Irritant Issues With Eczema Patients- How To Avoid Them

An irritant is anything that brings about itching, redness and inflammation of the skin. Many different substances can irritate a patient’s eczema and cause flare-ups. The skin conditions of some eczema patients are bothered by a number of different irritants while other people are only bothered by one or two. It is essential to avoid as many known irritants as possible. Some of the most common irritants include soaps, cleansers, harsh detergents, chemicals, solvents (such as paint stripper and turpentine), fragrances, alcohol in skin care products, smoke, dust, sand, chlorine, mineral oil and some fibers such as wool which is extremely scratchy and bothersome to the skin. Other common irritants of eczema include household cleaners, air sprays and disinfectants, laundry soap and the inhalation of fumes from any number of hazardous sources.

 

In some cases if the irritant is at your workplace, it may be necessary to wear protective gear, change jobs at your workplace or find a new job all together. If your hands are easily irritated then always wear vinyl or rubber gloves when your hands are constantly in and out of water (and/or cleansers) and consider wearing a pair of thin cotton gloves inside the other to decrease how much sweating you do. Cotton gloves, just like cotton clothing, will absorb sweat better than any other fabric.

 

Don’t ever allow yourself to become slack in your moisturizing habits.  Moisturizing consistently is key to avoiding eczema flare-ups. A common irritant of eczema skin that not everyone is aware of is bathing oneself but then forgetting to hydrate afterwards. Dry skin leads to more dry skin and the itching and swelling of skin that is not well moisturized is awful. Make your daily buzz words- moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Eczema sufferers should always moisturize first thing in the morning and at night before bedtime, regardless of what time they bathed during the day. People with severe eczema might find it imperative to moisturize their skin mid day as well for an extra burst of hydration.  

 

Keep in mind though that too much water is actually a bad thing for eczema prone skin and can actually irritate it even more. To use an example, soaking in a hot bathtub for a long period of time can serve to dry out the skin tremendously (as in the prune like way skin looks if you soak too long!). It is imperative to take short, speedy showers and make sure they are warm or lukewarm instead of scalding hot. If you are a person who prefers baths then make sure your soak is a quick one. Whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to fall asleep in the tub!

 

The ups and downs of temperature also can play a role in irritating the skin. In the summer months stay inside with lots of fan or air conditioning when it is extremely humid outside. During the winter months when the air is drier remember that cold air has a more difficult time holding in moisturize to the skin. Use a humidifier in your home in the wintertime to keep an adequate level of humidity in your immediate environment. 

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