What is eczema?
Eczema can be recognized by the skin with a reddening and then increasingly rough surface, which usually appears in spots on our body. In all cases, the cause is some degree of inflammation of the skin. Regardless of whether it is caused by external or internal factors, the result is always skin inflammation. The epidermis is irritated, dry and red, and also itchy. This can easily lead to a vicious circle, because if you scratch the slightly inflamed, dry surface, bacteria and viruses can get into the microwounds, which multiply and cause a more serious infection. Of course, this will immediately lead to an increase and spread of unpleasant symptoms.
This can already be considered as subacute or, in more serious cases, permanent, chronic eczema. After all, if the skin disease worsens and healing is delayed, or even if the symptoms become permanent, then it is no longer acute eczema.
Eczema can have many causes. You are lucky if you can eliminate the cause of eczema. The essential solution, of course, is to find what is causing the symptoms. But there are characteristics of eczema skin that you can focus on to make your life easier! Certain things should be kept in mind and incorporated into your routine if you have eczema!
Types of eczema
Eczema can be grouped in many ways. For example, eczema can be exogenous or endogenous, meaning it can be caused by an external or internal problem. In the case of exogenous eczema, some external factor always causes the problem, the sensitive skin turns red. This is caused by allergens or other irritating substances coming into contact with the skin. Endogenous eczema is caused by some internal factor, which can also be caused by allergies.
Irritant and allergic eczema can also be distinguished, here we determine which group of eczema it is based on the cause of redness and itching, as well as the appearance of blisters. In the case of irritative eczema, the symptoms are not caused by an external factor to which we are allergic. If you think about it, different chemicals and other substances can also cause irritation.
Eczema due to sensitivity and dryness is very common. In such cases, the skin dries out, for example because you moisturized less than you should, or you applied inappropriate substances to it, and your already sensitive or dry skin reacted in this way to external influences. Eczema due to dehydration is easier to treat, since the cause can be easily identified and eliminated.
After all, in this case, the damage and superinfection of the dry skin further aggravated the situation and the unpleasant symptoms, but the root cause is not complicated. There are some rules that you should follow in case of eczema-prone, sensitive and dry skin, we will cover them shortly.
How is eczema and skin pH related?
It is important to know that the skin is protected by an acid mantle, the task of which is to keep away and destroy bacteria and viruses. Therefore, the pH value of healthy skin is slightly acidic, between 4.6 and 5.5. And the pH of eczematous skin is typically shifted in an alkaline direction. That's why you should pay attention to what you take care of your skin with, especially in the case of eczema.
It is worth using slightly acidic substances, but we will write about the specific active ingredients and creams anyway, just scroll down! It is important to avoid soap, because soap removes this healthy acid mantle, and if you already have eczema, it further worsens the skin's pH value, since soap is alkaline.
It is also worth paying attention to how hard the water in your area is, because typically hard water can be alkaline, so long baths or showers are not good for your skin. You should put a few drops of oil in the bath water and use the appropriate body lotion and creams on your skin after bathing, which will take your skin's pH in a slightly acidic direction.
Eczema cream: what should you use?
What creams do we recommend for eczema skin? The most important thing is to be aware of the ingredients and their effects. Because if you consciously take care of your eczema-prone skin, you can achieve very good results!
These are the best active ingredients for eczema
In the case of eczema, as mentioned in relation to pH, maintaining or restoring the skin's natural defenses is one of the most important. Therefore, for example, special attention should be paid to ceramides. Ceramides are lipids that support the skin's natural protective layer. In the case of eczema, for example, the amount of these important lipids decreases significantly, and this is associated with drying of the skin and the related discomfort.
Ceramide-containing creams therefore provide a very good solution in this situation. Any product containing ceramides, as well as oat oil itself, can be a great choice. You should also pay attention to products containing PHA, because this gentle exfoliating agent has a beneficial effect on the pH value, helps to get rid of dry, peeling spots and is also a great moisturizer. Oils are generally good for the lipid structure of the skin. However, the density, composition, and texture of individual vegetable oils may differ, so the cosmetic purposes for which they can be used also differ. That's why it doesn't matter when and what kind of oil we use. In the case of eczema or skin prone to it, the aforementioned oat oil, evening primrose oil, and jojoba oil can be very good skin care products. Olive oil and shea butter are also very, very good ingredients.
Panthenol-containing creams reduce inflammation and improve skin hydration, so you can say yes to this active ingredient when looking for creams based on ingredients for your problem.
The use of water-binding materials is also important. For example, hyaluronic acid, which is considered to be an ace, is also good for the skin in this case. But betaine or glycerin are also very important water binders, which may be necessary for skin that is dry due to eczema.
Look for these in the list of ingredients because they are good for your skin: Oenothera Biennis Seed Oil, allantoin, betaine, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, butter, ceramide, beta glucan, tocopherol, ectoin, glycerin, phospholipids, gotu cola -centella asiatica, sphingolipids, Decyl Glucoside, Glycoin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, oat, panthenol, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodim PCA, astaxanthin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, phytosphingosine, Undaria Pinnatifida Cell Culture, Avena Sativa,
Prohibited active ingredients and creams
It is very important that in the case of eczema, perfumes and even products containing essential oils should be avoided. In many cases, the irritation caused by them triggers eczema symptoms.
We have already mentioned soap, which has a negative effect on the pH of the skin, and hard water, and those with sensitive, eczematous skin should pay close attention to these. Anything that can dry out the skin should be specifically avoided. This is exactly the reason why the skin should be constantly moisturized and the routine should be finished with a cream with a more greasy texture.
People with eczema should avoid, for example, propylene glycol, silica, but also alcohol, which dries the skin strongly.
It is important to pay attention to what you are sensitive to or allergic to. for example, if you have a wool allergy, you should avoid products containing lanolin. Those who are allergic to latex may have problems with shea butter, while lecithin-containing cosmetics should be avoided in case of soy allergy.
The following ingredients are blacklisted: retinol and its derivatives, as well as the already mentioned essential oils and perfumes. ethanol, mica, silica, Octocrylene, benzoyl peroxide, benzoic acid, propylene glycol, diazolidinyl urea, sorbic acid, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate.
All in all, it is therefore worth choosing natural oils, antiseptic and water-binding substances in the case of eczema.