Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is one of many
celebrities who cope with eczema. Breakthroughs in science regarding a certain
defect in a skin protein may lead to a cure. In the meantime, there are many
things one can do to try to keep those itchy, red, scaly flare ups under control.
Avoid Common Chemicals
Doctors and other professionals tell me that they are seeing
more and more patients with bad reactions to everyday ingredients in mass-produced skin care
products, such as lanolin, sodium lauryl sulphate, parabens and artificial
fragrances. Examine the labels on all your skin care – not just the items you
put on your face – and don’t use any with such potential irritants.
Experiment With Your
Diet
Some people find that flare ups are triggered by ordinary
foods, such as seafood, eggs, soy, peanuts and other legumes, nuts, wheat, milk
and all dairy products. If you suspect allergies or adverse reactions to foods, it
is good practice to keep a diary of everything you eat. Firstly, it may
surprise you. Secondly, you can cut out all wheat (for example) for a period of
time, and see how your skin responds. Experiment with dropping out one of the
foods you commonly eat, and if you don’t notice any difference, try temporarily
cutting out another food. Sometimes it's really obvious, but in other cases, the answer may be elusive. Patience and trial and error can pay off in more beautiful
skin.
We’ll be back soon with more tips on controlling eczema
inflammations. They take work to put into action, but the rewards can mean that eczema sufferers no longer feel they have to hide their skin.
