This is the one advice I give to all my patients: moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. As dry skin is the key driving force behind eczema, the main strategy for treating eczema would be to moisturize the skin regularly.
Use gentle cleansers and moisturizers to prevent skin dryness. Avoid cleansers and moisturizers with fragrances or harsh preservatives which can irritate the skin.
Moisturizers are generally divided into 2 broad categories:
- Oil based moisturizers which are longer lasting and provide a barrier effect, allowing minimal water loss.
- Moisturizers with varying ingredients that repair the skin barrier.
There is no one brand that works for everyone. It is best if you can try samples of the moisturizers before deciding which one to buy as they can be pricey. If your skin is very dry, you can consider a combination of moisturizers which provide a long lasting barrier effect and repair the skin barrier.
To learn more about eczema, do come down to National Skin Centre's public forum on Eczema on 27 October 2018 to find out more!
Dr Lucinda Tan, Consultant at National Skin Centre
