Itching, scratching, rashes, bleeding – eczema can cause a range of difficult symptoms, but there are ways to manage the condition and carry on living your life to the full.
Itching, scratching, rashes, bleeding – eczema can cause a range of difficult symptoms, but there are ways to manage the condition and carry on living your life to the full.
Eczema brings with it many troubling symptoms. For some of you, the itchy, dry, sore skin can become debilitating and affect how you go about your daily life.
The good news: there are many tried and tested self-care tips and treatments that can help you manage the worst of the symptoms.
There are also effective ways to avoid triggers and prevent an eczema flare-up in the first place.
It's best to avoid triggers that you notice might be causing an eczema flare up:
Your diet could also play an important role, especially if you notice certain foods causing or triggering your eczema.
The aim of these tips is to help reduce any skin damage. This is because constant itching can lead to more bleeding and a risk of infection or scarring.
To help reduce your itching symptoms:
The best moisturizer or best lotion for eczema will depend on many factors. Dr. Ann Nainan of Healthily says: “It’s recommended to moisturize at least 2 to 3 times a day. You might prefer a thicker, greasier moisturizer at night while you’re sleeping, and a lighter moisturizer during the day. The general rule is the greasier the better but don’t choose one you won’t want to use. Build regular moisturizing into your skincare routine, to help prevent eczema flares. It can also help to reduce itchiness.”
If self-care hasn't worked, your symptoms are getting worse or they’re affecting your daily life, it's best to see a doctor.
There are lots of treatment options that will soothe your symptoms like strong steroids and specialist creams.
Find out everything you need to know about
.Seek urgent medical help if your rash is:
You should also get medical help if you feel unwell or have a fever.
The
can also be a great place to get help and support.Argan oil has traditionally been used for cooking, but it’s thought that using it daily could improve skin hydration and keep your skin barrier healthy. We don’t know specifically about its effects on atopic eczema, or whether it could irritate the skin, so if you want to try argan oil, make sure you test it on a small patch of skin first.
When compared with other natural remedies and oils for eczema, coconut oil has the most evidence going for it. While there’s still a lot of research to be done, some suggests it could help with eczema.
In one of these studies, 117 children with eczema found that virgin coconut oil moderately improved symptoms in just under half of the children using it. Another study looked at babies with eczema and found that applying virgin coconut oil for 8 weeks improved skin hydration.
Every person with eczema is unique and not everyone responds well to the same treatment. If you want to try it, make sure you choose a virgin product with no added scent or chemicals, and be aware that some people can have an allergic reaction.
Calamine lotion is best known for being used to help with minor skin itching, for example, irritation caused by mosquito bites. So it could help soothe very itchy eczema, but calamine can also be drying, which can make eczema worse. For this reason, avoid using it on your skin for more than a few days.
Some people prefer to try complementary therapies, such as herbal medication and treatment. There’s little evidence this works and it's better to speak to a doctor first before you try any new treatments.
Some patients have tried Chinese herbal treatment before, but it can have potentially serious side effects, such as liver inflammation, so it's best to avoid it.
Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.