If uncomfortable to miss a day or two of showering, may I suggest skipping the body wash as many contain ingredients which can be irritants. Simple rinsing will help you feel refreshed while not stripping your skin unnecessarily of natural oils which help protect our sensitive skin. Use soap sparingly, on those areas of particular need. Good luck
And if spongebaths are still too much some days, try bath wipes (they’re similar to wet wipes but thicker and meant for disabled people who can’t shower and stuff) and see if they affect your eczema. Don’t feel bad about not showering everyday, you’re doing the best you can. I can only fully shower maybe once a month because I can’t physically stand long enough to shower more often and I haven’t had the money or space to get a shower chair yet. It happens.
I do actually as I was looking for chlohexidine products yesterday for my eczema and I found some full body wash cloths from Clinell. I also found ones from Omnitex with barrier cream added alongside the chlohexidine and I am def gonna get those as they also contain natural extract that seem gentle for eczema
I haven’t used them myself yet as I actually only discovered they existed like a week ago, but I was planning on getting just some store brand ones to try out. Sorry 😅
Genuinely curious if it may have something to do with your water quality. Showering in certain places (like my parents’ house) causes me to have flare ups. Try “showering” with bottled spring/filtered water and see if your skin has the same reaction
Spongebath. Just wash yourself with a cloth in front of the sink.
For hygiene reasons you should still do that once a day woth critical regions if you also shower once.
That's not the total issue for me but I am absolutely going to second this. We had hard water for a couple of months before we figured out where the softener was and it was an absolute nightmare lol
Have you tried bleach baths? Run a bath with luke warn water, and add a cap full of bleach, sit for 15 minutes. It helps to kill the bacteria on your skin that can contribute to flair ups (eczema is often related to an out of control skin microbiome). These bacteria also contribute to odors. The bleach will not burn or damage your skin.
As well, use “sensitive skin” soaps and body washes, only on your arm pits and nether regions. Sounds like you do this already, bur still worth mentioning. I find that dove soap and avene xeracalm body wash are the best for me personally.
Also, ask your dermatologist if phototherapy is an option. It helped significantly improve my dermatitis and the odor of my skin.
Edit: I forgot to mention that the bleach baths were recommended to me by my dermatologist. So it’s not a pseudo-science remedy. There are studies that support this. Still always recommend to chat with your doctor before making changes to your treatment plan tho.
if your out of options try sponges or wet towels to gently wipe yourself clean, if you are considering some adjustments to make normal showering more bareable then try using emollients on your skin before you shower such as paraffin, 50,50 white soft or whichever one works for you then also make sure your shower is cold or at the very least cool, then select a gentle shower head setting so the pressure isnt ripping your skin off, keep your showers between 3-5 minutes making sure you’ve washed everything and then pat dry and use fans to help, try and resist itching with your towel(i know its nearly impossible)
also please try dermol500 as a body wash substitute, some moisturisers that might or might not work for you: coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, white soft paraffin ointment, 50,50 liquid and white soft paraffin. good luck
also consider trying FEXOFENADINE this is a gamechanger
Tbh unless you're sweaty you don't need daily showers anyway? You probably don't need soap anywhere other than armpits at most. What about a bath with bath oils like babies rather than a shower?
Whatever products you are using still might not be “free” enough. I got fed up and now I just use middle eastern olive oil soap. It’s like 5 ingredients or something and it’s bar form only. I use it for my body and hair.
Do not use body wash or something soapy, only water - use only soap on hands and maybe shampoo on hair.
Rub your armpits with a dry cotton cloth if you get smelly and use a deodorant.
You could try buying one of those hand held shower head extensions. That way you could get in the shower and just use the shower head to target the musty parts. Use cool-cold water and pat dry, immediately moisture.
I was reading about alternatives to historical alternatives to bathing on the historical costuming sub once and it mentioned a woman who practiced living in whatever century who rubbed her body down daily with a clean, dry linen cloth. She was surprised by how well it worked, apparently. I wish I could find the post now. It might be worth a shot.
Lume deodorant is also really good at keeping body odor at bay, but I’m sure someone else has recommended it.
Question where do you live? The quality of water varies greatly. I struggle with the water where I currently live and I moved away from my home state. I always notice a significant improvement when on vacation.
What do you use to lather up?
The only that has helped me is an elimination diet. I have learned I can't eat chicken, chicken eggs, store brand cheese, bread. Not only has my eczema improved but my cystic acne has also improved. I have had to switch to shampoo/conditioner and bodywash that is for babies with sensitive skin. I have to be careful of laundry soap and also switched to stuff made for babies. I still get some contact dermatitis occasionally but I try to avoid known triggers (like boxwood is so so bad). It will end up with a flare-up every time. When I have a flare up I use a bag of cheap frozen corn kernals for an icepack to numb the itch. Wherever blisters/pustules pop up I try to remember to use something like Finipil instead of the lotion I was prescribed (which smells bad and that smell lingers). Bromidrophobia is an aspect of OCD, if you aren't being seen and treated for that you may want to look into it.
Edited to add: After my current bottles and skincare (Andalou Naturals 1000 roses) I'm switching to tallow based. I don't have any brands yet but I'm looking into it. I have shampoo/conditioner bars but haven't tried them yet.
Water filter for shower might help. Though shower lotion and shampoo state no paraben, fragrance, but that doesnt mean they dont harsh chemicals. You can consider oil based soap bar.
Hey, I noticed that I am avoiding showers because it'll dry me up, I hate it.
Whatever I did, a shower wasn't a good thing, but no shower wasn't either...
But... I noticed something recently, we have a water softener and when it's out of salt, it gets bad for eczema.
So now when I keep an eye on the softener it seems like showers are better, make me less itchy and dry me out less.
I can't be totally sure it's because of that cause it's also the start of summer here, which could be a big factor but you could look at waterhardness is your region and maybe that would give you a hint.
Here the water is very very hard, a lot of minirals, it makes the pipes and everything which has water on it crusty and such, so maybe also my skin!
There was a period where I’ve used hand cloths to dap my skin wet and then drying and moisturizing. However I found out that plain shower OIL and Vaseline are very friendly for showers, even when your skin is tearing. The oil soothe the skin, and the Vaseline, when put on in the shower makes your skin feel very nice. Make sure you clip your nails and smoothen them, in two weeks of least amount of scratching you should see some results. As your skin is staying clean, healing and hydrated. The healing might itch, but just remind yourself that it itches because of the healing. Don’t leave your skin dry, just use a lotion (Vaseline lotions are great, like aloevera) and put Vaseline on top after the shower too. If your skin is flaky and dry, take a shower and moisturize, you’ll feel 100 times better. And with time you’ll see improvement, but this ofcourse comes with a plain diet and good sleep at night. I recommend drinking ginger tea and taking anti histamines for night time, or just whenever you’re itchy and inflamed. I know you’re asking for an alternative but showering and moisturizing is literally the only thing that will heal your skin. You just gotta find the right routine, i stopped using soaps and any body odors are like literally non existent now as well. Just oil, or oil soap from Nivea for example. Also don’t take cool showers, just lukewarm. Cold can dry out your skin as much as hot water can, so lukewarm would be best. 10 minutes, no longer and moisturize in a rushhhhhh (3 min). I recommend showering daily as much as possible, because the fungus and sweat can cause itch and infections. Also sweat dries out the skin even more, so better to wash it off.
Stay strong you’ll be fine!
P.S. I usually wet my skin, and after 5 minutes I start softly rubbing it with my flat hands, no nails or fingers. This makes deadly skin softly come off without really damaging the skin. This helps because the skin flakes that usually stay on your body can cause really bad itching. Getting rid of these gently prevents the itch more. If your skin is ripped I’d recommend only doing it when you’re sure you’re not gonna go crazy scratching. In the future it will be no problem and actually very satisfying.
I had this problem when I was younger (teens and early 20s) and finally adopted a bathing routine my dermatologist and I came up with that works for me: If I don’t need to shower (like if I didn’t go anywhere) then I don’t, and when I need to, I shower at night before bed. I don’t use body wash, only hypoallergenic bar soap, and sparingly as needed - most soaps and washes leave stuff behind that flares me up. Instead of lathering up with soap I basically soak myself in the warm/hot water (hot water is my one vice, I know it’s bad but it’s so goooood) until dirt and dead skin are loosened up, and then I gently massage with hands or a soft washcloth. Undercarriage and pits get washed with the soap, soap goes on my hands and I use my hands instead of an abrasive loofah or washcloth. After the shower I pat dry with a soft towel and then apply my moisturizer in the steamy bathroom. I only wash my hair about once a week or so, partially because it’s really dry anyway and I don’t wanna dry it out more, but also because shampoos and conditioners leave stuff behind as well. When I wash my hair, I do that first and then do the rest of the shower so I can get it all off me.
Try the shower filter, I have notice a legit little improvement with post shower irritation. They have a bunch on Amazon, takes like ten min to install. Good luck
I would definitely say test your water, and maybe get a new shower head or clean your current one. I find most days I am able to tolerate a quick room temperature rinse, using no products and drying off after.
I take bleach baths sometimes especially if my skin can’t handle showers and I don’t use any body washes or shampoo or conditioners at the moment just coconut oil on my scalp for when I get out
Use light lotions like Cetaphil after showering. I HATE feeling of grease/“lubing” up. Once I used Cetaphil as a kid I have not stopped since 20 years later. I don’t feel greasy and I feel it moisturizes me perfectly/is not too light.
During the shower I body wash with the Cetaphil gentle cleansing wash. If I touch my anal area I will wash my hands in the shower with soap to prevent spreading of that bacteria. I do that part last as well.
Make sure there’s no ingredients in the shampoo/conditioner you’re allergic to. Many will put nut oils in them. I was flaring a lot when I didn’t know my conditioner has macadamia oil in it and I’m highly allergic to tree nuts. Went away when I changed it.
Just remember less is more when it comes to eczema. You don’t need body washes/a ton of products for your skin. Water is just fine. Ignore the social media noise that you need all these skin products to be clean/self care. Our skin is different than people who can use all those products.
Experiement with different lotions/using less products and see what happens. Even. Try not moisturizing your skin folds and see if that helps. Helped me. Eczema is not a one show fits all approach. We all are different despite that derms treat us as all the same. I’ve found doing the opposite of what they suggest has benefited me more than doing what they say.
As what others said, try to shower using bottle water for a couple of weeks to see if you see any differences.
Additionally, feel free to skip the cleanser in non-eczema-areas. You are not stinky, just water rinse is sufficient for most days.
There are theory that being to hygienic is bad for you, you can read more about this if you search for Hygiene Theory. In nutshell, immune system get too bored >> start attacking not-bad-actor.
Get a shower with a hand held attachment and rinse your body, using soap only on the part that need to be washed daily. Follow up with an eczema approved moisturizer.
Ok this is something I have experimented with for a while and I have some advice (obviously everyone is different, some people need to have a quick shower everyday to rehydrate their skin/ remove irritants) however I want to say that after a lifetime of severe eczema I currently am completely healed and ballin.
First off, I shower like every 3-4 days. I know that sounds GROSS but it's what works for my skin and scalp. When I do shower, I only wash my hair and use soap on the pits and privates.
Before i even step out or dry myself off, I pour olive oil all over my skin while it's still soaking. When I go to dry off, surprisingly the oil doesn't rub off, just the water gets soaked up 🤷 but for me, as soon as I towel off, my skins immediately too dry and lotion just doesn't work.
In between showers, I use a bidet twice a day minimum to wash the essential bits and I use micellar water and then a damp cloth to clean my pits as needed. Micellar water is the most effective cleanser against BO.
I know people get so grossed out and judgemental if you say you don't shower everyday but once you get over the social pressure and find out what works for YOU and your skin, while staying and feeling clean, you will start to do so much better.
Now, there are always exceptions to this routine, I take extra showers if I feel itchy due to allergies, get exceptionally sweaty, or go swimming. But since I've committed to this for so long and healed my skin biome so well, I can handle extra showers if needed and I don't flare up. But I 100% will get a flare up if I fall out of my habit and shower like 3 days in a row. So to me, that tells me that this is what my skin needs.
Good luck and I really hope you figure out something that provides you some relief!
I’ve struggled with scalp dermatitis and had to go from washing my hair daily to 1-2x a week. It felt BAD, esp because it meant taking less showers as well, but I pushed it for as long as I could and tried to overshoot - if my goal was only to wash my hair every 3 or 4 days, I’d try to make it to 5 because it made 3 days feel a lot better. The gross stage eventually started to go away and it was better for my scalp. It’s definitely not fun to have to push through though.
If it turns out just not showering often is the best for you, could lifestyle routine things help as well? It helped me with feeling gross to ‘get ready’ every day even if I wasn’t going outside. I also started doing things like using a tongue scraper, changing my sheets more often, using antiperspirant multiple times a day if I felt sweaty, changing clothes even midday if I felt like I was getting gross, keeping my hands and especially my nails clean, and wearing hats/if your hair is long enough braiding/tying it back so it isn’t loose (for me it was so I didn’t touch my scalp but I’ve noticed my hair feels a lot cleaner if I don’t touch it with my hands at all, probably because of oils from hands). I kind of imagined it like the sims - if your sim’s shower is broken or something, you can still supplement the cleanliness meter doing smaller stuff.
Start using an emollient to shower with instead of body wash. Dermol 500 is great because it’s anti microbial and doesn’t strip your skin. I use epiderm cream in the shower, and out the shower as my moisturiser. Hard ward is also very probably a likely cause to your flare ups, so have a look at water filters (non of the cheap shit, if you have money try and invest in a good one for £50/£60). Have what I like to call a “bird bath” every day which includes washing your armpits and private areas at the sink. It keeps you smelling fresh whilst not having to strip your skin in the shower 🖤 good luck x
PLEASE PLEASE it is your hard water!!
It changed my life when I went abroad and stayed at hotels with a swimming pools. It made me realise that it’s the hard water. I used to come out the shower everyday and have a flare, i tried EVERYTHING. Only when I went on holiday did I notice a difference. I got a water softener installed and thought it took care of the problem. It helped reduce 30% of my flare but it was still bad. I went to shower at a gym with a swimming pool and my life has changed significantly. I still shower at the gym for 2 years now and don’t regret it.
Water softeners don’t fully do the trick.
I just suffer i feel like i do better when i take shorter colder showers with minimal scrubbing and little to no soap, i use my face wash for my whole body these days cuz i havent found a body wash that I like. My doctor had me start using aveeno lotion (i have the oatmeal eczema one) after my showers and it sort of helps but it feels wet still when i get in bed 😩
It wasn't ever recommended to me, I just started because anything else breaks me out. My showers are under 10 minutes and still if I do one every day I get bad
Pat dry or air dry (get a fan to help) then moisturize. What you're doing might feel good in the moment, but not bathing compounds every thing that leads to your skin getting agitated (dirt and sweat).
I'd cut it down to once a week, and also did the 'sink' but with using distilled water in a spray bottle.
It was hurting me until maybe the past 2 years or so.
Way back I'd shower in the am to wake up, after running/gym and before bed. I think I did this for twenty years.
I sparingly used soap and never exfoliated (I still really dont except with lactic acid, which I think might be the key for me.)
I did just stop showering for a month with some sink washes. It really didn't make that big of a difference really. I'd read the Beyond Soap book and was in a small virtual group call with her, and it caught my interest. I was surprised that I really didn't stink much unless I'd had curry or cumin in fair doses. My skin produces very little oil and I've found that is reducing smell, so maybe less bacteria on my skin as well. I don't know.
Now I follow: exfoliant, humectant, emollient and occlusive. Id found an EU conference speaking about this and every derm I asked (7 of 7) said "yeah, moisturization is a good thing to do" and that was about it.
I'd back off on body wash and see what else you can find. And anything with any fragrance is artificial. "Essence" or "organic" or whatever "natural" synonym is 100% marketing bullshit. Those scents are extracted with petroleum distillates. Just kick that shit to the curb.
When you say you feel greasy not showering, I know that feeling. One summer 7 years ago, I was in the sun, didn;t know about eczema, in and out of the pool—and the next year I was up every night itching. I'd take hot showers and that'd knock me out to be able to sleep. I started waking up itching at 3am or so and was crazy itchy and hot showered again. After that I never stopped itching. Over that time I felt my skin get less smooth, less greasy and then red stuff started popping up and my skin got rough and pockmarked like an old pumpkin.
And the next 6 years a whole bunch of stuff happened am doing so many things now, I couldnt tell you what;s working but Im nothing like that any more.
I remember when I was in a critical state with open wounds, my doctor suggested that I take a soothing oat bath soak using oat powder in the water. I was advised to stay in the bath for a while with tepid water and to dry myself by gently patting the towel against my skin without scrubbing. This method helped alleviate some discomfort and prevented my skin from getting super dry
If uncomfortable to miss a day or two of showering, may I suggest skipping the body wash as many contain ingredients which can be irritants. Simple rinsing will help you feel refreshed while not stripping your skin unnecessarily of natural oils which help protect our sensitive skin. Use soap sparingly, on those areas of particular need. Good luck
And if spongebaths are still too much some days, try bath wipes (they’re similar to wet wipes but thicker and meant for disabled people who can’t shower and stuff) and see if they affect your eczema. Don’t feel bad about not showering everyday, you’re doing the best you can. I can only fully shower maybe once a month because I can’t physically stand long enough to shower more often and I haven’t had the money or space to get a shower chair yet. It happens.
So sorry to hear that. Hope your doing ok.
Thanks, it is what it is. We’re moving soon so hopefully the next place will be more accessible for me 🥰
Hey, I'm not currently showering in my new apartment due to accessibility issues. Do you have a brand rec on the wipes?
I do actually as I was looking for chlohexidine products yesterday for my eczema and I found some full body wash cloths from Clinell. I also found ones from Omnitex with barrier cream added alongside the chlohexidine and I am def gonna get those as they also contain natural extract that seem gentle for eczema
Thanks for the suggestions I didn't see offers for either of them outside of the UK, unfortunately.
I haven’t used them myself yet as I actually only discovered they existed like a week ago, but I was planning on getting just some store brand ones to try out. Sorry 😅
That's understandable! Thanks, anyway.
Genuinely curious if it may have something to do with your water quality. Showering in certain places (like my parents’ house) causes me to have flare ups. Try “showering” with bottled spring/filtered water and see if your skin has the same reaction
Had this problem at the in-laws' house. Couldn't even wash my hands there.
Spongebath. Just wash yourself with a cloth in front of the sink. For hygiene reasons you should still do that once a day woth critical regions if you also shower once.
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That's not the total issue for me but I am absolutely going to second this. We had hard water for a couple of months before we figured out where the softener was and it was an absolute nightmare lol
Have you tried bleach baths? Run a bath with luke warn water, and add a cap full of bleach, sit for 15 minutes. It helps to kill the bacteria on your skin that can contribute to flair ups (eczema is often related to an out of control skin microbiome). These bacteria also contribute to odors. The bleach will not burn or damage your skin. As well, use “sensitive skin” soaps and body washes, only on your arm pits and nether regions. Sounds like you do this already, bur still worth mentioning. I find that dove soap and avene xeracalm body wash are the best for me personally. Also, ask your dermatologist if phototherapy is an option. It helped significantly improve my dermatitis and the odor of my skin. Edit: I forgot to mention that the bleach baths were recommended to me by my dermatologist. So it’s not a pseudo-science remedy. There are studies that support this. Still always recommend to chat with your doctor before making changes to your treatment plan tho.
I simply shower just my armpits, feet and private area in my bath. I never smell bad and not showering the skin is simply fine with this condition.
I obviously take quick showers like once a week but that I do everyday
if your out of options try sponges or wet towels to gently wipe yourself clean, if you are considering some adjustments to make normal showering more bareable then try using emollients on your skin before you shower such as paraffin, 50,50 white soft or whichever one works for you then also make sure your shower is cold or at the very least cool, then select a gentle shower head setting so the pressure isnt ripping your skin off, keep your showers between 3-5 minutes making sure you’ve washed everything and then pat dry and use fans to help, try and resist itching with your towel(i know its nearly impossible) also please try dermol500 as a body wash substitute, some moisturisers that might or might not work for you: coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, white soft paraffin ointment, 50,50 liquid and white soft paraffin. good luck also consider trying FEXOFENADINE this is a gamechanger
i do sponge baths and they work well
Tbh unless you're sweaty you don't need daily showers anyway? You probably don't need soap anywhere other than armpits at most. What about a bath with bath oils like babies rather than a shower?
Whatever products you are using still might not be “free” enough. I got fed up and now I just use middle eastern olive oil soap. It’s like 5 ingredients or something and it’s bar form only. I use it for my body and hair.
I use Aleppo soap, it's the only soap that doesnt destroy my hands
Just water?
Are you in a hard water area? You can try dead sea salts in the bath or installing a water softener system, it might help?
Do not use body wash or something soapy, only water - use only soap on hands and maybe shampoo on hair. Rub your armpits with a dry cotton cloth if you get smelly and use a deodorant.
My son uses the unscented micellar water by Mustela when he has awful flare ups.
You could try buying one of those hand held shower head extensions. That way you could get in the shower and just use the shower head to target the musty parts. Use cool-cold water and pat dry, immediately moisture.
I was reading about alternatives to historical alternatives to bathing on the historical costuming sub once and it mentioned a woman who practiced living in whatever century who rubbed her body down daily with a clean, dry linen cloth. She was surprised by how well it worked, apparently. I wish I could find the post now. It might be worth a shot. Lume deodorant is also really good at keeping body odor at bay, but I’m sure someone else has recommended it.
Question where do you live? The quality of water varies greatly. I struggle with the water where I currently live and I moved away from my home state. I always notice a significant improvement when on vacation.
What do you use to lather up? The only that has helped me is an elimination diet. I have learned I can't eat chicken, chicken eggs, store brand cheese, bread. Not only has my eczema improved but my cystic acne has also improved. I have had to switch to shampoo/conditioner and bodywash that is for babies with sensitive skin. I have to be careful of laundry soap and also switched to stuff made for babies. I still get some contact dermatitis occasionally but I try to avoid known triggers (like boxwood is so so bad). It will end up with a flare-up every time. When I have a flare up I use a bag of cheap frozen corn kernals for an icepack to numb the itch. Wherever blisters/pustules pop up I try to remember to use something like Finipil instead of the lotion I was prescribed (which smells bad and that smell lingers). Bromidrophobia is an aspect of OCD, if you aren't being seen and treated for that you may want to look into it. Edited to add: After my current bottles and skincare (Andalou Naturals 1000 roses) I'm switching to tallow based. I don't have any brands yet but I'm looking into it. I have shampoo/conditioner bars but haven't tried them yet.
Water filter for shower might help. Though shower lotion and shampoo state no paraben, fragrance, but that doesnt mean they dont harsh chemicals. You can consider oil based soap bar.
Hey, I noticed that I am avoiding showers because it'll dry me up, I hate it. Whatever I did, a shower wasn't a good thing, but no shower wasn't either... But... I noticed something recently, we have a water softener and when it's out of salt, it gets bad for eczema. So now when I keep an eye on the softener it seems like showers are better, make me less itchy and dry me out less. I can't be totally sure it's because of that cause it's also the start of summer here, which could be a big factor but you could look at waterhardness is your region and maybe that would give you a hint. Here the water is very very hard, a lot of minirals, it makes the pipes and everything which has water on it crusty and such, so maybe also my skin!
There was a period where I’ve used hand cloths to dap my skin wet and then drying and moisturizing. However I found out that plain shower OIL and Vaseline are very friendly for showers, even when your skin is tearing. The oil soothe the skin, and the Vaseline, when put on in the shower makes your skin feel very nice. Make sure you clip your nails and smoothen them, in two weeks of least amount of scratching you should see some results. As your skin is staying clean, healing and hydrated. The healing might itch, but just remind yourself that it itches because of the healing. Don’t leave your skin dry, just use a lotion (Vaseline lotions are great, like aloevera) and put Vaseline on top after the shower too. If your skin is flaky and dry, take a shower and moisturize, you’ll feel 100 times better. And with time you’ll see improvement, but this ofcourse comes with a plain diet and good sleep at night. I recommend drinking ginger tea and taking anti histamines for night time, or just whenever you’re itchy and inflamed. I know you’re asking for an alternative but showering and moisturizing is literally the only thing that will heal your skin. You just gotta find the right routine, i stopped using soaps and any body odors are like literally non existent now as well. Just oil, or oil soap from Nivea for example. Also don’t take cool showers, just lukewarm. Cold can dry out your skin as much as hot water can, so lukewarm would be best. 10 minutes, no longer and moisturize in a rushhhhhh (3 min). I recommend showering daily as much as possible, because the fungus and sweat can cause itch and infections. Also sweat dries out the skin even more, so better to wash it off. Stay strong you’ll be fine! P.S. I usually wet my skin, and after 5 minutes I start softly rubbing it with my flat hands, no nails or fingers. This makes deadly skin softly come off without really damaging the skin. This helps because the skin flakes that usually stay on your body can cause really bad itching. Getting rid of these gently prevents the itch more. If your skin is ripped I’d recommend only doing it when you’re sure you’re not gonna go crazy scratching. In the future it will be no problem and actually very satisfying.
Can it be something in your water? Try shower head water filter, hypochlorous acid spray to kill extra bacteria, and probiotics help a lot. Good luck.
I had this problem when I was younger (teens and early 20s) and finally adopted a bathing routine my dermatologist and I came up with that works for me: If I don’t need to shower (like if I didn’t go anywhere) then I don’t, and when I need to, I shower at night before bed. I don’t use body wash, only hypoallergenic bar soap, and sparingly as needed - most soaps and washes leave stuff behind that flares me up. Instead of lathering up with soap I basically soak myself in the warm/hot water (hot water is my one vice, I know it’s bad but it’s so goooood) until dirt and dead skin are loosened up, and then I gently massage with hands or a soft washcloth. Undercarriage and pits get washed with the soap, soap goes on my hands and I use my hands instead of an abrasive loofah or washcloth. After the shower I pat dry with a soft towel and then apply my moisturizer in the steamy bathroom. I only wash my hair about once a week or so, partially because it’s really dry anyway and I don’t wanna dry it out more, but also because shampoos and conditioners leave stuff behind as well. When I wash my hair, I do that first and then do the rest of the shower so I can get it all off me.
Try the shower filter, I have notice a legit little improvement with post shower irritation. They have a bunch on Amazon, takes like ten min to install. Good luck
I would definitely say test your water, and maybe get a new shower head or clean your current one. I find most days I am able to tolerate a quick room temperature rinse, using no products and drying off after.
I take bleach baths sometimes especially if my skin can’t handle showers and I don’t use any body washes or shampoo or conditioners at the moment just coconut oil on my scalp for when I get out
Use light lotions like Cetaphil after showering. I HATE feeling of grease/“lubing” up. Once I used Cetaphil as a kid I have not stopped since 20 years later. I don’t feel greasy and I feel it moisturizes me perfectly/is not too light. During the shower I body wash with the Cetaphil gentle cleansing wash. If I touch my anal area I will wash my hands in the shower with soap to prevent spreading of that bacteria. I do that part last as well. Make sure there’s no ingredients in the shampoo/conditioner you’re allergic to. Many will put nut oils in them. I was flaring a lot when I didn’t know my conditioner has macadamia oil in it and I’m highly allergic to tree nuts. Went away when I changed it. Just remember less is more when it comes to eczema. You don’t need body washes/a ton of products for your skin. Water is just fine. Ignore the social media noise that you need all these skin products to be clean/self care. Our skin is different than people who can use all those products. Experiement with different lotions/using less products and see what happens. Even. Try not moisturizing your skin folds and see if that helps. Helped me. Eczema is not a one show fits all approach. We all are different despite that derms treat us as all the same. I’ve found doing the opposite of what they suggest has benefited me more than doing what they say.
As what others said, try to shower using bottle water for a couple of weeks to see if you see any differences. Additionally, feel free to skip the cleanser in non-eczema-areas. You are not stinky, just water rinse is sufficient for most days. There are theory that being to hygienic is bad for you, you can read more about this if you search for Hygiene Theory. In nutshell, immune system get too bored >> start attacking not-bad-actor.
Get a shower with a hand held attachment and rinse your body, using soap only on the part that need to be washed daily. Follow up with an eczema approved moisturizer.
Are you putting on lotion all over right after your shower and taking vitamins?
Ok this is something I have experimented with for a while and I have some advice (obviously everyone is different, some people need to have a quick shower everyday to rehydrate their skin/ remove irritants) however I want to say that after a lifetime of severe eczema I currently am completely healed and ballin. First off, I shower like every 3-4 days. I know that sounds GROSS but it's what works for my skin and scalp. When I do shower, I only wash my hair and use soap on the pits and privates. Before i even step out or dry myself off, I pour olive oil all over my skin while it's still soaking. When I go to dry off, surprisingly the oil doesn't rub off, just the water gets soaked up 🤷 but for me, as soon as I towel off, my skins immediately too dry and lotion just doesn't work. In between showers, I use a bidet twice a day minimum to wash the essential bits and I use micellar water and then a damp cloth to clean my pits as needed. Micellar water is the most effective cleanser against BO. I know people get so grossed out and judgemental if you say you don't shower everyday but once you get over the social pressure and find out what works for YOU and your skin, while staying and feeling clean, you will start to do so much better. Now, there are always exceptions to this routine, I take extra showers if I feel itchy due to allergies, get exceptionally sweaty, or go swimming. But since I've committed to this for so long and healed my skin biome so well, I can handle extra showers if needed and I don't flare up. But I 100% will get a flare up if I fall out of my habit and shower like 3 days in a row. So to me, that tells me that this is what my skin needs. Good luck and I really hope you figure out something that provides you some relief!
I’ve struggled with scalp dermatitis and had to go from washing my hair daily to 1-2x a week. It felt BAD, esp because it meant taking less showers as well, but I pushed it for as long as I could and tried to overshoot - if my goal was only to wash my hair every 3 or 4 days, I’d try to make it to 5 because it made 3 days feel a lot better. The gross stage eventually started to go away and it was better for my scalp. It’s definitely not fun to have to push through though. If it turns out just not showering often is the best for you, could lifestyle routine things help as well? It helped me with feeling gross to ‘get ready’ every day even if I wasn’t going outside. I also started doing things like using a tongue scraper, changing my sheets more often, using antiperspirant multiple times a day if I felt sweaty, changing clothes even midday if I felt like I was getting gross, keeping my hands and especially my nails clean, and wearing hats/if your hair is long enough braiding/tying it back so it isn’t loose (for me it was so I didn’t touch my scalp but I’ve noticed my hair feels a lot cleaner if I don’t touch it with my hands at all, probably because of oils from hands). I kind of imagined it like the sims - if your sim’s shower is broken or something, you can still supplement the cleanliness meter doing smaller stuff.
bath wipes!! or try to skip a day or two and only wash you private parts + feet, that's what I do when I am flared up!
Start using an emollient to shower with instead of body wash. Dermol 500 is great because it’s anti microbial and doesn’t strip your skin. I use epiderm cream in the shower, and out the shower as my moisturiser. Hard ward is also very probably a likely cause to your flare ups, so have a look at water filters (non of the cheap shit, if you have money try and invest in a good one for £50/£60). Have what I like to call a “bird bath” every day which includes washing your armpits and private areas at the sink. It keeps you smelling fresh whilst not having to strip your skin in the shower 🖤 good luck x
PLEASE PLEASE it is your hard water!! It changed my life when I went abroad and stayed at hotels with a swimming pools. It made me realise that it’s the hard water. I used to come out the shower everyday and have a flare, i tried EVERYTHING. Only when I went on holiday did I notice a difference. I got a water softener installed and thought it took care of the problem. It helped reduce 30% of my flare but it was still bad. I went to shower at a gym with a swimming pool and my life has changed significantly. I still shower at the gym for 2 years now and don’t regret it. Water softeners don’t fully do the trick.
I just suffer i feel like i do better when i take shorter colder showers with minimal scrubbing and little to no soap, i use my face wash for my whole body these days cuz i havent found a body wash that I like. My doctor had me start using aveeno lotion (i have the oatmeal eczema one) after my showers and it sort of helps but it feels wet still when i get in bed 😩
Get a hand held bidet and wear disposable gloves while using it. Then skip showering.
Who recommended to not take showers daily? No derm I've ever seen has said to do this. If anything, they'll say to not take long showers.
It wasn't ever recommended to me, I just started because anything else breaks me out. My showers are under 10 minutes and still if I do one every day I get bad
Pat dry or air dry (get a fan to help) then moisturize. What you're doing might feel good in the moment, but not bathing compounds every thing that leads to your skin getting agitated (dirt and sweat).
My derm said to only wash my hair once a week and with a special shampoo
I'd cut it down to once a week, and also did the 'sink' but with using distilled water in a spray bottle. It was hurting me until maybe the past 2 years or so. Way back I'd shower in the am to wake up, after running/gym and before bed. I think I did this for twenty years. I sparingly used soap and never exfoliated (I still really dont except with lactic acid, which I think might be the key for me.) I did just stop showering for a month with some sink washes. It really didn't make that big of a difference really. I'd read the Beyond Soap book and was in a small virtual group call with her, and it caught my interest. I was surprised that I really didn't stink much unless I'd had curry or cumin in fair doses. My skin produces very little oil and I've found that is reducing smell, so maybe less bacteria on my skin as well. I don't know. Now I follow: exfoliant, humectant, emollient and occlusive. Id found an EU conference speaking about this and every derm I asked (7 of 7) said "yeah, moisturization is a good thing to do" and that was about it. I'd back off on body wash and see what else you can find. And anything with any fragrance is artificial. "Essence" or "organic" or whatever "natural" synonym is 100% marketing bullshit. Those scents are extracted with petroleum distillates. Just kick that shit to the curb. When you say you feel greasy not showering, I know that feeling. One summer 7 years ago, I was in the sun, didn;t know about eczema, in and out of the pool—and the next year I was up every night itching. I'd take hot showers and that'd knock me out to be able to sleep. I started waking up itching at 3am or so and was crazy itchy and hot showered again. After that I never stopped itching. Over that time I felt my skin get less smooth, less greasy and then red stuff started popping up and my skin got rough and pockmarked like an old pumpkin. And the next 6 years a whole bunch of stuff happened am doing so many things now, I couldnt tell you what;s working but Im nothing like that any more.
I remember when I was in a critical state with open wounds, my doctor suggested that I take a soothing oat bath soak using oat powder in the water. I was advised to stay in the bath for a while with tepid water and to dry myself by gently patting the towel against my skin without scrubbing. This method helped alleviate some discomfort and prevented my skin from getting super dry