Practical eczema and TSW tips!
A collection of tips, recommendations and resources to help you through your next eczema or TSW skin flare
Eczema, TSW (topical steroid withdrawal) and other skin conditions can flare with no mercy. It can feel like your body is on fire, but weirdly you’re cold at the same time, due to losing all your heat through inflammation. Exhausted, flaking and desperate to try anything to reduce the itch or get more sleep? Here’s a list of practical things I did or bought, which really helped me, and you might want to consider if you haven’t already tried.
The itch:
Cold things are your friend. Gel face masks or wet flannels you can keep in the fridge or freezer, or little sandwich freezer blocks. Wrap it in a tissue or kitchen roll, and hold against the skin to reduce the itch. Safe scratchers can be very useful for reducing damage and can also be kept in the fridge, along with your favourite creams.
Safe scratchers: https://cosi-care.com
A lot of us in the eczema/TSW community also get acrylic nails. They are thicker than natural nails, and you can even ask for them to do an extra coat of paint to make them thicker, which makes it harder to break the skin when itching and skin picking is also more difficult. You can buy small rechargeable travel fans too, to take on the go for some relief.
Bedding/sleep hygiene:
Using hypoallergenic bedding, duvet and pillow, with bamboo sheets, and a silk pillow case, with a bed-side fan, helped make me more comfortable. I listened to my hypnotherapist’s audio track every night (you can download a free one here), and we kept the temperature in the bedroom low. I know some people who even invested in a mini fridge next to the bed, to store ice blocks, face masks, creams, wet flannels etc for in the night. I also have the antihistamine fexofenadine on repeat prescription, which can take the edge of itching and aid sleep, but you’d have to discuss this with a doctor. Wearing gloves or mittens at night can reduce the scratching in your sleep.
Bedding: https://pandalondon.com
Clothing:
Whilst the general advice is always to wear 100% cotton, I actually found bamboo was better.
BAM: https://bambooclothing.co.uk
I also wish I had known about Eczema Clothing, who do their seams and labels on the outside and even do built in mittens:
Eczema clothing: https://eczemaclothing.com
When I was at my worst, I would cover the sofa in a cotton sheet, and lay naked in front of a fan, covered in greasy creams, and that was the most comfortable for me.
I didn’t wear jeans/denim for over a year, and barely wore bras. Now I wear what I call ‘soft denim’ and ‘granny bras’. These are the best bras I found for me and my skin:
Bras: https://uniqlo.com
I found sun exposure made my skin worse, and various products and medications also require hiding from the sun, so I have some great UV protective clothes and an umbrella from Solbari.
Solbari: https://solbari.co.uk
Showers/baths:
Ah the dreaded showers with eczema or TSW. So painful. I didn’t have them unless I really needed to, but things that helped me were having someone else there to help me when I got out, as mental support. Playing Friends or a comforting show on my phone as a distraction. Having the water cold when I felt mentally strong enough to do so. My husband washing my hair for me, over the bath, so none of the products touched my skin elsewhere on my body.
Salt baths got me through the worst days/nights, and I found adding almond oil to my baths gave some relief too.
Rubbing your skin after a shower is damaging, even though it feels good, so try switching to a micro-fibre towel to do less damage, or a bamboo towel: pandalondon.com/towels
Financial support:
Skin conditions are very expensive, whether it's trying new creams or paying for private patch testing. If you are in the UK, you might be eligible for government financial support.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition. You can get PIP even if you’re working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.
It's not easy to get, and takes a long time, but if you've been struggling for years or going through TSW, and are unable to work, wash your hair, cook dinner etc, it might be worth looking at.
Skin products:
This is a very personal thing, everyone is different, but these are some I found useful over the years:
Nipple cream (I use it all over, not just the nips)
Rosalique (instead of make-up)
La Roche-Posay (I love their suncream)
Westlabs (essential bath salts)
The first time I saw a dermatologist was actually when I was travelling in Australia and got a horrible skin infection that looked like chicken pox, and he gave the following advice:
Have a lukewarm bath/shower, then standing in the bath/shower cover yourself in olive oil. Next, put on wet pyjamas. These lock in the moisture. Sit on a towel and watch TV or something for about 20-30 minutes, then you can rinse it off and get dressed. It feels as unpleasant as it sounds, but it did help.
You can also try wet-wrapping, and using either cotton sleeves or tubular bandages.
Diet/nutrition for your skin and gut:
Seeing a dietitian was a turning point for my skin and really did help, and I learn life-long skills and knowledge I still rely on today. For me, I had to increase protein, iron and omega 3 & 6 oils, and decrease dairy, coffee, processed foods and sweeteners (like in Squash). Increasing protein and iron was a game charger for me. (If you struggle to get enough protein or need a quick breakfast, I recommend BodyMe vegan protein bars.) Again, it’s different for everyone and I strongly recommend you work with someone who can monitor and advise you, rather than doing it alone.
My dietitian was Dalia - https://www.dalianutrition.com/
Imogen has a TSW course for just £30: https://www.itdietetics.com/general-1
Support/skin community:
Therapy was essential for me and of course I’d recommend this for anyone who find their skin condition is taking over their life. You can self refer for free NHS CBT therapy. Or you can work with someone who understands your struggles first hand and book a consultation with me! There’s also the skin community, finding other people who are having the same struggles as you.
Alternative skin treatments/options to look into:
Cryotherapy
Patch testing/allergy testing
Acupuncture
Red light therapy/phototherapy
Resources for TSW - Topical Steroid Withdrawal:
Cleaning with eczema/TSW:
Cleaning is a big pain and often causes issues for skin conditions. I’d recommend getting hypoallergenic washing up gloves (available on Amazon or Lakeland), and you can even wear thin cotton or bamboo gloves underneath to make it more comfortable.
Damp dusting is more effective than normal dusting, because the wet cloth picks up the dust rather than throwing it into the air. Wearing a face mask can help and showering after.
Take an antihistamine and open all the windows before you start cleaning, and use eco products with less/no chemicals, such as the brand Ecover.
For washing clothes people will all have their preferred brand, but an extra rinse is always a safe way to go. I use Ecoegg laundry fragrance free.
Changing seasons for skin conditions:
Winter - Consider investing in a humidifier, damp dust your radiators before you turn them on and make sure you wash all your jumpers, scarfs etc well before wearing.
Spring - Remove clothes you've worn outside and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair. Put a bit of greasy cream around your nose to catch the pollen before it gets up it! Don't hang laundry outside as pollen can stick to sheets and towels. You can even wear a face mask if you do outside chores like gardening. Keep indoor air dry with a dehumidifier. Minimise opening your windows and check your vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter.
Summer - Drink plenty of water and avoid sweating. Some people find the sun helps, I prefer to hide from it because it makes me worse. I use a UV umbrella, travel fan and Solbari clothing which is UV protected, soft and comfy. They do just sleeves too.