In this post you will learn 13 tips that have changed my eczema game and prevented eczema flare ups. As you likely know eczema is a chronic condition. While you can be in remission, you always need to be alert to triggers and avoid them to keep your eczema at bay. That’s where I come in… Disclaimer: While I am a registered nurse, I am not a doctor. I cannot diagnose or treat any medical conditions. This article is for informational purposes only. This post contains affiliate links. This means if you use my links to purchase certain items, I receive a small commission at no cost to you.
I have suffered with eczema my whole life. In earlier posts I have shared my story. At the end of this post I have linked to those posts. They are a great read if you want to keep your eczema at bay permanently. Eczema doesn’t have to be a mystery and you do not have to battle flare ups constantly. While the skin barrier plays the biggest role in controlling your eczema, these 13 tips will help you keep your eczema flare ups in check.
It goes without saying you should avoid itching. This can further damage the skin barrier. Therefore, I did not include it as one of my 13 tips.
This post is all about how to prevent eczema flare ups.
1. Avoid over exposure to water
Bathing once a day is best if you have eczema. Washing alone can disrupt the skin barrier by breaking down the lipid layers. Hence, people are more prone to eczema on their hands due to excessive washing.
Tip: You DO NOT have to use antibacterial hand soap! This can be very harsh, not to mention a common allergen. As a nurse, I understand that it is the scrubbing and rubbing during hand washing that gets rid of bacteria. This is a big question on nursing exams. So opt for a gentle hand soap (I use the one linked here) that is made for sensitive skin and wash for the recommended time (20 seconds) to rid your hands of bacteria. Also you need to moisturize after washing your hands. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. This will help prevent itching as well. Trust me, even a time or two skipped can be the beginning of an eczema flare up.
I’d also limit the time in the shower. Full disclosure, I take too long of showers, but I will tell you to do the best thing in this case, LOL! Washing the face twice a day is fine unless your skin barrier is damaged. Then I recommend washing once a day in the evenings until it is fully repaired. You’ll see why bathing in the evening is best further on.
2. Use lukewarm water
Avoid water that is too hot or too cold as both can disrupt the skin barrier.
3. Shower in the evening
I know, this is a tough one to swallow. People like to shower first thing in the morning, but hear me out. Many people have allergies to environmental things such as dust, pollens, etc. Dust is made up of numerous things including dead skin/hair cells and clothing fibers. These are the bits I’m mentioning because showering at night removes dead skin/hair cells and environmental pollutants that gather on our skin throughout the day.
Another reason to think about, dust mites feed on the dead skin cells in dust. There are hundreds of thousands of dust mites in bedding. So if you shower at night you’ll get the dead skin cells off. This will prevent them from shedding off in bed which gives the dust mites something to chomp on! Gross!! Not to mention, if you’re allergic to dust or environmental things, you don’t want to go to bed and lay in that for 6-8 hours straight. Not good!
4. Moisturize immediately out of the shower
You should moisturize directly out of the shower. The skin should still be a little damp. This will help to seal the water in, decreasing dehydration. Moisturizer also plays a big role in helping to soothe itchy skin. The same applies when washing the face, moisturize immediately. If you have eczema, I recommend using Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume, I linked it below. It is fragrance free and helps to repair the skin barrier. It really helps with eczema flare ups and any irritations. If you’d like to read more about repairing the skin barrier you can check out one of my other posts here: How To Get Rid Of Eczema | 5 Steps to Repair The Skin Barrier.
If you’re eczema is not flared up, you could use another lotion that works well for you. A good choice for maintenance is the Bioderma Atoderm Cream, which is also fragrance free and not as thick as the Baume. I am LOVING the Atoderm Cream!!! It leaves the skin dewy and subtle without being too thick. It’s perfect for daily use to prevent flareups on the face and body. If I get an area that is wanting to get a bit irritated, I use the Bioderma Atoderm Baume (linked above) and it settles right down. You could just use the Baume all the time on the face and body if you don’t feel it is too heavy and you have really dry skin. Sometimes as the skin barrier gets stronger, you may find it heavy if your skin is oily by nature when the eczema is not actively flared up. Just read your skin, it changes throughout the year.
Tip: Remember: Flare Up: Baume Maintenance: Cream
5. Wash sweat off as soon as possible
If you workout, try and workout right before your shower. Sweat is an irritant and it can start to break down the lipids of the skin barrier. As I mentioned in my other eczema posts, a damaged skin barrier is the main cause of eczema in general. Sweating and tight workout clothes still irritate my skin even with a repaired skin barrier. But if you shower immediately it will prevent the breakdown of the skin barrier and avoid eczema flare ups.
Because of this I opt to work out in the evening and shower right after. Something that doesn’t make you sweat like Pilates could probably be done in the mornings. But anything vigorous or that causes sweating should be done ideally right before an evening shower. If you must workout in the morning, I would jump in the shower and rinse the sweat off, but don’t make a habit of it. The same goes for swimming in a pool, rinse off afterwards to prevent eczema flare ups.
6. Avoid over exfoliating
When you have eczema, you need to be especially careful exfoliating the skin. People often think dry skin needs to be exfoliated constantly. This is not true and it just leads to more problems. Mechanical exfoliation (scrubs, cleansing brushes) can cause micro tears in the skin leading to eczema and irritation. Once the skin barrier is repaired a chemical exfoliant such as AHA and BHA acids are more gentle on the skin than scrubs. I’d patch test an area before using it all over the face. If you can tolerate them, they work very well. Follow the instructions and introduce them once or twice a week in your PM routine and increase the use as tolerated. Always use sunscreen during the day as the skin is more sensitive to the sun with the use of these acids.
My exfoliating nightmare
I used a Clarisonic for YEARS and seemed to get away with it. Then all of a sudden my skin had apparently had enough and I got a chronic rash on my face that I battled with for more than 3 years. Even the most gentle products my skin was not tolerating. I went through a few dermatologists and an allergist with no explanation. I just had Elidel and steroid creams thrown at me.
Finally, I did some digging and figured out that over exfoliating the skin can lead to this reaction because the skin gets sensitized. Once I stopped using the Clarisonic, the rash slowly calmed down. But I couldn’t ween off the Elidel (long story explained in my other excel posts). I then learned about repairing my skin barrier. I will NEVER use a Clarisonic again or a facial scrub.
The main point here: Tread lightly exfoliating. I only recommend chemical exfoliants if you have your eczema in remission. Otherwise it’ll do more harm than good for you.
7. Simplify your skincare routine
You should be using a mild cleanser, moisturizer, and a physical sunscreen while treating flared up eczema or an impaired skin barrier. Physical sunscreens sit on top of the skin as a barrier and reflect the UV rays. Chemical sunscreens actually penetrate the top layers of the skin and they absorb the UV rays before they cause harm to the skin. Because of this, chemical sunscreens cause irritation in many people.
I get terrible hives from chemical sunscreens. Therefore, I was scared to ever try a physical one and went without sunscreen for way too long. I have since found a physical sunscreen that does not leave a white cast on my dark skin!!! I use this daily on my face and neck, I linked it below. Just know that almost all physical sunscreens will have a white cast. If you apply it and let it rest, the white cast dies down a bit, then you can apply your makeup. I only apply sunscreen to my body if I’ll be out in the sun.
Physical sunscreens are also anti inflammatory. This helps with keeping your skin and eczema in check. It’s a win win. I’ll link to the physical sunscreen I use on my face and neck here. I like this one because it also protects from indoor lighting and blue light from all the electronics we use constantly. It also has no white cast!!! Unheard of!!!
8. Cleanse with gentle cleansers and keep skin pH levels in mind
The skin is slightly acidic. 7 is neutral on the pH scale. Our skin’s acidity is between 4-6, usually. This slightly acidic environment helps to keep moisture in and harmful things out. Also if the skin is too acidic or too alkaline it can lead to skin irritation including acne, redness and dryness.
Harsh cleansers can cause irritation. Things to avoid in your cleansers are fragrance (the number one cause of contact dermatitis), essential oils, drying alcohols (yes, some are not drying), harsh cleansing agents such as sodium laurel sulfate (not to be confused with sodium laureth sulfate or sodium laurel ether sulfate, which are gentle cleansers that do not strip the skin of extra moisture).
My current cleansing routine
The cleanser I recommend for flared up eczema and skin barrier repair is Uriage Xemose Cleansing Soothing Oil. This is the only cleanser you should be using when you’re having an eczema flare up. It is fragrance free, soap free, safe for babies, and can be used on the face and the body. Snag this amazing cleanser below:
If you’re in remission and you find your skin is actually now oily and not dry, my top recommendation for the face is The First Aid Beauty Purity Cleanser. I have used this daily on my face for years as my T zone is oily. It is pH balanced perfectly and fragrance free. Currently, I use it as my second cleanse in the evenings to make sure all my makeup and sunscreen is off. I use the Uriage cleansing oil as my first cleanse in the evenings to remove my makeup and I use it in the mornings.
Keep in mind if your skin is irritated at all or you have eczema on the face, one cleanse in the evenings with the Uriage cleansing oil is all you need until things settle down. Over cleansing will disrupt the skin barrier worse.
9. Patch Test
Patch testing the skin with any new products is a must! This is especially important if you have allergic contact dermatitis like I do. This is because you can use something for days before your skin reacts to it. So it can be hard to pin point what is doing it if you introduce more than one new product at a time.
To patch test yourself: use a skin marking pen to make a circle on the skin, then apply a small amount of the product on the skin, cover it with a waterproof bandaid, these ones work best, leave in place for 48 hours. Once you remove it, assess the area for any irritation, redness or bumps. I then watch the area for another few days or a week even. Make sure you keep the area where you applied the product clearly marked. This is because often the adhesive from the band aid can cause a rash. So you want to be sure the irritation is from the product and not the band aid. If there are no signs of irritation then I use the product on my face or body.
This has helped a TON to prevent eczema issues.
10. Stick to non irritating fabrics
For me itchy fabrics will lead to an eczema flare up quickly. Wool is a HUGE trigger for me. Also spandex that is close to the body. Especially working out in spandex. The fabric mixed with sweat is not good. I have found some softer workout clothes that help. I find that if you’re unsure, wear it a bit, if it is itching in certain areas, it will probably lead to eczema in that area. So it’s best to avoid it. I always try things on because of this.
Cotton is a good choice for clothing and bedding. Breathable loose clothing does much better than tight things rubbing on the skin.
TIP: Wash any new clothing items and bedding before use. New items come with chemicals and preservatives on them that can be very irritating.
11. Get allergy tested and avoid any irritants
As mentioned earlier dust and common allergens such as pet dander can encourage eczema flare ups. It’s a good idea to be allergy tested in an office to know if you have allergies to environmental irritants. This helped me a lot as well. Once you know your irritants you can more easily avoid them. It is common for people with eczema to gear towards plant based oils, essential oils and natural products. One thing that doctors told me that I did find helpful was that plants and eczema are not a good combination. And I do find this to be true. The more natural things are the more my eczema flares up. Keep this in mind. To be sure, patch test yourself before getting into oils and DIY solutions.
Other tips to keep in mind are: Wash your bedding once a week to rid it of dust and pet dander. Vacuum your bedroom furniture as well as the house regularly to get rid of dust and pet dander. Groom your pets regularly and do not allow them to sleep in your bed with you. Use laundry detergent that is especially for sensitive skin. Skip dryer sheets and use dryer balls. I avoid wool dryer balls with essential oils as both are common triggers for eczema. I use dryer balls such as these ones:
12. Get enough sleep
Sleep is so important for us. It allows the body to heal and repair itself. The best hours for this are between 11pm-2am. So be sure to get a good night’s rest and give your skin a fair chance! Controlling itching at night will help you to sleep as well. Especially children suffering with eczema have issues with itching and sleeping. As I talked about earlier, bathing at night and moisturizing before bed will help with the itching and facilitate a good night’s rest.
13. Control Stress
This is so hard to do. All of us have many stressors in life. Unfortunately, it can be a huge cause of eczema flare ups for some people. Having a good de-stress routine helps. Even a nice shower before bed, relaxing music, a hot cup of tea, monthly massages, etc can help to control your stress.
In Conclusion
I hope these tips to prevent eczema flare ups were helpful to you. Eczema can be very individualized and therefore is super frustrating! I have written two other posts on eczema that if you have not yet read, you should, to fully understand how eczema works. I will link them below. If you understand how eczema works, repair your skin barrier, and avoid common irritants, you can prevent eczema flare ups and have beautiful skin! Thank you so much for reading. This was wordy and if you hung in there, thank you! Until next week…
This post was all about how to prevent eczema flare ups.
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