Home BeautyBeauty Tips The Wonders of Bathing When You Have Eczema

The Wonders of Bathing When You Have Eczema

by Olivia Bennet

Introduction

You may be tempted not to shower as your skin is already so dry from eczema. You may also feel that your eczema scars and wounds from itching will hurt when your skin comes into contact with water. Though it may seem counterintuitive to bathe when you have eczema, it is, in fact, very crucial to take baths to help your condition.

For treating eczema and reducing flare-ups, establish a thorough skincare routine that includes regular cleansing and moisturizing with a repair cream. This article will highlight to you why it is important and some information, tips, and tricks on making your bath time more smooth sailing.

Effectiveness Of Bathing 

It is not that your skin lacks adequate oil that makes it dry. It is actually due to your skin not holding sufficient moisture as well as it should be. Dry skin issues are usually due to wind, cold and harsh climates, and excessive washing without moisturizing after having a shower or bath, all of which can exacerbate and worsen your eczema.

Those who suffer from eczema, particularly those with atopic dermatitis, have extremely dry skin because it negatively impacts the skin’s moisture barrier. The skin barrier is the top layer of skin that keeps irritants, pathogens, and allergies out of our bodies while holding moisture in. In individuals who suffer from eczema, genes, skin trauma such as itching or scraping, and redness can all contribute to a faulty or malfunctioning epidermis barrier.

Sealing And Soaking

Many physicians prescribe the sealing and soaking approach to managing eczema to battle dry skin and prevent flare-ups. To achieve the most benefit out of this method,  you should be sealing and soaking frequently and in the order suggested below.

To begin, soak in warm water for five to ten minutes. Avoid cleaning the damaged skin and use a soft cleaner. After washing, gently wipe the skin with a towel to keep it moist. Start applying a medicated topical treatment to the problem areas on your skin as indicated as you are done drying yourself off.

After that, slather a generous amount of moisturizer all over the body and keep this process within three minutes. If the moisturizer is not administered within three minutes, the skin will get significantly drier. Finally, let the moisturizer sink into the skin for a while before dressing or putting wet wraps.

Bathing Tips

Remember to take at least one bath or shower per day, and bathe for around fifteen minutes in warm water. Always remember to avoid exfoliating with a washcloth or loofah, as it may create further abrasions. A gentle cleanser is great because it decreases the likelihood of a flare-up.

Limit your use of cleansers during severe flares to avoid causing more irritation.

Moisturizing Tips

To enhance moisture and maintain the skin barrier, apply a moisturizer and repair cream with a high lipid content two times each day. Remember to moisturize your hands every time you clean them, or they make contact with water to avoid over-washing. Washing and moisturizing should be done at night, right before bed, to assist your skin in its moisture maintenance. Furthermore, if your eczema is on your hands, soak them in water for a few minutes before applying your repair cream and a reliable moisturizer. Putting on cotton gloves while sleeping helps to seal the moisturizer in your skin.

cosmetic creams

Which Is Better — Bath Or Shower? 

Water can help restore moisture to the skin, but only if you use warm water, minimize scrubbing, and moisturize your skin within three minutes of cleaning yourself. Bathing and showering are both effective in ensuring your skin area are clean and supple so that it can seal in moisture and prevent contaminants.

Nevertheless, excessive water exposure or poor bathing might cause skin irritations. Particularly if you do not hydrate and moisturize your skin immediately after it is wet — your skin will become parched and inflamed as a result of this loss of moisture.

Best Products To Use For Bathing

You should opt for unscented skincare products that are dye-free to avoid irritating your skin further.

Avoid antimicrobial cleansers that are not water-based as they contain harsh substances like alcohol and solvents, particularly during bad flare-ups. When cleansing, ensure that you are not abrasively scrubbing your skin and also softly dry yourself up afterward. Following that, make sure to moisturize your skin as directed by your doctor.

Bathing in warm water will help your skin take up moisture more effectively, but it can also be quite a pleasant experience that helps you relax. Just remember to not bathe for long periods and to do away with using physical exfoliants as they are known to be harsh and abrasive for your skin.

Bath Oils

Bath Oils

Bathing with mild oils can assist in keeping your skin supple and hydrated. Choose oils that do not include scents or soapy bubble bath products that could irritate your skin even more. Do take note that oils may leave a film on your tub, and it can get quite greasy, so be careful.

Baking Soda

A common cure for itching is to add one-quarter of a cup of sodium bicarbonate to your bath or even direct application to the skin in the texture of a paste.

Bleach

Sensitive skin coupled with built-up bacteria can contribute to skin infections, which can be reduced by a bath with a small amount of bleach. For a full bath, use half a cup of household bleach; if you are only filling your tub up to halfway, use a quarter cup of bleach instead. Soak for no more than ten minutes before rinsing. Doing this routine about twice to thrice a week is ideal.

Before beginning bleach bath treatment, anyone who is sensitive to bleach or has seasonal allergies which may be worsened by chlorine should speak with their health care practitioner to determine if this treatment is suitable for their conditions.

Oatmeal 

A frequent therapy for itching relief is to add granular oatmeal into your bath or apply it directly to the skin in a paste-like texture.

Salt 

Bathing may irritate your skin if you are having a very bad flare-up. This discomfort can be alleviated by incorporating an amount of table salt into your bath.

Conclusion

In summary, you should not avoid taking showers or baths if you have eczema, even during flare-ups. This is because you want to get rid of as much bacteria and gunk out of your skin so that any treatment you use to manage your eczema can be better absorbed into your skin.

Eczema may be difficult and often tricky to manage, but you will have a more smooth sailing time dealing with your skin condition with this list of information. 

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