Eczema is a skin condition that causes problems on many levels – physical, psychological, and emotional. Simple self-help solutions can go a long way to relieve the stress of coping with this condition, and there follows eight tips to help you manage your eczema from day to day:
* Avoid animal fur
All animals that have fur are a potential source of allergy, and not only is the fur a problem, but animals shed vast quantities of skin (dander), which is likely to cause an allergic reaction. It is good advice for an eczema sufferer to avoid contact with animals, particularly at home, as the fur and skin remains in carpets and furnishings for a long time.
* Keep Fingernails Short
This is particularly important for babies and children, as they may scratch uncontrollably in their sleep, and it is easy for their skin to become infected. Cotton mittens can also be used for babies, to prevent damage from scratching.
* Organic Cotton Clothing And Bedding
Organic cotton clothing and bedding do not have the chemicals and pesticide residues that ordinary cotton has, and lets the skin breathe. All clothing and bedding should be washed in a non-biological washing powder, and then rinsed twice so that all soap residue is removed.
* Keep Rooms Well-Ventilated
Central heating can encourage house dust mites, and if the house is not well-ventilated, this can trigger eczema. Bedrooms, in particular, need to be airy and not too warm.
* Keep Cool
Overheating through exercise, or due to a warm house, often leads to a flare-up of eczema. Keeping cool by wearing cotton clothes, and exercising sensibly will aid management of any outbreaks.
* Drink Water
Dehydration causes the skin to become dry, but this can be relieved by drinking lots of water. Drinking about 8 glasses of water a day will also flush toxins from the body.
* Avoid Cigarette Smoke
This is a well-known trigger for eczema and should be avoided at all costs.
* Avoid Pollen
Some forms of eczema can be aggravated by contact with pollen.
Treatment of atopic eczema is not just about creams and lotions, but about prevention.
For lots of information and tips on how to cope with eczema, including many natural remedies and treatments, please visit http://copingwitheczema.blogspot.com