ECZEMA TIPS

As a severe eczema/dermatitis sufferer, I know what it's like. The late nights scratching,

the pain, sting & lumpy bumps. The red patches & the hyper-pigmentation.

Here are my top tips (in no particular order) that hopefully will help someone!

*disclaimer - I am not a dermatologist - Just a sufferer with some tips*

Watch what you eat - Write down a small list of foods/snacks you eat, and monitor how your eczema reacts afterwards. Dietary changes will not clear you for good - but some foods do make eczema worse and flare you up. Everyone is different - but here are some common culprits: Tomatoes, dairy (cheese, milk) wheat, bananas, kiwi fruit, eggs, fizzy drinks. You can see what works for you or eliminate some of these out of your diet to see if it helps!  

Don't take showers - Control how your skin comes into contact with water by bathing if you can. Add natural oils (provided you are not allergic) such as olive oil, or bath oils that can be bought (Aveeno and Salcura do great ones) You can also add specially made bath salts or baking soda. Also avoid towel-drying - Once out of the bath (or shower if you must) apply your moisturiser while your skin is wet. It will spread your product much further (even oils, shea butter etc). Your skin should dry pretty quick and be free from irritating towel fibers.

What kind of eczema do you experience - Its important to tailor your treatment down to what you are experiencing. Is it dry? are there abrasions or broken skin? is it wet? is it weeping? For dry skin: moisture is key / For abrasions or broken skin: treat it like an injury! apply wound dressings, bandages & try to stay away from applying too much moisture / For wet eczema - your skin may be infected and at that point it is best to see a doctor or research anti-septic / skin infection home remedies. If at any point you feel dizzy or sick, get to a doctor at once, as skin infections can turn into nasty blood infections.

Dealing with the itch? you can try adding eucalyptus oil (my fave), olbas oil, tea tree oil, or lavender oil to your moisturiser to add a cooling effect. I use dermaspray by Salcura to get rid of my itch which contains many calming and cooling ingredients. It's important to keep your hands away and covering eczema with bandage or dressing is best.

What kind of fabric are you around? Down to what you wear during the day, your sleepwear, even your bed covers. Synthetic material can rub at your skin and make you itch. With the static it can pull at hairs creating an ingrown disaster which can lead to eczema. There are cheap alternatives to pure 100% cotton such as modal, viscose, soft jersey etc. And you should try to stay away from sleeping in dark highly pigmented clothing. I opt for grey viscose/cotton pajamas.

Always check - Check products that you use for ingredients such as parabens or fragrance. Always do a patch test before applying a product to the skin, even if you have used/bought the product before - one month it could work - the next it could break you out.

Be kind - There are lots of home remedies people are trying to tell you about. Some helpful, some harmful and some that just don't work for you. Assess the remedy and always try to opt for something gentle. Please don't add lemon juice on your skin or rub salt into your skin. Don't take a bath in vinegar or bleach. Love your skin <3

Stressed out? Try to find aromas or activities that calm you when stressed, stress is a massive culprit with skin conditions. Take 30 seconds or 30 minutes out of your day to lay calm, breathe. Try and get as much rest every night as possible. I have noticed around 4am my skin starts to itch and so i try to stay away from being awake during that time.

Always remember that no matter how crazy your skin is acting/looking, things will improve, you are beautiful - love your skin.