QHow do you educate your eczema patients about optimal dry skin care practices?

When a patient of any age is not experiencing an eczema flare, I advise adequate moisturization plus the avoidance of known triggers first and foremost.¹ I recommend avoiding any products that use fragrance to all of my patients. As far as specific product recommendations, I recommend use of Dove Sensitive Skin for soap, Johnson and Johnson non fragranced shampoo, and All Free and Clear as a detergent. For bathing, I educate patients about the “Soak and Seal” method²– getting out of a bath/shower and fully pat dried and moisturized within three minutes. For certain patient with more severe disease, I recommend bleach baths twice weekly and the potential use of Derma-Smoothe oil as a moisturizer and maintenance therapy after getting out of the shower or bath. Patients are often surprised when bleach baths are recommended but concerns are addressed quickly when informed that bleach baths are no different than getting into pool water. In addition to bleach baths, baths with oatmeal, salt, vinegar, and baking soda are also a consideration.

References:

1. Sidberry et al. J Am Acad Dermatol 2014
2. Price et al. National Eczema Association 2022