Top 10 things that REALLY helped my eczema skin

I get asked all the time for advice from people with eczema, topical steroid withdrawal and atopic dermatitis and find myself giving the same answer over and over again. The good news is that it’s not complicated. The bad news is that we are all completely different and complex. What works for one person may not work for others.

1. Quitting Topical Steroids and going through topical steroid withdrawal. Honestly it’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, it was excruciating and painful and is still healing, but I now feel so empowered and free. I don’t need creams with me at all times and have learnt so much about my own mental health along the way. It took everything away, literally everything, but through that absolute rock bottom I’ve now built a life that I love. If you want to know more about TSW, check out my Topical Steroid Withdrawal Frequently Asked Questions.
2. Stopped using any paraffin based emollients – These are the first line of treatment for any patient showing up at the GP with a rash, atopic dermatitis or itchy skin. If the diagnosis is eczema or a similar itchy condition, you’ll likely get given a prescription for the cheapest, nastiest, gloopiest paraffin filled emollient to start with. These never worked for me as I was allergic to the SLS, an known irritant. Then you move onto the more lardy vasoline type emollients. I’m not discounting them outright, there were times when I couldn’t afford anything else and these kept me sane. My emollient of choice was Epaderm and I used tonnes of the stuff. I got a yearly pre payment card and was getting through 500g tubs each week at one point. Now I spot treat with my favourite natural balms. I cannot live without Lyonsleaf zinc and calendula cream for reducing inflammation, soothing and cooling my skin. I also never leave home with Balmonds Skin Salvation and tea tree balm – the latter is great for cold sores, eczeme herpiticum and any infected areas. Skin Salvation is my go to when my skin just feels so dry and irritated and sore. It is lovely, calming and not irritating for my skin at all. Also check out OBVS skincare paraffin free organic balm – it’s non fragranced and perfect for my handbag, for those days when I need gentle moisturising on my hands, face, anywhere at all really.
3. Dead sea salt baths – Seriously this was what got me through TSW. The results are astounding. It can reduce inflammation by 50% of more and gives me so much relief. With TSW the inflammation is cycling but with regular baths I was able to function and my skin began to heal and get stronger. Particularly at the moment with hay fever season and pollen coming at you from all directions, it can be a really amazing management practise for sore skin. If you don’t have a bath, you can fill a bowl and dilute a cup full of dead sea salts and gently bathe or submerge parts of your body as best you can. I’ve done this when I’ve been away from home and it is just as effective, but you obviously don’t get that indulgent basking in warm water sensation.
4. Managing irritation and inflammation rather than fighting it – There is a real tendency with all of us to want to find a solution and fix something. Accepting the situation gave me so much peace and release from the constant monitoring and trying new stuff to see if it helped. TSW complicates it all because it just really does take years to heal. But letting go and just looking for ways to manage and find comfort really helped. Stop just hurling all the treatments, supplements, balms and other things at it to see what helps and you’ll be letting go of the worst unpaid full time 24/7 job. There are so many things I do, like the dead sea salt baths, such as restorative yoga, yin yoga, journaling, walking, swimming in open water, running, gardening. Anything that helps you tap into that parasympathetic system, lower your heart rate and reduce anxiety.
5. Going hard with my mental health – I never realised how much anxiety, depression, low mood and stress affected my skin. Literally, if i’m anxious I’m itchy. Noticing that and being able to take a moment to get some ice, try to relax and gently touch my skin instead of immediately resorting to scratching has been a game changer. I think scratching was my reward and if i’m honest, it feels amazing when you’re doing it, but the reward for this incredible release is painful damaged and often infected skin. Working on breaking that cycle slowly and also working on my internal thought patterns is now my ongoing challenge but I’m getting there.
6. Water Softener – I’m reading Eczema Decoded by Caroline Akinyemi and she was the one who urged me to try getting a water softener. I knew that holidays in soft water areas were so amazing for my skin but we can’t all just move house, although if that is an option, it could be worth giving it a go. If you can’t just up sticks, a water softener is just the most amazing thing I’ve done. I don’t have tight itchy skin after a bath any more and barely moisturise – I spot treat my TSW problem areas but believe one day i’ll be completely free of that chore. I’ve written Three Blogs about how much I love Water Softeners.
7. Cooling the skin – This could take many guises; when your skin is hot and irritated, be prepared with anything that could help. Ice blocks, Cosi Care rollers, jade rollers, cooling towels, fans, ventilate, wearing cooling cotton clothing. Just staying cool became my full time job. There are loads of things you can do. Check out 30 ways to cool your eczema skin.
8. Finding your friends in common – The people I have met online through sharing my skin, eczema and topical steroid withdrawal healing have helped me so much. Many are now real in person friends, people who message me daily and who I’m building really rich and fulfilling relationships with. You can have different connections with people who really understand what you’ve gone through. Reach out and find your community!
9. Collagen or the skin – One of the side effects of TSW for me was pretty savage collagen stripping. My face is definitely improving and I’m taking Pura Collagen daily to help promote further healing. You can use my code WHATALLERGY10 for 10% off the whole Pura range. For healthy skin, joints, menopause, sleep and more!
10. Natural skin care products –
11. Duoderm dressings – I’ve only just discovered Duoderm in my latter stages of healing, in June 2023, but I have to say I’ve been impressed. It acts as a second skin so I’ve been finding it really helps on palm pomplox and split fingers and knuckles, allowing me to get on with my day, work, gardening without pain and discomfort. I’ll do a separate post on this soon, as it was also helpful on nodular prurigo last month. It’s not cheap but could have been so helpful during some of the tough times when my fingers were such a mess.
12. Getting my skin out – Bare your scars, show your legs and arms. Let your thickened, collagen stripped, inflamed skin feel the air on it, don’t be ashamed. I know how hard this is but honestly, we should not feel we need to hide our skin away at home for fear of offending anyone, or attracting unwanted attention. Most people won’t notice, won’t care and won’t comment.

I hope these things help, and hope you find something here to explore and look into. It’s been an incredible journey and I’ve learnt so much about my mental health that I wouldn’t have explored had I just been out there living my life, life before TSW feels like I was a different person.

Quick TSW update

So now I’m over 4.5 years through topical steroid withdrawal, where are we now?

The picture above is from my rock bottom stage, at year 3, which is rough to deteriorate so badly so late in the healing. I think this was when I stopped using paraffin emollients daily and it was a hardcore withdrawal. A few things I do not miss about TSW:

• Zingers – No more nerve pain. Hated them so much, worst at night from the minute my head touched the pillow.
• Excessive Flaking – This has also now become a symptom of the past. I cannot fathom how fast my skin produced flakes, it was like being a human snow globe. I’m still shedding but they’re small now and not so painful.
• Heat regulation – No longer having so much over heating, acid sweats and poor temperature regulation. Feeling cold again is a joy. Wearing a jumper and snuggling up is such a comfort. Seriously, vest tops in winter! It was a thing.
• Elephant skin – That’s healing too. Slowly slowly it’s getting better
• Deep creases – My face seemed to age dramatically, like i’d used an age filter. It’s slowly receding to maybe be just normal wrinkles that I can live with.
• Mirrors – Now I recognise myself again in the mirror and photos and no longer feel triggered at the deterioration and horror of my skin.
• Bone deep day long itching – This too has stopped. And I’m not joking, some days I’d get only a few hours of relief to get stuff done. I itched all day and all goddam night and it was relentless. I saw this as a sign of healing and it’s now minimal. Some days no itching, others just a bit, maybe an hour at the most.
• Eyebrows – Finally I have some baby brows and I’m going to let them grow into one long busy unibrow in celebration

There’s probably so many more skin wins so will do another update in a separate blog. Basically I feel like I’ve got my life back and have mild eczema now on my hands and the backs of my knees. It doesn’t feel real yet, I don’t trust that I’m fully there. For now it’s just surreal and I am LOVING life.

Look how much healing

The picture below is me this week, feeling finally like myself again. With eyebrows and living my life without worrying about my skin. I still have some way to go and may flare again, but for now I’m having a lovely summer and doing whatever I want to do.

What are you top eczema and sensitive skin hacks?

I’d love to hear what you do for your skin? What do you go back to over and over again? Please share with me what you guys do. By sharing we grow.

You may also be interested in reading:

• Topical Steroid Withdrawal – Frequently Asked Questions
• Find discounts on eczema balms and emollients
• Buy The Shape of Skin – eczema poetry on Amazon today