Celeb Dermatologist Recommends 4 Tips To Prevent Eczema Flare Ups During Winter

With the winter season approaching, eczema tends to be a big concern among those affected by it. Eczema is a skin condition which causes the skin to get itchy, cracked, red and rough. At times, eczema may even cause blisters. While some people are able to outgrow the condition, others continue to have it throughout adulthood. Rashes caused by eczema usually appear on scalp and cheeks. They bubble up before leaking liquid and may cause extreme itchiness. A person suffering from eczema is likely to scratch and rub constantly, and this may lead to skin infections. Eczema flares are likely to get worse during winters and addressing this concern is celebrity dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia Sethi.
Dr Kiran recently shared a video on her Instagram talking about ways to prevent eczema flare ups from getting worse. In the video, she mentions that eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis – which means that your skin cells are not designed in a way to hold water back into the surface. The condition does not allow your skin to make a proper barrier.
How to improve eczema and prevent it from getting worse?
1. Avoid using any soaps or body washes on your skin while bathing. Just wash yourself with plain water. This is going to be really helpful as you will no longer be irritating the epidermal barrier of your skin any further.
2. Also, avoid bathing for longer than 5 minutes. Bathe with lukewarm water and keep bathing salts away. You need to avoid all fun bathing routines during winter.
3. Regularly moisturize your skin with ceramides. Use moisturisers and body lotions on your skin to prevent eczema flare ups. Body lotions can be applied on the skin for 2 to 3 times in a day if required.
4. Omega-3 fatty acids can also help in preventing eczema flare ups during winter. You can include more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet by eating more walnuts, salmon, flaxseeds, chia seeds, soybeans, sardines, mackerel, etc.
So, this winter, keep it natural and make sure your skin gets enough moisture at all times to prevent eczema flare ups.
(Dr. Kiran Lohia Sethi is a dermatologist at Isya aesthetics Pvt Ltd)