Eczema: How To Treat The Winter Itch

A lot of people in the UK suffer from eczema, with some experiencing heightened symptoms during winter. The cold, dry air can make eczema outbreaks even worse, so we have taken a look at a few ways that you can treat winter eczema, and make it more manageable throughout the colder months.

What are the symptoms of eczema?

Eczema causes a person to have dry skin, which can appear red, and become itchy. It produces small rashes on the skin which appear red, with bumps of different sizes. These rashes can occur anywhere on the body but they are most common on hands, or joints, like elbows or knees.

How can you treat eczema in winter?

1. The cold weather can cause everyone's skin to become dryer, which is why it can antagonise those with eczema. Be sure to use moisturiser regularly in winter to soothe your skin and prevent irritation before it occurs. Try applying twice a day, paying particular attention to the dryer patches of your skin. Some find that a thick moisturiser works better, but try some different types, and find what works best for you. 

2. Although it can be tempting to jump into a hot shower or bath when it's so cold outside, try a temperature that won't dry out your skin quite so much. Opt for lukewarm, and try not to be any longer than 15 minutes. Remember to pat yourself dry afterwards as well, rather than irritating your eczema more by rubbing a towel on your skin. 

3. Be sure to steer clear of scented or perfumed soaps to reduce the risk of further irritation - they are in abundance on the supermarket shelves but can end up disturbing the skin even more if you suffer from eczema. The same applies to laundry detergents, opt for products that are designed for sensitive skin so that you reduce your exposure to experiencing a particularly uncomfortable eczema flare-up.

What else can you do?

At Oxford Online Pharmacy we provide an eczema treatment service. You can go through an online consultation with us, and we can talk to you about options to effectively treat your eczema.