Struggling With Dry Skin and Eczema? 5 Tips That Can Help

Skin conditions are common, especially during the winter months, but this doesn’t make them any easier to deal with. As well as being painful and uncomfortable, a skin condition can make it feel difficult to be confident in how you look. They can also cause cracks and breakages, which can provide a gateway for infections. 

So, if you are struggling to manage your eczema, it’s a good idea to look for options that can help with your normal skin routine.

Know Your Triggers

If you’ve been dealing with a skin condition for long enough, you might notice certain patterns where your skin flares up.

Some of these common triggers are unavoidable, like stress or health conditions. Yes, it’s good to reduce your stress and stay healthy, but things can still happen that you can’t control. But sometimes there are things you can do.

For example, common triggers for eczema are cold, dry air, and harsh winds. While you can’t completely avoid going outside, and you definitely can’t change the weather, you can make sure that you’re well covered up. People with eczema often have it on their hands, so wearing gloves can be helpful to protect their skin.

Other common causes can be cleaning detergents and other chemicals that you might be exposed to through work or simply living your life and doing chores. Protective gloves can help prevent irritation.

However, some people find that fabric or latex gloves also cause dryness. This is why it’s good to experiment and see what works and what doesn’t.

Also READ - Why Light-Based Therapies Are the Future of Skin Care

Tweak Your Diet

Surprisingly, it’s not just the things you put on your skin that can impact its health. The food you eat can also affect your skin, especially if you have moderate or severe eczema. Some foods can cause your skin to react badly.

This is because a lot of people with eczema have food allergies or sensitivities that affect their skin. The most common food allergies that can cause flare-ups include:

• Cow’s milk

• Eggs

• Peanuts

• Soy

• Wheat

• Tree nuts

• Fish

• Shellfish

This isn’t to say that you should cut all of these things out of your diet just in case. A balanced diet is the best diet, and just because something could affect your skin, it doesn’t mean it definitely is causing your issues. It is a good idea to get tested for allergic responses to these foods, or to consider a temporary exclusion diet to see if they could affect your skin.

Otherwise, consider some eating plans that have anti-inflammatory qualities or are otherwise skin-friendly.

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Makeup and Other Products

Another thing that could be causing your skin health to get worse is makeup or some other products you might use on your skin. If you have sensitive skin, even some products that are used for moisturizing can actually dry your skin out more or cause a reaction. Avoid products with scents or harsh chemicals.

It’s helpful to look into your skin type and to find products designed to suit it or to suit people with sensitive skin. You should also avoid putting products on broken or damaged skin.

Many people wear more makeup when they have an eczema flare-up or an acne flare-up to try to cover up their skin. Unfortunately, this can result in a vicious cycle, as many makeups can make skin issues worse. Always clean makeup off every evening and sleep with a clean, bare face.

If possible, find makeup that is designed to work with your skincare routine, not against it.

Try not to wear an excessive amount of makeup and, from time to time, go bare-faced. While

it can be difficult to resist the urge to cover up unhealthy skin, spending some time without makeup on can help your skin recover and get better.

Medications and Moisturizers

If you have a skin condition, then it’s worth considering creams and moisturizers that may work. But as mentioned before, not every cream will help. Some moisturizers and skin creams have added ingredients that could irritate sensitive skin. 

It’s best to find moisterizers that are designed for sensitive skin and eczema, as these will often be more effective. You should have a regular moisturizing routine, ideally each morning and night, both to moisterize your face, your body, and to focus on parts of your body that might be more prone to a flare-up.

If you do have a flare-up, it’s often a good idea to moisterize more often. This allows your skin to recover more quickly and can prevent things from getting worse.

As well as ordinary moisterizers, you could consider other medical options to help support your skin health. For example, steroid creams and even oral steroids can help with more aggressive or stubborn eczema. 

ADBRY is a prescription medication that’s injected under the skin and can be effective for people with more severe cases of eczema that don’t respond well to topical options. It’s important to speak with your doctor about medications that could work for you.

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Visit a Specialist

So, when should you involve a doctor in your skincare?

While there are plenty of over-the-counter and alternative methods to achieve healthy skin,

sometimes you need more intervention for stubborn or distressing skin issues. A GP might be a good first option, because they are able to diagnose and treat common skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne. 

But in some cases, it may be necessary to visit a dermatologist. They specialise in skin health and, if your GP isn’t able to help you and other options don’t work, they may be able to look deeper and find more drastic options.

Another good reason to see a dermatologist is if you’re concerned that your skin shows signs of more severe issues. For example, skin cancer can show up on moles or other parts of the skin and even the nails, and it’s important to catch it quickly.

Hopefully, with the right care and support, you can enjoy beautiful and healthy skin.