Community Recommendations: Your Go-To Flare Care Items!

We asked and you shared! We asked our community members what are your "go to" over-the-counter items you use when you are experiencing an atopic eczema flare-up. A look at your flare care recommendations.

Creams, lotions and moisturizers

• CeraVe Itch Relief Cream: CeraVe in addition to making creams, has soap bars and facial cleansers that community members have found to be beneficial for their atopic eczema. Many find it has both moisturizing and itch relieving properties.
• Skin Soothers: Created by an acupuncturist to help with manage his daughter's eczema. Community members find it helps to calm dry and itchy skin rashes.
• Vaseline Jelly: Community members find that the thick nature of Vaseline can be for eczema-prone areas that are very dry or the skin has cracked.
• Vanicream products: Vanicream Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream . and Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream. Community members also recommended Vanicream' sunscreen as well.
• Organic Coconut Oil: Coconut oil has antibacterial, anti-fungal, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that can help soothe your skin when it's itchy during a flare-up, and can also help reduce the inflammation.
• TriDerma: Eczema Fast Healing cream and Eczema Itch and Dryness Healing cream are both recommended by community members. The Eczema Fast Healing has Alow Vera Complex which can help soothe and relieve irritated and itching skin.
• Fragrance-Free Curel Lotion: The hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free aspects of this lotion as well as it not having a greasy formula, make it popular amongst community members for keeping skin hydrated all day long.
• Emu cream: Emu cream is typically a cream that has emu oil in it. Some community members have found that emu oil has some anti-inflammatory properties as well as having moisturizing properties.
• Avène XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cream:Community members find that this product helps with soothing the tich, but also helps with the red rash that can typically be associated with atopic dermatitis.
• Gold Bond Eczema Relief:Community members find that the colloidal oatmeal in this lotion has a calming effect on skin and helps with itching, skin dryness as well as redness and irritation.

Medications

Researchers believe that the dysfunction in skin barrier seen in atopic dermatitis leads to an increased sensitivity to allergens. In healthy skin, the barrier provides adequate protection against germs and environmental allergens, but in people with atopic dermatitis, the barrier is compromised, providing an opening for these germs and allergens to enter the body. The immune system in atopic dermatitis is also dysfunctional, creating more of an inflammatory and allergic response. Over-the-counter allergy medications are recommended by several community members to help with itching at night. Examples of medications community members have found to help with their flares are:

• Benadryl
• Allegra
• Zyrtec

Bath, shower and hygiene items

A very important part of treating and preventing relapses of atopic dermatitis (eczema) is having a good skincare routine. Bathing is an important step in skin care, as it hydrates the skin and removes scale, crust, irritants, and allergens. Adequate hydration of the skin is required to help preserve the skin’s natural barrier and minimize the effects from irritants or allergens, which can worsen atopic dermatitis. A look at some of the community recommended items for showering, bathing or using for personal hygiene.

• Epsom salt with lavender. Adding Epsom salt with a calming scent like lavender to a warm bath has helped some community members, both to hydrate the skin and relax irritated skin. Remember after the bath it can be helpful to briefly rinse off, pat dry then put on some lotion to keep skin hydrated.
• Denorex shampoo: The salicylic acid in Denorex can be helpful for removing flakes and scales that may come with atopic dermatitis. Some find it works both as a shampoo and as a body wash. Some find that it also helps to relieve itching as well.
• Dove Sensitive Skin body bar or fragrance free soap and Dove Sensitive antiperspirant/deodorant: Dove makes products that are hypoallergenic as well as fragrance free which community members find helpful for their sensitive skin.
• Cetaphil products: Cetaphil has products that claim to add lipids back the skin to provide protection, hydration and help with other symptoms of atopic dermatitis. They have their patented Filaggrin technology which is in their RestoraDerm® Eczema Calming Body Wash and Moisturizer These products are able to be used for babies (3 months and older) to adults.
• Aveeno/colloidal oatmeal products: Community members use oatmeal baths to help soothe itchy and irritated skin.
• Shea Moisture organic hair care line: Shea Moisture products leave out harmful ingredients and use natural oils and ingredients that community members have found to be easy on sensitive places like the scalp.
• CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser: helps to remove irritants that may be on the skin from the day, but is gentle enough not to irritant the skin. Community members find its fragrance-free formula doesn't bother sensitive skin and it also works to maintain moisture on the skin.

Other community suggestions

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet!
• Cryomax ice packs for inflammed skin
• Taking D3 & K2 vitamins