Itchy skin can be caused by many reasons, but it is often caused by a flare-up of eczema around this time of year. Eczema is known to be an itchy, immune-mediated skin condition that can be very aggravating and irritating. It often presents as red, scaly, itchy patches or patches on the skin of the arms, legs, cheeks, and neck, but can occur anywhere on the skin. It can be aggravated for a variety of reasons, such as a low humidity environment and too much washing and bathing, although many times there is no specific reason for an eczema flare-up. Here are ten tips to help improve eczema:
1) Avoid rough materials touching the skin. These are very irritating, so wear clothing that is completely natural, such as cotton and silk.
two) Avoid excessive heat or sweating. It is important to stay healthy and exercise, but to do your best to live, work, and play in an environment that is not “extreme” and irritating to your eczema.
3) Keep your showers short. It’s okay to shower daily, but do it quickly or else it could overly dry out your skin.
4) Use soap-free cleanser instead of soap. Soap-free cleansers do a better job of locking in moisture on the skin.
5) Avoid fragranced products. Use preservative-free and fragrance-free products as they tend to cause fewer skin allergies.
6) Avoid animals with dander (i.e., shedding cats and dogs). Like asthma, eczema can be aggravated by the immune system “overreacting” to external irritants such as dog and cat dander.
7) Apply a daily moisturizer. It is better to use a cream instead of a lotion. Topical moisturizers improve the quality of dry skin and can play an important role in replenishing natural skin components that are lost on a daily basis. Recently, creams based on ceramide have become popular as this is a natural component of the skin that is lost throughout the day.
8) Reduce your stress. Unfortunately, stressful conditions tend to make eczema worse.
9) If your eczema becomes severe, see a dermatologist. A dermatologist can prescribe a variety of topical medications, antibiotics, or antihistamines to improve eczema. Sometimes a dermatologist can prescribe oral medications like prednision or cyclosporine to suppress your immune system.
10) Be patient and consistent with your treatment. Treatment can take time, but with consistent use of moisturizers and prescription medications, as well as avoiding triggers, most patients can see improvement in their eczema over time.
