Q. Last winter, it was very cold where I live, and I struggled with my atopic eczema. I got outbreaks of dry, flaky or blistering skin, especially on my neck and near my mouth. Do you have suggestions for “winterizing” my skin? I’d like to avoid steroid creams again. For instance, would a super mild soap help?
Dr. Skotnicki: Winter brings two main irritants that can cause the skin of patients with atopic eczema to flare: low humidity and cold temperatures.
These two factors decrease the fats (or lipids) in the outer layer of the skin, so it’s important to replace the fats with moisturizers that contain ceramides. Examples would be CeraVe, Cetaphil Restoraderm, Eucerin Eczema Relief or Aveeno Eczema Therapy.
Also keep in mind that with central heating, the humidity in your home decreases. To combat this, keep the temperature in your bedroom lower at night and use a humidifier to increase moisture in the air.
Look for Syndet Cleansers
You mention using a “mild soap”. Unfortunately, traditional soaps dry out the skin by stripping away its natural oils and fats. Also, the term “mild” doesn’t mean much when it comes to soap, since that term isn’t regulated in the cosmetic industry.
Rather than soap, look for something called a syndet (synthetic detergent) cleanser, like Cetaphil, CeraVe, or Lipikar Syndet. These cleansers often don’t foam or make suds, but you don’t need foaming to clean the skin. These cleansers will be far less drying in the winter.
Send your sensitive skin questions to: [email protected]. For more information see Drsandyskotnicki.com.
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