Cleaning your face when you have eczema on it

[PrettyCandles]

How do you do it?

I have eczema around my eyes, right up to my lower lashes and on the eyelids.

I'm using Eumobase, and can't avoid getting it on the normal skin as well as the eczema patches, so the normal skin gets very greasy. How should I clean my face?

Also, should I peel off or rub off the scales that sometimes appear on the patches, or should I leave them alone?

bumping for you

Maybe you should just use a very mild unscented cleanser?

I used to have bad eczema on my face and used hypoallergic products such as Clinique.

Don't pick off the scaly bits- it tneds to make it worse.

Have you seen your GP? if you get a referral to a dermo they can prescribe creams to be used on your face- not steroids.

Really, leave the bits of skin on? Urgh. Sometimes I can feel them flapping as I blink. [need a yuck! emoticon]

Have you been to your GP to ask for anything that might help?
Am I right in thinking that Eumobase is simply a moisturiser?

Silly question- but why clean your eyelids anyway? Unless you are using eye make up then they should not need cleaning.

I had really bad eczema all over my face (including in my ears - bleurgh) for months a few years ago. The underlying cause was stress, followed by a really damp English winter. Since then I've learnt to use the Aveeno range of products - they are brilliant, non greasy, thick and emollient. I also gently rubbed off the scaley bits - especially if I had an important meeting that day (I wear glasses and it was gross to see the dead skin on the lenses). If I really needed to hide the dead skin I used Clarins night cream (during the day - it is a small cylindrical bottle with a pink top). It's not cheap but it's oily enough to hide the dead skin.

Good luck!

I haven't been to the dr because since I found Eumobase it's beengradually improving.

I need to clean my eyelids because the scales build up, a bit like having several nights'-worth of sleepies stuck on. Also the Eumobase leaves the healthy skin very greasy and icky-feeling by the end of the day, eyelids as well as under the eyes.

have you any tips for my DD 12 she has eczema over her left cheek at the moment - I am worried about her using a steriod cream on her young face as it is meant to thin the skin. plus it stings when she puts it on - what creams would be good for her pre teen skin and how often should she put them on etc

Op and Trifle66 you need to make sure you are using a cleanser that does NOT contain SLS or SLES which is listed on ingredient labels as sodium laureth (or lauryl)sulfate. Unfortunately this is most of the cleansers that you can buy in shops including the likes of 'simple' and those that claim to be hypo-allergenic etc.

I have recently started to use 'dermol' that I get on prescription for myself and my 19 mo dd and have found a vast improvement in our skin condition since. Particularly my dd who was getting so she was scratching her hand a lot and it was red and inflamed, but has calmed down significantly since I have cut out all products containing SLS's.

These products also include shampoos and some toothpastes BTW.

HTH, please try it, as a fellow sufferer I know how bad things can get.

Any oily moisturiser removes all make up and dirt. Use it like a cream cleanser, whack it on then use cotton wool to take it off.

Hello, my DP has been suffering with very bad eczema around his eyes and forehead. The doc prescribed Fucidin F to be applied very sparingly twice a day and Doublebase to be used liberally. The difference it has made is incredible. He just uses cooled boiled water for washing his face and then applies more Doublebase.

I recommend E45 emollient wash, I have chronic eczema cause by food intolerances. I would say try and find out the cause of your eczema by getting GP to refer to a dermatologist or dietician, there is no reason to live with it.

I would also say when you are having a particularly bad flare up, don't wear makeup and just let your skin settle. When my eczema is really bad even the prescribed moisturisers etc sting it and irritate. Sometimes not even washing it for a day can help.

My OH has been known to deploy socks as scratch mittens for me....