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- What is eczema?
- Symptoms of eczema
- Causes of eczema
- Prevention of eczema
- Risk factors for eczema
- Complications of eczema
- When to see a doctor about eczema
- Diagnosis of eczema
- Conventional treatment of eczema
- Alternative/complementary treatment of eczema
- Living with eczema
- Caring for someone with eczema
Caring for someone with eczema
Partner
If you have a partner with eczema, there are a number of useful strategies you can use to help them:
- Avoid using perfumed products - most type of skin care, cosmetics, laundry and cleaning products contain some types of perfumes and other abrasive chemicals, which can irritate sensitive skin prone to eczema. Find non-perfumed, natural alternatives
- Don't smoke - cigarette smoke is a known irritant to the skin and this could be one of the triggers for causing the eczema. Don't smoke around your partner as their exposure to your second-hand smoke can be a trigger for their eczema
- Help your partner moisturise - especially if the eczema is on the back or on areas of the skin that are harder to reach, it may be helpful if you can help them with moisturising these areas
- Remove the allergens from the home - once the allergens that trigger the eczema have been identified, ensure they are not in the home to avoid exacerbating your partner's eczema
- Remove the irritants from the home - once the irritants that trigger the eczema have been identified, ensure they are not in the home to avoid exacerbating your partner's eczema
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Friends and family members
If you have a friend or family member with eczema, there are a number of useful strategies you can use to help them:
- Avoid using perfumed products - most type of skin care, cosmetics, laundry and cleaning products contain some types of perfumes and other abrasive chemicals, which can irritate sensitive skin prone to eczema. Try to ensure you have not just cleaned your home just before your friend or family member is about to arrive and don't use air fresheners either
- Don't smoke - cigarette smoke is a known irritant to the skin and this could be one of the triggers for causing the eczema. Don't smoke around your friend or family member as their exposure to your second-hand smoke can be a trigger for their eczema
Parents
If you have a child with eczema, there are a number of useful strategies you can use to help them:
- Apply a cool compress - use plain cotton fabric which has been moistened with cold water to the area on the skin of your child which is inflamed with the eczema, but do not rub or press hard as this will cause pain. This simple remedy can provide a great deal of immediate (albeit temporary) relief, which is enough to reduce the worst of inflammation and itchiness on your child's skin. If the child is old enough, you can teach them how to do this too (instead of scratching their skin)
- Avoid using perfumed products - most type of skin care, cosmetics, laundry and cleaning products contain some types of perfumes and other abrasive chemicals, which can irritate sensitive skin prone to eczema. Find non-perfumed, natural alternatives
- Bath and shower in tepid water - ensure you bathe (or shower) your child in tepid water since hot water will dry out the skin and can be painful on active eczema. If your child is old enough, teach them how to use cooler water they take their shower
- Distract the child from scratching - you will need to use a number of strategies to prevent the child from scratching the eczema as that can spread it further
- Don't smoke - cigarette smoke is a known irritant to the skin and this could be one of the triggers for causing the eczema. Don't smoke around your child as their exposure to your second-hand smoke can be a trigger for their eczema
- Identify the allergens - there are a number of allergens that can possibly cause the eczema to occur, so work with your child to try to identify these triggers to avoid them. If an allergen is suspected of causing the eczema, discuss your options with your doctor, especially an allergy (skin prick) test, which can confirm allergens
- Identify the irritants - there are a number of irritants that can cause eczema to occur, so try to identify so work with your child to try to identify these triggers to avoid them. Common irritants are soaps, shampoo, detergents, laundry powders/liquids, skin care, cleaning products and perfumes. Try to find more natural, less abrasive and non perfumed alternatives to determine if this makes any difference to your child's eczema
- Moisturise after bathing - always moisturise your child after a bath (or shower), all over, to help reduce the dryness in the skin and reduce the likelihood of aggravating the eczema. Find a very mild, unperfumed and natural moisturiser that provides adequate emollient moisture for the skin. Older children can be taught to moisturise their own skin in areas that they can reach
- Provide fish in the diet - oily fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout) contain the anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids which studies show can be beneficial for reducing symptoms of eczema. Discuss fish oil supplementation with with your doctor
- Use natural, soft fibres - when your child has an active eczema flare-up, ensure they dress with clothes that are natural and are made of soft fibres, such as cotton. Try to avoid any wool or wool mixes as these can irritate the skin, despite being a natural fibre
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< living with eczema Last reviewed: 10 November 2007 || Last updated: 3 January 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
