How to treat eczema in the winter

For some people, eczema tends to flare up as cold, dry weather sets in—and no matter where on your body your eczema flares up, it can get pretty uncomfortable. Whether you’re dealing with inflamed, red skin or a little crusty, weepy situation going on, none of it is fun. It’s not just you though: Around 15% to 20% of people are dealing with eczema at one point or another, so it is very much a common skin condition—and there’s plenty of ways to help. 

The skin condition can spring from a number of triggers, though scientists aren’t sure whether the root causes are genetic or environmental. And it’s not quite the same thing as psoriasis, which looks similar but psoriasis usually has thick scales that have clear edges. Stress, your immune system, dermatitis in other members of your family, and factors like what you’re wearing and the air you’re surrounded by are all thought to have the potential to make eczema flare up. Commonly, it comes from different dermatoses and contact dermatitis (that’s skin irritation caused by rubbing up against something your skin doesn’t love, like poison ivy).

Seasonal triggers are also a thing: All that indoor heating and dry air can really do a number on your skin by drying it out to the point where it gets irritated—and voila! If you tend to bury yourself under your covers, take hot baths, or bundle up (all of which are fairly common winter activities), those are also prone to drying out your skin. 

One of the easiest ways to relieve eczema during the winter is to have some hydrocortisone cream on hand. It’ll soothe the irritated area and calm it down in no time. If you spend a lot of time out and about during the day or traveling, consider carrying around a little to-go kit with a tube of the cortisone, some swaps for application, and large bandages you can place over smaller patches so clothing doesn’t rub against a treated area. Petroleum jelly can also be helpful, as can over-the-counter antihistamines if the itching is really, really bad.  

At home, using a humidifier can also help homes that have super-dry heating: It’ll add moisture back into the air, which will also give your skin a break. Avoiding synthetic fabrics and itchy fabrics like wool for both clothing and bedding—please, no polyester sheets!—can help reduce irritation as well. 

As sad as it is to say, skipping hot baths and showers is probably the way to go for now—and avoid gel-based products, which usually contain alcohol and can irritate sensitive skin. But when you do shower, use cooler water, use moisturizing, gentle products (hello, oatmeal), then pat—don’t rub—your skin dry. Apply some rich moisturizer right after that to lock in the moisture that remains, and apply hypoallergenic lotion throughout the day, too. We really love our in-house line, Revision Skincare, for their moisturizing products—the DEJ Night Cream packs an especially-moisturizing punch overnight (and addresses ageing while it’s at it). 

One tip: Also keep an eye out for products with “ceramide” in them: It helps replace some of the moisture barrier in your skin that’s missing during a flare-up. 
If your eczema is flaring up or you notice it getting worse around this time of year, you don’t necessarily have to make a doctor’s appointment to get it treated—unless the case covers more than 1/4th of your body; is making it difficult for you to perform daily tasks like working, sleeping, or showering; or appears to be chronic. Then we’re here to help! We’ll figure out what’s going on and prescribe medication to help—make an appointment here.