ECZEMA – Bathing and Moisturizing Tips

Bathing and moisturizing are essential for healthy skin.  Bathing can hydrate skin, remove dirt and germs, and promote relaxation.  It can also loosen crusts from inflamed skin.  However, hot water, drying soaps and rubbing the skin to clean or dry can aggravate Eczema and cause a flare-up.  These guidelines can help you reap the benefits of bathing and moisturizing and avoid the pitfalls:

1. Use lukewarm water for bathing and washing hands.  The water should not feel hot nor redden the skin because hot water dries skin.  Dry, irritated skin can cause a flare-up nd worsen existing Eczema.
   


2. Avoid excessive bathing.  Bathing too frequently can dry skin.  A short, lukewarm shower, tepid bath, or sponge bath once a day for 5 to 10 minutes can hydrate skin effectively.
   


3. Use mild, non-drying cleansers.  It is essential that a personal cleaning agent cleanse without causing excessive skin dryness or roughness.  Look for a mild cleanser that is free of fragrances, antibacterial agents, or other chemicals that can irritate the skin. 
   
   Equally important is how the cleanser makes the skin feel.  Does the skin feel dry or irritated?  Even mild cleansers can irritate and caution should be used, especially when there is a current flare-up.
   
   For this reason, we recommend 100% OLIVE OIL SOAP by ARMSTRONG SKIN AID.  Its pure, low-lathering, glycerin and lye-free composition make it an ideal cleanser for persons with Eczema, even when the outbreak is current.
   


4. Soap only as needed.  No matter which mild cleanser is used, less is better.  If you are not too dirty or sweaty, use the cleanser only on the genitals, armpits, feet and hands.
   


5. Avoid body sponges and washcloths.  The friction caused by using a body sponge or washcloth can irritate skin and lead to a flare-up.  Use your hands to apply cleanser and never rub or scrub.
   


6. Pat skin partially dry with a towel.  Do not rub the skin dry.  Rubbing the skin dry with a towel removes important natural oils.  Instead, use the towel to pat the skin partially dry and then apply moisturizer.
   


7. Apply moisturizer while the skin is damp.  Applying moisturizer while the skin is damp, usually within 3 minutes of bathing, locks in the moisture from the bath.  In the winter, or any time the air is dry, apply a heavy layer of moisturizer to the face, hands and other skin that will be exposed to the environment.



8. Select moisturizers with care.  One of the biggest misconceptions about moisturizers is that these products hydrate the skin.  The truth is that moisturizers lock in the skin’s own moisture to prevent dryness and cracking.  The more oil a moisturizer contains, the more effectively it protects against moisture loss.  Find moisturizers that feel pleasing to the skin as this will encourage use and avoid products that contain fragrances, preservatives, and other chemicals that can irritate the skin.  Moisturizers come in three consistencies:  Ointments, creams and lotions.
   
   Ointments:  Moisturizers that come in ointment form contain the most oil because an ointment, by definition, consists of 80% oil and 20% water.  This emulsion forms a protective layer on the skin and makes it more “moisturizing” than creams and lotions.  Ointments are especially beneficial when humidity is low.  However, ointments should not be used on areas of the body that tend to get hot and sweaty.
   
   Creams:  Creams contain 50% oil and 50% water.
   
   Lotions:  Water is the primary ingredient in lotions, so lotions do not provide as great a barrier against moisture loss as do ointments and creams.
   

ARMSTRONG SKIN AID for ECZEMA is neither an ointment, nor a cream, nor a lotion.  This is because there is no water added to the formula.  Instead it is a salve which consists purely of Butter, Beeswax, Rosin, Kukui Nut Oil and Sweet Orange Essential Oil.  It is even more moisture-binding than an ointment because it is not diluted with water.  And its all-natural formula will not irritate already sensitive skin.  Its unique formula works to soothe irritated skin, relieve itching, and bind in the skin’s own moisture, which allows the skin to heal naturally.

by: Armstrong Skin Aid
date: Friday, August 4, 2006