Shower gel, shampoo and conditioner - suggestions for novice eczema sufferer

[PrettyCandles]

My skin goes to extremes: some areas are greasy, others crumble and crack with dryness. Now I've also developed eczema on my face.

I'm a bit of a sweaty betty, so I need a decent shower gel. I have to wash my hair in the shower. Can't wash it over the side of the bath to avoid getting shampoo etc on my body.

Any suggestions what shower products might be least irritating, but still clean me?

Aqueous cream to wash with. You can get it from £1 shops. Slather it onto your skin dry and wash off in the shower.

I've had eczema for 20-ish years and have tried all sorts of shower products but Aqueous cream is the only thing that is good for my skin. Everything else, even the really 'gentle' products irritate my skin.

Shampoo & conditioner I don't have such a problem with and can use pretty much anything. However, I generally avoid heavily coloured/perfumed products. I can recommend Aveda Shampure but it's pricey. I occasionally get flare ups of eczema around my hairline on my neck, in which case I switch to T Gel or Oilatum shampoo for a few washes.

On my face I use Dermalogica products exclusively. I use a cleanser that is tissued off rather than washed off as plain water is actually an irritant for me...it was a consultant dermatologist who alerted me to this. I was skeptical, but I switch to cleaning my face with cleanser at his recommendation and lo and behold my skin improved immediately.

It's really important to moisturise well and regularly with eczema. So, when you get out of the shower, gently pat the skin (don't rub!) and then pile on an emollient cream while the skin is still slightly damp. I use Ultrabase or Diprobase but there are loads of different varieties available over the counter from any pharmacy.

I suffer with flaky scalp due to sensitive skin/eczema and have found Philip Kingsley shampoo for itchy skin to be a god send. I now never use anything else on my hair.

Thanks for these suggestions.

In very cold weather, when my skin is particularly bad, I slather Aveeno cream on the worst areas before I shower. But I still have to use shower gel on the rest.

True about water irritating. When two of our dc had eczema on their faces (which cleared up completely when we cut out dairy) we used to clean their faces with aqueous cream. And I notice this very clearly on my own face, how tight and itchy it feels within minutes of drying it. Only hard water has this effect, though. Soft water doesn't irritate at all - even heals, sometimes.

I haven't yet found anything I can use while the eczema is active. Then I can only tolerate greasy ointments - hardly cleansing!

i don't have eczema but have had really dry itchy skin during pregnancy.

aqueous cream is great for a shower gel replacement.

i use a SLS free shampoo and conditioner. i was using Naked range from boots which stopped me getting dry patches on my skin. I'm trying the tresemme natural range as its a bit cheaper but as i've only been using it for a week its a bit early to tell but so far so good. i did try Happy Hair range which said it was 'natural' but i think the lemonlene (?) in it irritated my skin (i know a couple of people allergic to this)

i've stopped using an toner or face wash because of dry patches so just use a cream cleanser and then moisturise. (i like olay)

rolled oats
I have eczema on my face and hands from time to time. So I used rolled oats in a muslin bag as I hate aqueous cream to many years of it as a kid.
Oats on bags, bags in cup of water first for a min then squishy bag till the white creamy stuff comes out and use that as a wash. It work great for me and DS (oats ground up directly in his bath). That and curly wurly sampoo from lush for my hair.

Thanks for that link, Annieapple. Before I had dc I used to make an oat, avocado and honey face-pack, but I'd forgotten about it! Definitely time to try it again. I will also try chamomile teabags on my face.

Aveeno shower stuff - or is that what you meant?. Can get it on prescription as well.

Aveeno shower oil
Neutrogena t gel shampoo

I think you need to look at products with less preservatives, artificial colours..more natural and organic products? Lots of the chemicals used in beauty products are known to aggravate the skin and irritate.

I have been looking into changing the products i use and have seen some great stuff from Neals Yard Remedies....Stellaria cream and and Oat & something lotion. They do lots of shampoo, shower gel etc....Not the cheapest but not the most expensive either. Website So organic has lots of other brands on with a range of prices and info for you

www.so-organic.co.uk/

I read an article by a dermatoloigist a few months ago about the use of SLS (sodium laurel sulfate) in products. SLS continues the cycle of itchy scratchy skin and it's in so many products including the stuff the docs give us for eczema, Aqueous cream and Epaderm being the 2 big ones! I was that I'd been patiently slathering Epaderm on my 2 year old twice a day (and wondering why he was still itching so much). The article said that Aveeno products were one of the few that had no SLS in them so despite trying them when my son was tiny and thinking they didn't help I perservered (few days) and his skin is much better. I got shampoo that's SLS free from Holland & Barratt too.

Eucerin is very good I think. And Oilatum.

Up market REN products contain NO SLS, DI-Methycone etc. at all and is very good for adults with sensitive skin

I wash my hair using the shower, but not in the shower. I stand on the side and bend my head forward and use the shower head to direct the water. That way I don't get shampoo on my body or in my eyes.

I use Dove soap which really works for me. Soap is too drying.

Ren, Neals Yard, Dr Organic (from H&B), Waitrose Organics, Aussie stuff from H&B or J Lewis. Dermalogica.

No SLS, no parabens, no -cones (eg dimethicone)

No aqueous cream etc.

Lush Ceridwens Cauldron bath soak contains oats and is fabulous, but pricey :(

It's trial and error, I have had eczema and sensitive skin all my life and must have spent thousands of skin care products that end up on the shelf r in the bin.

Thank you - fantastic info. I'm learning a lot!

The last few days I have been putting neat glycerin on the eczema patches and it has helped enormously. Not a long-term solution, though, because it makes my face sticky and shiney. But as 'first aid' to calm the skin down it is fantastic.

We have recently discovered Cicabio - it cured DD's eczema, as well as soothing it, and I think it is just fabulous. OTC in French pharmacies.

I have severe dandruff/psoriasis on my scalp which can be controlled using SLS-free shampoo etc but recently it has flared up - someone gave me a tip of rinsing my hair with 6 aspirin dissolved in water after washing and it stops the flakes and scaling.

I just tried it, my hair feels soft, my scalp is OK so we shall see. Not expecting it to work first time.

Anyone else tried this method?

Space NK own brand stuff seems to be free of SLS etc but it's pricey

Can I second So Organic? I buy all my toiletries from there now and I wouldn't go any where else (although I don't have eczema) Here are the products they recommend.