GIVEAWAY: AVEENO Eczema Care for Eczema Awareness Month

Eczema prevention is near and dear to my heart, because I have to deal with it everyday! On a good day, my hands are dry and tight, and on the worst days, they are broken, itchy and burning like hell. I fully endorse the AVEENO Eczema Care line because it works. AVEENO carries the Eczema Society Seal of Acceptance for establishing itself as a line free of irritating ingredients and suitable for people with sensitive skin.

For me, I find that the most gentle cleanser is essential to keep flare-ups at a minimum. I am obsessed (actually on my second bottle!) with the AVEENO Eczema Care Body Wash. It’s really fantastic because it locks in the moisture from my shower, even without a lotion, which I am too lazy to apply most of the time.

Until now, I think a lot of eczema sufferers are confused about how to deal with this skin condition. I was lucky enough to ask Dr. Lyn Guenther, MD, FRCPC my burning eczema questions. See what I did there?

My eczema used to be strictly seasonal (in fall and winter when the air is dry), but this year, I had bad flare-ups in the summer. What could have triggered my eczema?

Dr. Lyn Guenther: In approximately 80% of individuals with eczema, their skin will improve in the summer. This past summer was relatively cold without much sunshine and many individuals did not notice the usual summer improvement. For some individuals, humidity and sweating can increase itching and worsen the eczema. Swimming can also be irritating. Moisturizing before swimming, and applying moisturizer after rinsing immediately after swimming usually decrease irritation. Stress, irritants including body and laundry products, and skin infections due to Staphylococcus aureus, can also be triggers.

Do I need to avoid certain ingredients in my skin/body products? What ingredients should I look for to soothe itchy / dry skin?

LG: Patients with eczema have sensitive skin with a defective barrier function. Skin / body products should be hypoallergenic and unscented. Botanical products often contain potential sensitizers and should be avoided. There are many excellent products on the market. Emollients such as glycol, glyceryl stearate and soy sterols lubricate and soften the skin, while occlusive agents such as petrolatum, dimethicone and mineral oil form a layer to slow down evaporation of water. Humectants such as glycerol, lactic acid and urea attract and hold water. The triple oat complex (colloidal oatmeal, oat oil and avenanthramides) and ceramides may rebuild the barrier.

What can I do in my daily routine to prevent eczema flare-ups?

LG: Heat (e.g. hot environment, hot water), dryness (e.g. lack of moisturization and dry winter air), irritants (e.g. wool and nylon clothing and blankets, harsh soaps, fabric softeners) and stress are common causes of eczema flare-ups and if possible should be avoided. Protective gloves should be used for wet work. Hypoallergenic moisturizer should be applied all over the body at least once or twice a day and to the hands after every time they are washed. Make sure that you have enough sleep.

I try to avoid use of steroid creams as much as I can, and I only use them on the worst flare-ups, reading that it can lead to thinning of skin. Is that true? Am I right to use steroid cream only as my last resort with eczema treatment?

LG: Steroids are very useful in the treatment of eczema and most people who use them do not develop thinning of the skin. It is better to use steroids sooner rather than later when treating eczema. Use of steroids at the first onset of itching, redness, scaling or scratch marks will often bring the eczema quickly under control and result in less steroid being used. Topical calcineurin inhibitors (i.e. pimecrolimus, tacrolimus) are alternative prescription treatments for eczema. They are used twice daily to bring the eczema under control. They do not cause thinning of the skin, but may cause a transient burning sensation. For people with frequent flares, twice a week application of a topical steroid or tacrolimus on cleared skin may prevent flares. Regular use of moisturizer is important and has been shown to improve eczema and decrease the amount of steroid needed to control the eczema.

Giveaway

To take care of eczema sufferers during the upcoming winter season, AVEENO is offering one lucky reader its entire line of AVEENO Eczema Care. You must be a resident of Canada to enter.

• AVEENO® Eczema Care Hand Cream (not pictured)
• AVEENO® Eczema Care Body Wash
• AVEENO® Eczema Care Moisturizing Cream
• AVEENO® BABY® Eczema Care Wash
• AVEENO® BABY® Eczema Care Moisturizing Cream

Good luck!

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