Avoid Irritates Your Eczema | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 7


You should avoid anything that irritates your eczema. Many common irritants can be reduced or avoided by following the advice below:

  • You should wear cotton clothes or clothes with plenty of cotton in them. Wool and synthetic fabrics may irritate eczema. Clothes are best washed with a non-biological powder or liquid. Fabric conditioners should be avoided.
  • The house dust mite is an allergen and may cause eczema. They live in bedding, soft furniture, carpets and curtains. House dust mites can be reduced by daily vacuuming, damp dusting, airing your mattresses regularly, and washing all bedding and soft toys at least 6o°C. Soft toys in bed should be kept to a minimum. If your child has any favourite soft toys they can also be put in a bag in the freezer for several hours to kill house dust mites.
  • Overheating can make eczema worse and should be avoided. Try to avoid turning up the central heating and keep your bedroom as cool as possible. Avoid overdressing and try to keep slightly too cold rather than too hot.
  • Will the family pet irritate eczema? This is possible, particularly with cats, dogs and other pets. If you don’t have a pet, it is probably best not to buy one. However, if you have a family pet, you need to take some sensible precautions. Try and limit the pet to one or two rooms. They definitely need to be banned from sleeping on beds and kept out of bedrooms and bathrooms. Use a cotton sheet for the pet to lie on rather than directly on the carpet, to prevent pet saliva (spit) getting everywhere.
  • If you choose, or already have a job or career where you will be touching irritants, your eczema may be affected. Jobs that can be problematic are hairdressing, nursing, catering, building and cleaning.
  • If your child has eczema, you can help them cope in school. You will need to talk to his/her teacher about avoiding irritants at school and the need to apply emollients regularly. For example, make sure your child does not sit next to the radiator. If your child is subjected to teasing due to his/her eczema, ask the teacher to talk to the other children about eczema.

Possibly Related Posts: