Eczema is a skin condition that can make your skin red, dry, and sore. The condition is unpredictable and you may go from having eczema-free skin to a huge flare-up in a matter of minutes. This article is designed to give you some guidelines for managing an eczema flare-up. If you are having severe eczema flare-ups, you should always consult your doctor.
Moisturize Your Skin Regularly
Moisturizing twice a day can help to protect your skin from irritation caused by an eczema flare-up. Moisturizer can help trap moisture in the skin, and reduce the chances of your skin becoming dry or irritated. When you do have a flare-up, you should moisturize your skin even more regularly to avoid irritation.
Hydrocortisone Acetate Cream
Hydrocortisone acetate cream is a type of cream or ointment that reduces inflammation of the skin. In most countries, you do not need a prescription to use it. Talk to a pharmacist before purchase to make sure this product is right for your skin. Hydrocortisone creams help reduce the body’s inflammatory actions, ease the itching response, and encourage the expansion of the blood vessels. The cream is useful for short periods of time if your eczema has been unresponsive to moisturizing.
Keep Your Hands Busy
During an eczema flare-up, the overwhelming urge to itch can be as much of an irritant as the condition itself. Keep your hands busy with activities to distract and avoid the urge to itch. Try learning to knit or crochet. Alternatively, you could draw, play a board game, or do any activity that keeps your hands and mind distracted from the function of itching.
Identify And Avoid Triggers
Sometimes, eczema can be caused by specific triggers. It might be a physical trigger, like a non-hypoallergenic skin product. Or, it could be mental and related to stress. When you have a flare-up, try to identify the potential triggers. Once you’ve found a common pattern between events and flare-ups, try to avoid and replace the contributing factor wherever you can. If you think that your eczema might be related to stress, you might wish to consider therapy to help manage your symptoms and look after your mental health.
Explore Light Therapy
Light therapy, or phototherapy, is a form of treatment where the skin is exposed to safe amounts of UV light at different wavelengths. Phototherapy usually takes place over several months and is used where there is eczema over large portions of the body. Talk to your specialist or doctor about light therapy if you have frequent and extensive eczema.
When To Consult Your Doctor
If your eczema flare-ups get persistently worse, you should talk to your doctor or specialist. You should also go to the doctor if you have other symptoms alongside your flare-ups, to make sure your skin isn’t infected. If you are struggling to manage your flare-ups due to stress, make sure you seek support on managing symptoms. Depending on the severity of your eczema, flare-ups can have a significant impact on your ability to complete certain tasks, so it’s important to get expert advice as much as possible.