Trying to avoid my little boy’s eczema from flaring up has become a part of my everyday life. It is considered in everything I do, nearly every purchase I make for him, choosing which activities we do and even the language I use with him about being itchy. There are some things which I almost do without thinking now to try to avoid his eczema flare ups.
maintaining the moisture in eczema skin
At the beginning of my eczema journey I really struggled with making the time to include bathtime and moisturising in my everyday routine amongst everything else we try to fit into our days. When my little boy’s skin was looking okay, I would think I could get away with skipping his bath and not moisturising his skin. Big mistake. This just led to more eczema flare ups. Having learnt my lesson every evening we try to give his skin the most amount of moisture by using itchy baby co. bath soak in his bath and within two minutes of taking him out of the bath, while his skin is still damp we moisturise his whole body.
keeping the skin barrier healthy in eczema
With eczema the skin has holes in it. These holes let water escape from the skin which makes it dry and itchy and also let irritants get into the skin which can trigger eczema flare ups. Moisturising immediately after taking your child out of the bath or shower not only locks in the most amount of hydration into the skin but also mixes with the skin’s natural barrier to keep triggers from getting in and irritating the skin. Moisturising the skin regularly morning, night and often in between will help to avoid eczema flare ups.
dealing with heat – the most common trigger for eczema flare ups
- You can plan not to be in the sun or travelling for long distances in the car during the hottest part of the day. Organising early morning and late afternoon activities is a good way around this and being aware of sun safety.
- Swap doonas for cotton sheets and blankets. Doonas trap the heat which then sits on eczema skin and makes it itchy.
- Air conditioning is an effective way to bring the temperature down but it can also be very drying. Make sure you apply extra moisturiser if you have the air conditioning on.
This post was brought to you and your baby with love by Julia and the Itchy Baby Co. team. X
Disclaimer: Information provided is of a general nature only, and you should always consult your medical professional.