Simple tips for living with eczema ♡

Hey guys! ♡

I've always had sensitive skin and have always known which products to use and which to mark with a big red cross and completely avoid. However, I've been struggling with eczema for the past few years and, as no one in my family had it, I was at a loss on how to cope with it.

It started back in 2011 when I first went to university and the doctors wrote it off as a side effect of stress and that was it. I was still left to deal with it on my own with a bag of creams which I had no idea what they were actually for, just that I had to basically cover myself in them 24/7 (including sleeping which was horrible).

Now I have my skin under control and I know which products to use, both for my skin and also things that could affect it such as shower gels and washing powder. I've decided to write a few tips incase they help anyone, I'm definitely not a doctor or an expert but these are just some things that have helped me.

1. Try not to get too stressed about things - if you know me, this might seem like an unlikely tip because I usually get too stressed out over the tiniest thing due to my anxiety. I've recently tried to get this under control and before stressing, think of a logical solution, there's one for everything! This helps to keep it under control as my outbreaks happen most when I'm stressed out, sometimes without even realising I'm doing it.

2. Research into products that may trigger your skin and find alternatives - An example of this is make up, I usually use organic/cruelty free make up anyway because of my feelings towards animal testing. These products usually do not contain any harsh chemicals anyway so it's worth switching for the sake of your skin. The skin on my face is extremely sensitive and any make up that is full of horrible stuff always makes it worse, living with eczema is one thing but when it's visible I get extremely paranoid. 

Another example of this is shower cream, this is the same with make up and I only use organic products or products that say they have less or no harsh chemicals in them. However, just because you're switching to organic does not mean you can't have things that smell nice, it is a must to avoid products that have a lot of perfumes in but you can still get products that get their scent from natural resources. A few examples of this are Lush cosmetics and the body shop, however it is always different depending on the individual so what will work for me, may not for you. It's all about trial and error until you find the perfect products for you. 

Here are two products that I use on my skin that are not prescribed but just some things that I've picked up and found useful.

Lush - Dream Cream

The Body Shop - Aloa Soothing Day Cream

3. Minimising risk of itching - Now the first tip I have for this may not please a few of you beauty bloggers but trust me it makes all the difference. If you're like me and your skin flares up when it's hot or at night, cut your nails down. This might seem like a weird one but having your skin feel better and small nails is definitely better than waking up with inflamed skin and covered in blood. (Sorry for the graphics but if your skin is really bad and you itch at night, it's more important to look after that than having longer nails). 

4. Ask your doctor to recommend you to a skin specialist - I don't know about you but sometimes when I go to the doctors it feels like you're in and out with a prescription as long as your arm, then end up forgetting everything they said to you in the past five minutes anyway. I've been to numerous doctors over the years to try and help my skin and I've always left with random creams that I don't know how to use properly or what they're even for. Until recently, I spoke to my local doctor and he analysed my skin properly and took swabs etc to find out what was actually causing it and gave me antibiotics for the infection. He then referred me to another doctor that specialises in skin diseases and she read the notes then repeated the examination just to make sure he had got them all right. She sat with me and explained every product she was prescribing me and what it's for, how often I should use them and tips on making my skin better. 

5. Think about your environment - Recently I've moved out of my student halls and into a house with a few friends, the house that we have is an old Victorian style house and there is a lot of old wood. I noticed when I first moved in that my skin was really bad, the change in environment set it off and every time I got it under control, it got bad again. I'm now making sure that there is a lot of air coming into the flat and that I'm keeping on top of dust etc daily to minimise risk of it getting bad. 

6. Pets - I really don't like this one but it's got to be done for my health! I have 3 cats at home and although I'm not allergic, they can irritate my skin if it's bad. My advice would be to try and make as little contact as you can with your pets until your skin clears up and take precautions such as keeping them off your bed/away from clothes. 

That's it for this post but I've planned a daily skin care routine post and my skin care favourites too! If you have any tips leave them in the comments and i'll give it a go!

Thanks for reading ♡