Eczema in Adults: 7 Everyday Habits to Care for Your Skin
Moisturising, washing, clothing, itching, stress: 7 everyday habits when you live with eczema, based on the French Society of Dermatology.
Atopic eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is not just a childhood condition: about 3 to 5% of adults in Europe live with it. It comes in flare-ups, with dry skin, red patches and itching that can be very hard to bear.
Treating flare-ups is a matter for your doctor or dermatologist. Between flare-ups, simple habits make a real difference day to day. Here they are.
1. Moisturise your skin every day
This is the core habit. A rich emollient cream, applied every day to healthy skin, limits dryness, strengthens the skin barrier and helps space out flare-ups. The best time is right after a shower, on slightly damp skin. Note: an emollient alone is not enough to treat a flare-up.
2. Rethink your washing routine
Choose a short, lukewarm shower over a long hot bath. Use a superfatted soap or a fragrance-free cleansing oil, and avoid bubble baths. Rinse well, then pat dry without rubbing.
3. Choose your clothes
Wool and synthetic fabrics irritate the skin or make you sweat. Cotton, linen and silk are better tolerated. Wash new clothes before wearing them.
4. Identify what makes it worse
The most common factors: heat and sweating, cold dry weather and wind, perfumes, some hygiene products, stress and fatigue. They vary from person to person, and sometimes from one flare-up to the next. Noting the circumstances of each flare-up helps identify them.
5. Break the itch-scratch cycle
Scratching keeps eczema going in a vicious circle. When the urge to scratch builds, apply something cold to the patch, a cool compress or thermal water, and keep your hands busy. Treating patches quickly, with what your doctor has prescribed, also reduces itching.
6. Make room for relaxation
Stress is one of the factors that can trigger a flare-up, and skin can react to it even between flare-ups. Regular moments of calm, a good night's sleep and an activity that relaxes you matter as much as skincare.
7. Speak up if eczema weighs on your mood
Eczema that spoils your nights, isolates you or makes you sad is not a minor detail. Talk to your doctor: many treatments exist today, and patient associations also offer real support.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor or dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis and adjust treatment, and if a flare-up does not settle with what you have been prescribed. See someone quickly if the skin weeps, develops yellow crusts or becomes painful, or if you have a fever: this may be a sign of infection.
A moment of relaxation, designed for people living with eczema
I designed the Skin comfort listening programme for people living with eczema or skin that reacts to stress: 36 quiet minutes, headphones on, one session every 5 days for 45 days. It does not treat eczema and replaces neither your skincare nor your dermatologist's advice. To discover the method, the first session of the Anti-Stress programme is free.
Éric Rosati, osteopath with 30 years of experience. This article is for information and does not replace the advice of your doctor or dermatologist.
Sources (in French): French Society of Dermatology, Atopic dermatitis in 15 questions · Cespharm, Eczema in adults
🎧 Recommended programme: Skin comfort · eczema
To listen to with headphones, in a quiet place, at your own pace.