Video: dealing with eczema flare-ups

Consultant dermatologist Dr Sarah Wakelin provides some helpful advice on how to deal with - and prevent - recurring eczema flare-ups.

The Simple Life

Follow these few simple rules to help control the symptoms of eczema and minimise flare-ups:

• Moisturise: a very important part of your skincare regime. Apply whenever your skin feels dry and use a non-perfumed product.
• Wash: using a soap substitute. Avoid bubble baths, shower gels and detergents.
• Wear gloves: protect your hands if you’re likely to come into contact with irritants, especially at work.
• Shower after swimming: wash thoroughly and apply lots of moisturiser afterwards.
• Clothing: choose soft breathable fabrics like cotton and avoid putting wool next to the skin.
• Scratching: avoid if at all possible. It will make you feel itchier and can cause infection.
• Cold sores: avoid close contact with someone with an active cold sore.

Eczema and Infections

Skin inflammation caused by eczema is prone to getting infected, usually with a bacterium called Staph aureus. This makes the skin very red, oozy and sore, sometimes with yellow pus spots, and needs to be treated additionally with antibiotics from your doctor.

Allergies

Britain has the highest rate of allergy in Europe, which could explain why atopic eczema cases have increased up to five fold in recent years. People with atopic eczema are more sensitive to allergens in the environment. Flare-ups can be triggered by a variety of causes including food, pets, house dust mites, pollen and latex in rubber items.

Here is the best way to identify and limit the impact of common allergens.

House dust mites

Symptoms: Immediate skin inflammation, hay fever, asthma

Action: Keep house as free from dust as possible – especially in living room and bedroom

Food

Symptoms: Swollen lips, immediate irritation inside the mouth but rarely eczema itself

Action: Keep a food diary to identify foods you are allergic to and to avoid (often eggs, fish, dairy, nuts or wheat)

Natural rubber latex

Symptoms: Immediate itching and swelling at the site of skin contact

Action: Thoroughly clean your skin, avoid future contact with rubber items and mention to your doctor

Pet Hair

Symptoms: Itchy eyes, sneezing, asthma, and the rashes typical of eczema

Action: Like food allergies, a diary can be kept listing potential suspect contact and symptom manifestation to help avoid pets you have an allergic reaction to

Irritants

Household cleaning products can act as an irritant for many people. They damage the skin directly and strip it of natural oils. Look after yourself by wearing protective gloves when cleaning and doing household chores. Avoid household and personal hygiene products containing detergents such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS). Certain cosmetics and toiletries can also irritate some people’s skin, especially eczema sufferers as their skin is extra-sensitive. Sufferers should choose a simple formulation without fragrances or preservatives to lessen the chance of this happening.

It can be extremely difficult to avoid these trigger factors therefore using emollients is often a more effective way of managing eczema.

About Dr Sarah Wakelin

Dr Sarah Wakelin is an expert in her field. She is a consultant dermatologist with a special interest in eczema and has written various academic papers for The Royal Society of Medicine. She currently works at St Mary’s Hospital at Imperial College, the UK’s largest NHS Trust.

More information

This video was supplied by http://www.lifewitheczema.com/

This article was published on Mon 28 September 2009