What’s basic care for my eczema?

Eczema, or “atopic dermatitis,” is a skin condition that is relayed to allergies and asthma. It’s different than dry skin, though it often looks similar—scaly, red or cracked. The biggest difference is that it usually itches!

Eczema primarily affects elbows, knees and hands but it can pop up in patches on other parts of the body, too. Basic eczema treatment focuses on treating your skin gently. 

•Keep showers brief and lukewarm (prolonged and hot water exposure dries out the skin).

•Use unscented soaps and moisturizers (scented things often have chemicals that irritate the skin).

•Moisturize twice daily (I like a good thick moisturizer like Aquaphor or Cetaphil). 

•Use a low-dose steroid ointment (1% hydrocortisone) twice daily if the eczema patch is very itchy or inflamed. 

Sometimes you’ll need to see a doctor if the eczema flare is not controlled at home. Watch out for things like cracking, bleeding, crusting, oozing, vesicles forming of spreading.