As the weather gets colder, the air gets drier, my skin has started its annual freak out where my face flares out with eczema 😭.
Eczema flare-ups can be frustrating, painful, and hard to manage—especially when you’re already doing your best to care for sensitive skin. Whether your skin feels itchy, dry, or inflamed, eczema can impact both your comfort and confidence. The hardest for me is to resist the urge to scratch my skin and ignore the prickly sensation as my nerves stress out.
The good news? With a few mindful adjustments and the right soothing habits, you can calm flare-ups and strengthen your skin barrier over time. Here are 10 tips that I have found work for me and can hopefully work for you to ease your discomfort and soothe your skin quicker.
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult your dermatologist before starting new treatments or products for eczema.
1. Use a humidifier
Honestly, this has probably been the most helpful, on top of the everything suggested below. Now that the weather is cooler, my space heater is up and running, drying out the air as we speak. My face starts to shrivel up like a raisin and the dry skin starts to come out, causing a prickly feeling and eventually eczema sprouts it ugly head around my eyes, mouth, and jawline. Adding water back into the air definitely helps bring some moisture back and helps my skin not feel as dehydrated.
2. Take lukewarm showers NOT blazing hot
This is a difficult one for me. Take a boiling hot shower at the end of a long day is one of life’s pleasures but alas my whole being denies it. After consecutively taking showers that were with very hot water for a few days, I would wake up in the morning with eczema on my neck and face. Not a super surprise considering this is the worst triggers for eczema.
3. Use a fragrance-free moisturizer ~ everywhere (body and face)
Fragrance can trigger eczema depending on your sensitivity. When having a flare up though regardless of how well you can usually tolerate it, try to not use it till your eczema goes down. No point adding a potentially aggravating product on top of already sensitive skin.
4. No actives for at least a week
Since your skin barrier is already compromised, even if you have other concerns like acne or hyperpigmentation, using an active on top of already inflamed skin is not going to help. It’ll probably just make your skin’s overall condition worse. Don’t use niacinamide, benzoyl peroxide, or anything else till your eczema calms down.
5. If you can, avoid sunscreen
I was actually testing out a new sunscreen and my whole neck grew inflamed, red, and itchy with the usual small bumps for eczema. Some sunscreens have ingredients that can trigger eczema so best to avoid it for some time if you can or use one that you have that you know won’t cause any adverse reaction. Would be better to just use a physical sunscreen instead of chemical to avoid further irritation.
6. Use an ointment or prescription medication to treat
For me I use a prescription medication to treat my eczema so if you can always try to go to a dermatologist and they can either prescribe a medication or suggest an over the counter treatment option.
7. Wear cotton
Whenever my eczema spikes, the only clothing I wear that doesn’t cause further irritation is cotton. So cotton t-shirts or jackets if you can since it breathable and soft. It doesn’t produce a scratchy feeling if I was wearing wool or some other fabric.
8. Don’t touch your face
Contact dermatitis can also spark an eczema flare if you touch something that can be irritating on your skin. For me it seems like if I can avoid touching my face at all then I am fine since the skin on my face dislikes pretty much everything. Try to wash your hands first if you need to touch you face if you can.
9. SkinCare routine as simple as possible
Stick to the basics. Simple cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen (non-irritating), with maybe a hydrating or simple serum to help retain moisture. Try to do that for a few days then slowly introduce actives or anything else you use back as your skin recovers.
10. Try not to get stressed out
This one is a really try your best. Theres so many stresses in life and trying to maintain your cool while not scratching your face or body is extremely difficult but for me, if I get more stressed out my skin flares even more. Take frequent breaks and be kind to yourself.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with eczema doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Focus on keeping your skincare simple, your environment gentle, and your habits mindful. With patience and consistency, flare-ups can become less frequent and easier to manage. You must be patient and kind to yourself as you heal your skin, otherwise the effects can remain for longer.
