Hey Fam ! It's your girl Anna, let's talk about a sensitive issue no literally. If your skin is dry, itchy, red and inflamed with tiny bumps, its a strong possibility you might have eczema (atopic dermatitis). It’s a common skin condition that isn’t contagious but very prone in African Americans. Eczema is caused by a combination of immune system activation, genetics, environmental triggers and stress. As an emergency room nurse & someone trying to grow a business my stress level is always high. I'd never experienced an eczema flare until I was twenty-five years old, this means the whole time it was laying dormant In my body and something triggered it.
Although there is not cure, there is definitely plenty of things you can do at home to give your skin some relief and manage your symptoms.
Stay Moisturized- Your skin needs moisture to heal and protect itself. Most lotions on the market won’t create a barrier strong enough for your skin because they contain mostly water. You want to choose a thick cream or ointment/body butter instead. The Eczema butter from Happy Glow Skincare works great. Put it on your skin at least twice a day to keep your eczema tamed and speed up your healing.
Avoid Drastic Temperature Changes- Jumping from hot to cold weather may cause a flare-up, I should know I just gone done experiencing a flare up with the seasons just changing on my side of the earth and my eczema let me know she was not happy. I’ve spent the last week slathering on eczema butter 3x daily and a little extra at night to prevent my skin from drying out.Try to keep your home at a comfortable and consistent temperature. Low humidity can dry your skin out, use a humidifier to add moisture to the air especially during the night.
Skip Scented Skin and Laundry Products- The fragrance in many cleaners and fabric softeners can irritate your skin. You’re better off using gentle, scent free products. And always wash new clothes before wearing them. It’ll help to get rid of any excess dyes and chemicals that could potentially inflame your skin. As for you face you want to stay away from products with fragrance and essentials oil. Our Eczema Kit contains all fragrance free ingredients that will add the moisture and soothing you skin so desperately need.
Try Antihistamines -Diphenhydramine/Benadryl works great to calm itching and help you sleep. Zyrtec and Claritin are two options for the day time due to there non drowsy features. This is usually very helpful during the first day of your flare up.
Try Not to Scratch that Itch - When your itching feels out of control, apply some of your eczema relief spray and put a cold compress on your skin. If your eczema is really bad after you’ve applied your eczema butter, make a wet wrap by soaking a piece of cloth in warm water. It helps your skin absorb moisture.
Decrease your Stress level- Your stress levels can cause or worsen your eczema flare up. There are mental/emotional (depression, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed) signs of stress and physical signs of stress.(sleeping too little, muscle tension, aches and pain). It can also increase your itching and cause you to scratch more. Look for ways to ease your mind. Try some yoga, meditate or even try working out. Even asking a loved one to give you a quick massage using your eczema butter can do the trick.
Eczema has been apart of my life for the past two years; I’ve managed to live a somewhat normal life without having flare ups every other week. The skincare products I use have definitely played a big role in that, and when I do experience flare ups my eczema kit is always ready to go to work for me within less than a week my flare up is tamed.