Eczema is a skin condition that causes skin inflammation and makes your skin turn dry, itchy, red and scaly.

It can affect many areas of your life, including your job. This is especially true if your condition is severe or if you have eczema on your hands. The itchiness can make it hard to use your hands, from operating a machine to typing on a keyboard.

Here are five ways that could help relieve eczema symptoms such as itching and irritated skin.

#1: Avoid too much bathing and handwashing

Bathing and washing do not actually help in keeping your skin hydrated. In fact, too much contact with water can cause irritation. Each time you wash up, you rinse away some of the nourishing oil produced by your skin. This causes your skin to lose its moisture content and become dry and irritated. Hence, the more you wash your skin, the drier your skin becomes.

Tips: After a shower, rather than scrubbing the affected skin with a towel, pat it dry.

#2: Apply moisturizer

It’s key to keep your skin moisturized, as dry skin can often make eczema worse. Moisturizers keep the water in your skin and create a barrier against things that can irritate your skin, thereby help in soothing the skin.

When choosing a suitable moisturizer for your skin, avoid fragrances, harsh ingredients and alcohol-based products as they can trigger flare-ups and dry out the skin.

It is absolutely important to apply moisturizer right after bathing or handwashing – if you don’t apply moisturizer immediately, the moisture content in your skin will evaporate, possibly triggering a recoil effect and make your skin even drier.

#3: Avoid getting overheated

Is your workout making you itch?

People with eczema often experience itchiness when breaking a sweat, whether they’re cycling or doing cardio. Hot and sweaty skin tends to intensify the itchiness caused by eczema. The sodium in sweat can further dehydrate the skin as well as irritate it. Hence, you should try to stay away from places that are too warm and activities that make you sweat. Also, change your socks frequently if you have sweaty feet.

The challenge of enjoying exercise without worsening your eczema can be a delicate balancing act. It’s important to choose the right clothing to minimize skin irritation as the body heats up. During a workout, toweling off and wearing loose clothing may help. After a workout, allow your body to cool down and take a shower thereafter. Don’t forget to apply moisturizer after the shower!

#4: Avoid colds

Air-conditioning is essential to modern city life, especially for us living in Malaysia, a tropical country that enjoys hot and humid climate all year round.

You may think that the cool air from air-conditioners will make your skin feel less irritated. That may be true, but this dry air can also worsen your condition by drying up your skin faster.  So, it is not a good idea to sit in an air-conditioned room for an extended period of time. However, the good news is, you don’t have to quit your job just to get some relief.

Yes, moisturize! Make sure you keep a moisturizer near your desk, and apply it as frequent as you can. This will help counteract the drying effects that air-conditioning has on your skin.

#5: Ease your stress

If you find that your eczema flares up right before a year-end closing or a big business presentation, it is no coincidence.

Stress can promote skin inflammation and thereby worsen the condition of eczema. Thus, you should try to manage your stress. Following are some tips to get your tension under control:

• Get enough sleep

A good rest will definitely lower your stress level. However, it is not always easy to sleep when your skin is itchy. If eczema is keeping you up at night, consult your skin specialist on how to better handle your symptoms. 

• Learn to relax

From deep breath to yoga and to listening to music, there are many ways to wind down. Try out different things that may help you to relax.

 

Hope these points burst your eczema bubble or re-affirm what you already know. And most importantly, get relief from it.

If you're interested to know more about medical treatments for eczema, please feel free to call us at +6011-22882299, WhatsApp us here, or book an appointment with Dr Peter here!

We’ll be back to the Patient Mailbox series next week with Dr. Loo, so stay tuned!

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If you’d like to ask more about your skin condition or have a discussion with Dr Peter, you can contact us at +6011-22882299, Whatsapp us, or book an appointment with Dr Peter here!