Eczema Problem: 5 Mistakes To Avoid
When you have an eczema problem, you'll do anything to relieve the itching. But be careful not to do anything! Some home remedies and false ideas could make your skin problem worse. Here are 5 mistakes to avoid when you have eczema.
1- Use regular soap
The first of the 5 mistakes to avoid when you have eczema is what products to use for daily grooming.
People who suffer from this problem usually have dry and irritated skin. For this reason, they should not use ordinary washing products like shower gel or conventional soap.
For showering but also for hand washing which has become very frequent due to the Covid-19 epidemic, it is recommended that patients use soaps suitable for atopic skin or washing oils preferably without perfume.
Because excessive hand washing can lead to eczema patches, these patients should also moderate their use of Hydroalcoholic gel and moisturize their hands with cream after applying the gel.
2- Make your own cream
Applying an emollient cream to the body on a daily basis is an effective solution to limit the itching and burning caused by eczema.
But beware: the second mistake to avoid is using a homemade moisturizer! Despite the fashion for homemade cosmetics, this is not a good idea...
Moisturizers that you make yourself are not always well preserved and can be a source of superinfection on skin already damaged by eczema.
In addition, many homemade cosmetic recipes contain highly allergenic essential oils. Therefore, it is safer to stick to products recommended by your dermatologist and sold in pharmacies or parapharmacies to relieve itching.
3- Get plenty of sun exposure
Although sunlight can limit inflammation in some patients and thus reduce eczema plaques, the third mistake to avoid would be too much UV exposure
Even if you feel like the sun is doing you good, you shouldn't skip the sunscreen or decide to do indoor Tanning sessions in the winter.
This is because natural UV from the sun or artificial UV from Tanning booths is dangerous and greatly increases the risk of developing skin cancer.
4- Apply ice to the plates
When the itchiness of eczema becomes unbearable, a quick trick to soothe the urge to scratch is to apply cold to the skin.
But be careful! The fourth mistake to avoid is applying ice directly to the patches. This thermal shock would be an assault on your skin cells. It could worsen the dehydration of the epidermis and the risk of allergy.
So, if you want to relieve itching with cold, consider wrapping the ice in a clean cloth and leave on the skin for up to 5 minutes.
Another tip is to place a thermal water sprayer in the refrigerator and spray cool water on the skin to soothe the burning or itching sensation.
5- Only think about it
As you can see, when you have an eczema problem, you need to take good care of your skin, but the fifth mistake to avoid would be to only think about it! In times of crisis, it is very important to keep your mind busy to prevent flare-ups and distract yourself from the urge to scratch.
Even if it's not obvious, resist the temptation to scrutinize your skin or watch yourself in the mirror. Instead, try new activities such as painting, cooking or learning a musical instrument to combat boredom and obsessive thoughts at all costs.
Also, if you opt for relaxing activities such as knitting (which keeps your hands busy!), yoga or sophrology for example, it will help you relax and therefore soothe your itch.
