How to Prevent Eczema Flare-Ups

Eczema isn’t a single skin condition, but an umbrella term for conditions that cause inflamed, irritated, itchy skin. More than 30 million people in the United States have some form of eczema. 

Some types of eczema cause ongoing skin problems, like atopic dermatitis, while others only cause problems when you come in contact with specific substances, like poison ivy — a type of contact dermatitis. 

No matter what type of eczema you have, the goal is to prevent the skin condition from flaring up. At Associated Skin Care Specialists, our highly skilled board-certified dermatologists are experts at diagnosing and treating all types of eczema.

Here, we want to share with you some of our professional tips for preventing your eczema from flaring up.

Know your triggers

The American Academy of Dermatology lists seven types of eczema. Each type causes a different skin reaction. However, all share some common triggers.

No matter what type of eczema you have, the first step toward preventing a flare-up is knowing your trigger(s). Common eczema flare-up triggers include:

• Stress
• Skin irritants — soap, household cleaners, perfume, plants, etc.
• Dry skin

Once you know what triggers your skin rash, you can take steps to avoid or control it so it limits the effects it has on your skin. 

Take good care of your skin

Setting up a skin-care routine is important for keeping your eczema under control. The specifics of your regimen may depend on the type of eczema you have.

In general, we recommend you take at least one bath or shower a day, using lukewarm water and hypoallergenic soap. If you have a flare-up, use a soft cloth to clean the affected area. Rubbing or scrubbing the irritated skin might make it worse.

Taking a bath at night before bed may help keep moisture in and irritants out. 

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize

Dry skin is a common eczema trigger. When your skin gets too dry it becomes brittle and tight, making it more susceptible to an eczema flare-up.

After your bath, apply a moisturizer to your skin. We recommend moisturizing ointments or creams because they hold in moisture better than lotions. 

Reapply your moisturizer throughout the day whenever your skin feels dry. Using a humidifier during the drier months of the year may also help. 

Follow your treatment plan

Our dermatologists specialize in diagnosing and treating all types of eczema in adults and children. We customize treatment plans to ease symptoms during flare-ups and prevent future outbreaks.

Following your personalized treatment is vital for keeping your skin condition under control.

Because we’re dedicated to helping our patients get the most current treatments available, we regularly participate in eczema clinical trials.

We know how hard life is when you’re struggling with irritated, itchy skin, but there’s no need to suffer. Let us help you get control over your eczema and prevent those flare-ups. 

We provide dermatology care at our offices in Blaine, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, and Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Make an appointment today using our convenient online scheduling tool by following the above links or by calling one of our offices. 

For your convenience, we also provide telemedicine appointments for consultations. 

If you’re interested in one of our eczema clinical trials, sign up online or call our Study Line at (763) 502-2929. Our research dermatologists work out of our New Brighton, Minnesota, location.

We also have offices in Fridley, Minnesota, to address dermatology needs.