irritated skin. Butter-Up is made with Copaiba oil, colloidal oats, B12, honey, aloe and various skin benefiting oils and butters.
Consider investing in a good barrier repair moisturizer; these moisturizers help repair your skin barrier with specific formulations of ceramides, fats and acids and help your skin retain moisture more effectively. Look for ingredients like ceramides, cholesterol, palmitic acid and linoleic acid. Be cautious many of these creams have additional ingredients that can irritate eczema, so speak with your doctor or dermatologist to find out which barrier repair creams are safe for you.
7. Dr. Prescribed Solutions
Steroids can be a rapid and effective fix for people with severe eczema; however, these medications are not safe for people with borderline or high blood pressure. Steroids can raise your BP to dangerous levels. If you choose to use steroids, you must regularly monitor your BP.
Antihistamines can be helpful for people whose eczema is triggered by seasonal allergies. Antihistamines can leave some people feeling drowsy, so taking them at night may help.
Prescription Phototherapy (Light Therapy) is recommended for people whose eczema doesn’t get better with treatment. Phototherapy is generally used for eczema all over the body (widespread) or for localized eczema (such as hands and feet) that has not improved with topical treatments.
8. Use a Humidifier
Whether in dry, hot locations or in heated homes during the winter, heat and dry air can parch sensitive skin and worsen itching and flaking. A portable home humidifier or one attached to your furnace adds moisture to the atmosphere inside your home, helping to soothe your super sensitive skin.
9. Treat Stress and Anxiety
Most of us are aware that having the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol surging through our bodies constantly can seriously impact many systems in our body, possibly leading to serious long-term health outcomes. For many, stress and anxiety can trigger Eczema breakouts. If stress triggers your eczema, then finding ways to manage it is essential for your quality of life and well-being. Whether you manage your stress through meditation, massage, acupuncture, baths, herbs, boundaries or with professional help and medication, or a combination of all of the above, do what works for you, this may sound cliché, but you’re worthy of rest and relaxation.
10. Vitamins and Supplements
Many people like to go the natural route before going to medications; this is totally fine, but self-medicating can be dangerous even with natural ingredients. It is also important to remember that any supplementation or dietary changes can cause flare-ups, and natural ingredients can interact with medications. It is essential to discuss any supplements you plan to take with your doctor, and
All of the below supplements have shown potential benefits for helping to treat eczema.
Fish Oil may be beneficial for pregnant people to help prevent children from developing eczema.
Vitamin D is a vitamin that our bodies can’t produce naturally and isn’t present in many foods. Being low in vitamin D is very common and has many health implications. Data shows that low vitamin D levels can increase eczema severity in children, and multiple studies show that supplementing with vitamin D may reduce inflammation and Eczema symptoms.
Vitamin E supplementing with vitamin E may help improve skin health and reduce Eczema symptoms. In one study taking 600 IU of vitamin E led to a 36% reduction in eczema severity after 60 days. Plus, when combined with 1,600 IU of vitamin D, eczema severity decreased by 64%
Zinc: Some studies show that if you have low levels of Zinc, supplementing with Zinc may help reduce eczema severity, especially if you have a deficiency.