We just concluded Eczema Awareness Month! Here are my tried & true favorites for treating my eczema.
This piece was originally published for cherie.com on 11/2/2020.
As someone who has had eczema since I was a child, my hunt for the best products to help treat it has become well-refined, though seemingly never-ending. Eczema is an inflammatory skin disease where people experience itchy skin that can show up in different varieties of flaky, dry, patchy, and red. For myself, the hardest part of eczema is often the discomfort of the itch, and the soreness of the inflammation. Personally, I learned to accept the way it looked, but I know that sometimes that can be a blow to one's self confidence.
On my 20-something years of trying different products to treat my eczema, I wanted to make sure my products and practices contributed to my entire well-being, and would be something I could maintain for the rest of my life. I also wanted to put an end to topical steroids that are prescribed to me by my doctor, because they don't help much in preventing flare ups than they do in temporarily treating them.
My Practices for Preventing Eczema Flare-Ups
Because eczema is an inflammatory skin disease, the biggest culprits that can cause it are anything that can bring on stress to your body. Remember, stress=inflammation! So, the best thing in preventing eczema flare-ups is to prevent stress. A few things I like to do to reduce inflammation are:
1) Take evening primrose oil supplements
Packed with omega-6 fatty acids, evening primrose oil can help reduce inflammation in the body.
2) Meditate
Find peace amidst your stressors with a meditation practice!
3) Swap coffee for tea
Sometimes, drinking coffee can give you the jitters, and even more myself, I tend to feel a lot more anxious on caffeine! Swap out coffee for calming teas to help reduce eczema flare-ups.
4) A fruit (and veggie)- full diet!
You are what you eat! Consuming less anti-inflammatory foods and more alkalizing ones can help your body in preventing eczema flare ups.
Products I Love for Treating Eczema
For new inflammation: Tower28 SOS Save.Our.Skin Spray
I love this spray so much for treating new inflammation! It's even replaced my use of hydrocortisone, a topical steroid that reduces redness and itchiness. The star ingredient of Tower28's cult-favorite spray is Hypochlorous Acid which soothes redness, cleanses, and nourishes skin. I like to spray it on newly inflamed eczema to calm it down and help prevent itching.
For everyday upkeep: La Roche Posay Lipikaur Balm AP+
I first discovered this in Paris when my friend suggested it to me after I shared with her that I experience eczema. This body lotion is formulated for dry and irritated skin and its niacinamide and shea butter enriched formula helps soothe and protect irritated skin. I love using this everyday to keep my skin strong, silky, and smooth.
For intense spot hydration & protection: Cerave Healing Ointment
This healing ointment does it all! With essential ceramides and niacinamide, this ointment has become a go to for protecting and hydrating any eczema flareups. If I have an inflamed patch of skin, I'll spray Tower28's SOS to soothe and cleanse the area, then seal in hydration with the healing ointment.
To cool an itch: BEBOE Body Balm
CBD is one the buzziest ingredients from the last few years, and while I haven't found it incredible for my face, I absolutely love it for my eczema. The CBD balm I have from Beboe has a cooling effect, so I've found it to be a perfect alternative to hydrocortisone when I have itchy-beyond-control eczema. Bonus points for CBD balms because they are also anti-inflammatory!
For nourishment and repair: My Topicals Like Butter
Meant to be an ultra-nourishing and hydrating mask for eczema experienced on the face, I also like to use this amazing topical for the rest of my body, too. It's packed with soothing ingredients like anti-inflammatory turmeric, wound-healing madeassoside, anti-microbial Chinese rubharb root, and soothing colloidal oatmeal. If I have a particularly gnarly patch of eczema, I use a thick-layer of Like Butter to accelerate healing.
