Tips on how to treat atopic eczema
First of all, we must acknowledge that atopic eczema is a congenital and incurable disease. It is caused by impaired skin signalling. It overreacts to stimuli that a healthy individual does not experience. Atopic eczema manifests itself primarily by dry skin when the disease is without symptoms and by local inflammation when the disease flares up.
Atopic eczema first appears in childhood. After puberty, flare-ups rarely occur. But all it takes is a bit of hormonal or psychological imbalance, stress or being in a stressful environment and atopic eczema can flare up again.
What to do about atopic eczema in the resting period?
When washing and showering: use gels and soaps that are friendly to the skin's PH of 5.5 and that do not degrease, but moisturise and contain an oil component. The less additives they contain, the better. For example Epaderm cream, Protopan Shower Oil, Eucerin UreaRepair PLUS, Linola Shower and Wash
For hydration: after just a few hours, the skin needs to be re-oiled, for example Epaderm cream, Basic 30 cream, Dr Konrad AD lotion Chronic, Bioderma Atoderm, Eucerin pH5 Hydrating Body Lotion. You can also try Dermaguard barrier cream. Its advantage is not only effective hydration for up to 6 hours but it also defends weakened skin from irritation from the external environment for the same period of time.
What to do about atopic eczema during a flare-up?
Dry and itchy areas: do not use oily creams, but deal with adequate skin hydration with moisturizing creams without perfumes, ideally with a longer duration of action, for example Dermaguard, Exomega control, Linola lotion. Beware of frequent washing as it is not good for the skin.
Wet areas: use zinc oils and soothing compresses of yarrow decoction. For this stage, it is more effective to use corticosteroids prescribed by a doctor in the form of ointments, sprays and foams.
