5 things that have helped get my eczema under control

 

 

About a year ago I had a huge eczema flare up. I usually just get the odd outbreak on my hands in the summer months, but this was pretty much head to toe, with the worst areas being on my arms and legs.

It started off as a dry patch on my leg which, I didn’t think much of as I’ve suffered from a variety of skin gripes in the past.  But then over the course of three months it started spreading until I was pretty much covered in itchy, scaly, spotty skin. 

The itching was worst at night when I would scratch myself until I bled. Not a good time to be a fan of white bed sheets, I tell you! There was no time for my skin to heal so the skin soon started to become discoloured and scarred. 

I couldn't ignore it any longer, so I finally consulted the doctor about six months ago - just as Covid-19 was kicking off in the UK -  and another three times after that.  Each time I was given a different mix of creams (emollient and steroids) and anti-histamines to try. Some helped, most didn’t. To be fair, the doctors were sympathetic, but their hands were tied as referrals to dermatologists had been, understandably, suspended.

I was conscious of the fact that the treatment I was getting was to address the symptoms rather than the cause, so I did do some of my own research to try and understand why this was happening.

What is eczema and how is it caused?

Eczema is a dry skin condition that causes flaky, itchy skin. It can be localised or widespread and the rash can look different on different people. The itchiness can be difficult to resist, which can often lead to skin infections and require antibiotics.

It is thought to be caused by your body responding to an internal or external irritant or genetics which cause impairments in the skin’s ability to retain moisture.

Because there can be a variety of different factors at play (diet, underlying health issues, stress, genetics), it can be tough to isolate and identify triggers.

I haven’t fully figured out what mine were, but I think it was a combination of stress (I was reeeeally stressed last year, for a variety of reasons) and a bad diet. My diet was truly awful – lots of sugar and caffeine to cope with the stress.

But just over a year on from when it first started, although the eczema is not gone, it is A LOT better.

So what did I do to help with my eczema...

1.       1. Found an emollient that worked for me and moisturised (A LOT)

I tried all the emollients the doctors gave me and then some. I took recommendations from friends and mined the internet for reviews to get suggestions too.

AproDerm was the last emollient that was prescribed to me by the doctor about three months ago and I’m on my third bottle. I feel, I can say with some certainty, that this is the most effective moisturiser I have used to date.

Technically an emollient gel, it is surprisingly pleasant and easy to use. Unlike, many emollient creams which are thick and greasy, this is comparatively light weight and absorbent and smells quite nice too.

Eczema sufferers are advised to moisturise around 3-4 times a day which is difficult when you are busy and your eczema is widespread. I struggled to manage twice a day and even then, I saw a significant difference in my symptoms with this.

I get the chunky 500g bottle as I get through it really quickly and it’s around a £10 on Amazon. You can get it cheaper from some online chemist shops or you can save around a £1 on the Amazon price, if you can get it on prescription from the doctor (in the UK).

There is also a 100g tube if you have localised eczema or just want to try it out before going for a bigger bottle.

2.        2.  Switched to a body wash geared for very dry skin

I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than a £1 on shower gel and probably not even that since I’ve been married, as I usually use my husband’s.

But I soon figured out that my husband’s preference for heavily fragranced, zesty body washes were doing my dried-out skin no favours.

I tried a few moisture preserving body washes and really like the Aveeno skin relief body wash. Aveeno products are well-known for helping eczema prone skin and I’m already a fan of their hand cream which I have used for many years to help with the eczema I get on my hands in the summer.

My skin doesn’t feel as tight when I use it and the fact that it is mainly oat based is widely recognised as being beneficial for soothing dry skin.

3.       3. Started taking skin saving supplements

As I mentioned, my diet was truly awful during the height of the itchiness. It’s better now but it’s still something I’m working on.

 I decided to start taking some supplements to support a holistic recovery and one of the supplements that is recommended for good skin, including fish oil.

It actually has a lot of benefits for brain, vision and heart amongst many other things. But for skin it is supposed to help reduce inflammation and help repair the skin barrier function.

Vitamin D is another good all-rounder that I decided to take too, with one of the eczema related benefits being that it helps regulate a healthy immune system.

 4 4. Freshened up my wardrobe with skin friendly fabrics

Wearing fabrics like polyester and wool can irritate already irritated skin, so I opted for investing in some cotton tops and my very first pair of silk trousers (I’m in love). I found this particularly helpful as my eczema was worst on my arms and legs and many of my existing garments were irritating it further.

I was advised by a friend and sister, both fellow eczema sufferers to generally get rid of some old clothes for new ones because older garments can have dust mites, which can irritate skin as well be rough on skin from excessive washing.

I got some very reasonable priced cotton basics from Uniqlo and the trousers I purchased from H&M. They are both so soft, lightweight and breathable.

5.       Hot washing linen and towels

Bed sheets and towels can be a haven for dust mites which can cause a host of skin irritations. They are particularly hardy and can continue to fester in your bed linen despite a 40 degree wash.

For those with eczema prone skin, washing bed linen and towels at 60 degrees is advised and so I started doing this.

You may have noticed that I have not included anything related to the two triggers I suspected were responsible for my eczema. Diet and stress.

Both of these are areas which I am continually working on improving and they are arguably some of the hardest areas in which to make improvements because high stress levels can often lead to a poor diet and vice versa.

The small practical changes I have mentioned were easy to implement and made a big difference for me, helping me get to a more positive place.

Arguably this is a better place in which to start to do the hard graft of looking at reducing stress and improving diet.  

Do you or have you suffered with eczema? What has been helping you on your road to recovery?