ReadOns.com | Discover New Blogs Daily

Tips to find the right soap with eczema

As dreadful as it sounds, eczema is more prevalent than you think. 31.6 million have at least one form of this type of dermatitis in the country alone. The term eczema describes a skin disease that involves skin inflammation, typically due to exposure to some environmental or dietary trigger. The condition is commonly called atopic dermatitis since the cause is usually some allergen. The allergens vary from individual to individual.

What is eczema?
Eczema does not refer to one skin disease but is a group of conditions characterized by inflamed or irritated skin. The most common type is atopic dermatitis, related to allergic conditions like asthma and hay fever. Eczema affects 10% – 20% of infants and about 3% of adults and children in the country. Usually, in children, the symptoms are outgrown after ten years. Though there is no cure, you can manage the signs to a large extent. The condition is caused partly by genetic components but is not contagious.

Managing eczema
Managing any chronic condition is difficult. With skin diseases, there is not only continual discomfort but also social factors that need to be addressed. It is typically stressful during an eczema flare-up, and this emotional anguish forms a vicious cycle triggering the symptoms even further. You might have to handle your emotions and pay attention to your routine, including skin care, regulating your meal plans, avoiding triggers, and ensuring your clothes and environment are chemical-free.

What about baths?
Bathing with a skin condition is different indeed. You cannot indulge in hour-long soaks with scented bath bombs. Aromatic bath salts are out of the question, and so are fragrant shower gels. If you love cold showers, forget them and ditch hot baths too. Additionally, stay away from exfoliating skin scrubs and salt rubs. It is best to bathe for 5-10 minutes in lukewarm water, preferably at night, and follow it with a thick creamy moisturizer from a tub. This is because tub moisturizers are thicker, allowing the skin to absorb moisture better. But with all this said, you cannot simply bathe with water, can you? Soap is an essential part of a refreshing bath. However, when you have eczema, finding a suitable soap is necessary. The following are six tips for finding the perfect soap for eczema.

Know the challenges
You first need to know what challenges you might face while finding the perfect soap for eczema. There are three main problems. Firstly, your skin changes when you have eczema. The symptoms appear in cycles when exposed to triggers or allergens, and the skin might not be as dry when the flare-ups recede. Thus the soap that works when the skin is inflamed might have to be different from the one you will need when the symptoms are absent. Secondly, let us say you find the perfect soap, and then two months later, the manufacturer “updates” the formula. The new formula may or may not suit your skin. Finally, the number of recommendations you receive from people around you can be overwhelming. What works for another person with eczema may not work for you. Hence it is essential to work with your dermatologist, keep a diary of the products you use and be patient in finding a suitable soap for you.

How to experiment?
Your first step in finding the right soap should be consulting your dermatologist. Having seen many people with skin diseases, they will likely have specific recommendations for you. They might also evaluate your skin carefully before prescribing anything. The next step is a patch test. Apply a bit of soap to the wrist, clean it and dry it before wrapping a bandage around it. Wait 48 hours to wash the area so that you can check for signs of an allergic reaction. If there is redness, itching, or rash, remove the bandage, and apply a soothing lotion after washing the area. If there is no reaction, you can continue to use the soap. However, remember that eczema symptoms and intensity change over time, so the product might become less effective with regular use.

Check the labels
When looking for a new soap, it is best to spend a little time reading the labels. Make sure you avoid soaps with fragrances, dyes, and deodorants. Such components tend to irritate the skin. Neutral pH is ideal in soaps. Individuals with eczema should be wary of alkaline soaps. Avoid soaps with propylene glycol, salicylic acid, and formaldehyde since they worsen eczema symptoms. If you have had eczema for a while, you will be aware of ingredients that irritated you in the past. Look out for these in the soaps as well. Further, it might be good to look for endorsements from organizations like NEA (National Eczema Association).

What to avoid
Some red flags when looking for soap are – tea tree oil, urea, retinoids, lanolin, cocamidopropyl betaine, propylene glycol, and ethanol. These tend to irritate the skin, particularly those with eczema. Most fragrances cause allergies as well. You need to invest in fragrance-free. Scrutinize the label; unscented is not the same as fragrance-free. Unscented soaps tend to have an aroma, but their smell is masked. Also, avoid super-sudsy cleansers. These lathering and foaming washes tend to dry the skin rather than clean and hydrate it.

Watch out for traditional soaps
Traditional soaps can be harsh on the skin, especially for those with atopic dermatitis. The soaps you find in the supermarket tend to suck the natural oils out of the skin, which enable the skin to retain moisture and stay hydrated. The skin becomes dry when the oils are removed, increasing the chances of an eczema rash exponentially. Further, true soaps are alkaline to neutralize the skin’s acidic nature. When used on patches caused by eczema, such soaps disrupt the skin’s protective layer. It is best to look for soap-free cleansers.

Some products to try
Searching for the most appropriate soap to deal with eczema is not easy, especially on your own. While your dermatologist can help, your quest begins with a good list of soap-free cleansers to use. The National Eczema Association (NEA) recommends the following products – CLn Facial Cleanser, Skinfix Eczema Soothing Wash, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, CLn BodyWash, and Cerave Soothing Body Wash. These have been certified by the agency and used by several individuals with eczema. You can start with a patch test of these to find if they are the right ones for you.

Popular Reads

11 useful tips for anxiety management

Nearly 84% of participants in a particular mental health survey were said to have some form of anxiety. The severity of symptoms did vary from person to person, but the fact remains that we live in a world where almost everything is a potential trigger for anxiety. And living in denial about having a psychological trigger only worsens the problem. Luckily, it is possible to manage anxiety by following the suggestions recommended by experts. Identify the triggers Anxiety is mainly triggered due to an event or episode where one finds themselves in a difficult position. It could be something that puts a person out of their comfort zone. Doctors advise people to identify these triggers and avoid them. Any comment, action, or situation that did not work out in favor triggers anxiety. So, make a list of such events and instances and ignore them the next time something happens related to that event. At the same time, try to remain positive as it can help strengthen the mind to manage anxiety better. Keep busy Distraction is one of the simplest ways to prevent a panic or anxiety attack. You can perform simple chores or indulge in a favorite task to stay physically and mentally occupied for a few hours. When the mind is occupied, there is hardly any scope for negative thoughts to trigger unnecessary overthinking. Some creative activities to boost cognitive performance include taking a walk, painting, drawing, listening to music, meditating, praying, and reading. You can opt for any of these to stay busy. Try mindfulness techniques Deep breathing and mindfulness techniques have helped thousands overcome their fear or anxiety time and again. Focused deep breathing is a method where one inhales for four counts and exhales for the same duration; this is practiced for minutes. It helps lower heart rate, which, in turn, calms the mind and body.

Atrial fibrillation – Causes, symptoms, and management tips

The human heart is susceptible to several health complications, including atrial fibrillation (AFib). The condition is the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia, which is a term describing when the heart beats unusually slowly, fast, or irregularly. AFib is estimated to affect between 2.7 million to 6.1 million individuals in the country. An individual with the complication experiences irregular beating in the heart’s upper chambers, affecting blood flow, leading to health complications. Causes Irregularities in the structure of the heart are the most common cause of atrial fibrillation. Sometimes people may develop the condition without any known heart damage or problems. Risk factors like age may also contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation. Other potential causes of the phenomenon include a heart attack, sick sinus syndrome – issues with the heart’s natural pacemaker, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defect – A heart defect that an individual might be born with, high blood pressure, lung diseases, heart valve problems, use of stimulants, including certain prescriptions and caffeine, physical stress caused due to pneumonia, other illnesses, and also surgery, sleep apnea, overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), metabolic imbalances, viral infections, and complications due to earlier heart surgery. Symptoms A person who develops atrial fibrillation may not notice symptoms, and the condition is detected only after a physical examination. But some people experience signs and symptoms before a diagnosis. A few common symptoms of AFib include being unable to exercise to one’s full potential, feelings of weakness, throbbing pain in the chest, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations and sensations of a fast, fluttering, or pounding heartbeat, and feeling extremely fatigued. Therefore, the symptoms of atrial fibrillation differ from one person to the other. Occasional symptoms (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation) Here, a person may experience something that lasts from a few minutes to a couple of hours.

Macular degeneration – Types, causes, and remedies

Macular degeneration is a condition that affects a person’s vision and develops as people age. This progressive eye disorder involves the deterioration of the macula, which is a part of the eye’s retina. It is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults and may develop in one or both eyes. This condition is of two main types – dry and wet. Read further to learn about the disorder, its causes, and its types. Dry macular degeneration People are more likely to have dry macular degeneration than wet form. It is also less severe and develops when tiny yellow protein deposits under the macula. These deposits dry and thin the macula, causing gradual central vision loss while the peripheral vision remains intact. In the advanced stages, the dry form can progress to the wet form. People with dry macular degeneration need to test their eyes daily at home using an Amsler grid. One must consult a health expert immediately if any vision changes are observed. Wet macular degeneration In this condition, the blood vessels grow beneath the retina and macula and cause blood and fluid to leak into the retina. This build-up of fluid results in scarring, leading to permanent loss of central vision. The wet form can cause a sudden change in eyesight resulting in a severe loss of centralized vision when left untreated. People with wet macular degeneration may require repeated treatments. Symptoms Macular degeneration may not cause any symptoms during the early stages. However, as the condition progresses, it can cause distortion and blurry vision. It can result in difficulty reading, driving, and identifying colors. Macular degeneration occurs mainly in people aged over 50. Blurred vision Dark, blurry areas appear in the center of the vision, leading to increased blurriness in reading printed words. Visual distortion The person may experience visual distortions, such as straight lines that look wavy or crooked, and objects may appear distorted.