How to Care for Your Skin and Avoid Eczema Outbreaks

Many eczema patients spend months (if not years and years of their life) using a trial and error approach to address their trigger factors.

This is a great way to cure eczema, but there are steps you can take to care for your skin in the meantime. For some sufferers, a little skin care and protection can go a loooooong way. 

BUT how can you get on the path to healthy and eczema-free skin?

Protect Your Body

There are two different ways you can care for your skin and protect your body. 

First of all, choose to wear clothes that cover your body.  If eczema is confined to your upper-thighs, don’t wear shorts. Opt for long cotton pants or capris instead - although you may still feel the urge to itch and to scratch that itch, direct contact with the skin is impossible, as the skin is covered. 

This is vital as it reduces the risk of

• open wounds
• skin infections and
  
• eczema-related scarring,

which are common with severe eczema.

Secondly, you can protect your body by avoiding unnatural products. 

For many patients with eczema,

• shampoo
• conditions
• facial wash
• makeup
• perfume and
  
• even scented laundry detergent

are the cause of eczema outbreaks. 

Yes, you may have another trigger factor, but start your own trial and error. 

Eliminate unnatural beauty products from your daily routine and see if you notice a decrease in itching.  Not only are you practicing healthy skincare, but you may have also found some of your eczema trigger factors.

Moisturize, Moisturize, and Moisturize More

Dry skin IS one of the leading causes of eczema. 

Although a leading cause, it is often overlooked. To avoid dry skin and the uncontrollable itching that is infamously associated with eczema,

1. Moisturize your skin throughout the day. 
   
2. Most importantly, apply moisturizer immediately following a bath or shower. 
   

These two alone will do wonders for your skin (seriously).

Continue to apply moisturizer throughout the day.  If you feel the need to itch or touch your skin, opt for a bottle of lotion or cream instead.

Change Your Diet to Include Skin Healthy Foods

You may be surprised to hear that what you eat impacts your skin’s health. 

It is true.  Unfortunately, changing your diet can be a double edge sword.  Some eczema sufferers DO have eczema outbreaks caused by food.

When changing your diet, be on the lookout for additional trigger factors. 

As for skin healthy foods, fruits protect the skin cells from long-term damage and aid in the fight against premature aging. Fatty acids, such as fish and walnuts, are known to lock moisture in cell membranes, but these same foods are common eczema causes. 

Although you can take steps to incorporate skin healthy foods into your diet yourself, consider using the services of a registered dietitian.

As you can see, it is relatively easy to improve the health of and care for your skin.  You have nothing to lose by implementing these steps.  With success, you will find freedom from the uncontrollable eczema and itching that has plagued you all these months and years