Finding the Right Moisturizer Is Key

Up until the early noughties, my skin routine was pretty poor. For years I had messed about with numerous moisturizers, lotions, and ointments, trying to find the most effective ones. The main problem I found with the majority of products was that they were either too greasy or would irritate my skin causing me to itch more. This led me to have a very apathetic attitude towards pretty much all of the products that were available to eczema sufferers.

Having no faith in the medication offered

As a result, my skin routine suffered greatly. I used creams like E45 and Aqueous cream, to name but a few. It was on and off, somedays I used lots, then I'd go for days even weeks of not using anything. This was all because I simply had no faith whatsoever in the medication that was offered. I looked ill, pale, dry, stale, and not very well.

It's amazing what we have achieved

I often used to think to myself, isn't it amazing what the human race has achieved. We've put man on the moon and have discovered distant planets and stars in our universe. We've invented the telephone and have eradicated some diseases like smallpox. We've come up with penicillin, the airplane, the toilet, and the internet!! And yet there is nothing to cure an itching condition. Doesn't seem fair.

I realize I've gone off on a bit of a tangent here. Of course, it is a complex issue. But it does make me wonder if the same effort was put into the research as there has been in the aforementioned inventions, whether atopic dermatitis might be in a very different place today? Maybe that's unfair.

Finding my near-perfect moisturizer

I cannot remember who suggested I try a product called Epaderm. I'm not sure if it was by a professional or not, but around 2002 I switched from my old moisturizers to Epaderm. Many people I speak to find this ointment too greasy or thick and that it blocks the pores of their skin. Different strokes for different folks! Finding Epaderm was a complete game-changer for me.

Epaderm was a game changer

It enabled me to feel more confident in my appearance. It only has three main ingredients in it; yellow soft paraffin, liquid paraffin, and emulsifying wax. Essentially, these ingredients help to create a layer of oil on the surface of the skin thus preventing water to evaporate. This sounds like a tacky advert but I promise I don't mean it to sound so. The reason I thought about writing this was because I often catastrophize things. One of the many nightmares that cause me to get a bit panicky is the thought of the manufacturers changing the ingredient levels or worse, stop making it.

What does Epaderm do for my eczema?

I could not live without this ointment. If I suddenly have an itching fit, for whatever reason, it's like the waxy ingredient prevents me from breaking or tearing my skin. It might go a bit red but that's as bad as it gets. Obviously, my skin will break and bleed at times. Of course, it will, but it is nowhere near as bad as it used to be. Previously, using other products, my skin would tear and bleed on a frequent basis.