Dr Haroon Ahmad
How to Manage Eczema Flare-Ups and Skin Infections. [A Step-by-Step Guide]
Master eczema flare-ups with our comprehensive guide. Learn to recognise, manage, and prevent outbreaks for healthier, happier skin.
What We'll Cover - Preventing Flare-Ups and Skin Infections.
Key Takeaways
Act quickly to repair the skin barrier during flare-ups and prevent further damage.
Journaling symptoms and triggers helps recognise flare-ups and identify causes.
The Proton Health app with Skin Score tracking helps to track and manage eczema effectively.
Steroids and Niacinamide are effective for tackling flare-ups.
Proper emollient application and allergen avoidance are crucial in managing flare-ups.
Introduction: Tackling Eczema Flare-Ups
Eczema flare-ups can be frequent and problematic with no identifiable cause. In this blog post, we'll share information on how to effectively manage eczema flare-ups and recognise when they've gone too far and become skin infections.
Understanding Eczema Flare-Ups
During flare-ups, the skin barrier is breached and reacts with inflammation. It's essential to act quickly to repair the skin and prevent further damage. We've shared routines to help prevent flare-ups, but here we'll cover how to actively manage them. In this session, we will share a personalised routine for treating outbreaks using two key ingredients: Niacinamide and Steroids.
Recognising Eczema Flare-Ups
Knowing when an eczema flare-up is starting can help you take action fast. Here's what to watch out for:
Increased Itching: Itching is often one of the earliest signs and our brains signal that our skin is in pain.
Red and Swollen Skin: Your skin might turn a different colour and start to swell up a bit.
Burning: You may feel that your skin is more irritated and occasionally burns.
Blisters: Some people see tiny, fluid-filled bumps on their skin that sometimes burst.
Changes in Skin Texture: You might feel your skin becoming thicker, or it might look a bit different to you.
Overall, you can recognise a flare-up whenever your skin becomes dramatically worse than usual. A helpful way to recognise when this is happening is to journal your symptoms and triggers over time. This not only helps you recognise when you're flaring up, but it also helps you figure out what's causing your flare-ups.
You can supercharge this process by using the Proton Health app. The app features the Skin Score, which is a quick and research backed way to track your symptoms and figure out the cause of your flare-ups.
Principles For Tackling Eczema Flare-Ups
Whenever you experience a flare-up, you need to step up your skincare routine. This involves moisturising more frequently and using more advanced therapies to heal your skin. Some suggestions include adding:
Steroids: These are therapies that are commonly used to tackle flare-ups and are designed to be used in short bursts. They can cause side effects if used incorrectly, so make sure to check out this guide for more info.
Niacinamide: This is natural Vitamin B3 that has been shown to be anti-inflammatory and have anti-itching/anti-redness properties. It's a great steroid alternative and designed to be used once a day at night.
Personalised Routine for Flare-Ups
Here's a suggested routine when you find yourself in the danger zone of an eczema flare-up:
Morning (7-10am)
Cream Moisturiser
Ointment Moisturiser
Wait 30 minutes
Apply Steroid OR Niacinamide
Wait 30 minutes
Cream Moisturiser
Ointment Moisturiser
Sunscreen
Afternoon (12-3pm)
Cream Moisturiser
Ointment Moisturiser
Sunscreen Top Up
Evening (5-8pm)
Cream Moisturiser
Ointment Moisturiser
Night (10-12pm)
Cream Moisturiser
Ointment Moisturiser
Wait 30 minutes
Apply One Of Steroid OR Niacinamide
Wait 30 minutes
Cream Moisturiser
Ointment Moisturiser
Barrier
If you're looking for more information on each types of therapy, check out our comprehensive skincare guide here.
Managing Flare-Ups: Key Steps to Follow
Step Up Your Medication: During a flare-up, use the routine mentioned above to help repair and reduce skin inflammation.
Don't Overdo It: If using steroids, remember the fingertip rule and limit usage to twice daily. Maintain consistency in your routine and avoid sudden changes.
Lay on the Emollients: Apply emollients a minimum of 4 times a day to build up your skin barrier.
Avoid Any Allergens: Avoid anything triggering your eczema to help you get out of the flare-up zone quickly.
Prevent Scratching: Keep your nails short and avoid further episodes using behavioural therapy sessions.
Focus on the Mind: Use techniques like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to prevent negative thoughts and maintain a positive mindset. You'll find over 50 guided sessions for different circumstances in the Proton Health app.
Recognising Eczema Infections: The Warning Signs
Sometimes, flare-ups can take things too far and advance to skin infections. Flare-ups leave the skin vulnerable to bugs like bacteria. If these bad bacteria enter the skin they can lead to infections which require specific signs to recognise and treat them. Here's a comprehensive list to help you recognise these signs:
Weeping Skin: This is perhaps one of the biggest indicators of an infection. When your eczema affected skin begins to weep or ooze clear fluid or pus, it's often a sign of a bacterial invasion.
Increased Frequency of Flare-Ups: If you notice that your flare-ups are happening more frequently or becoming more severe, it could signal an underlying infection.
Amplified Redness and Warmth: An increase in the redness and warmth of the affected area often accompanies skin infections.
Fever: General body symptoms like a high temperature or feeling unwell could indicate that the infection is more widespread.
Swelling: Infected eczema can cause swelling in the affected area, or in extreme cases, the surrounding lymph nodes.
Managing Eczema Infections: A Comprehensive Approach
Suspected infections should always be evaluated by a healthcare professional. They can diagnose the condition accurately and suggest the appropriate treatment. Here's a detailed look at possible management strategies for eczema infections:
Topical Antibiotics: These are often the first line of defence against localized skin infections. They are applied directly to the infected area to combat the harmful bacteria.
Oral Antibiotics: For more severe or widespread infections, oral antibiotics might be prescribed. They work from within the body to tackle the infection.
Oral Steroids: In cases where the immune response needs to be controlled to manage the infection effectively, a course of oral steroids might be recommended.
It's essential to continue your regular eczema management routine even when treating an infection. Avoid scratching the affected areas, as it could spread the infection or make it worse. Keep the skin clean and well moisturised to aid in the healing process.
Prevention: The Key to Conquering Eczema
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. If you've been treated with an infection, make sure to then focus on preventing further episodes in the coming days. Becoming a prevention expert is key to conquering your eczema. Consistently follow the steps mentioned above and make use of Proton Health's app to track your progress and manage your eczema effectively.
Summary: Managing Eczema Flare-Ups Effectively
Managing eczema flare-ups can be challenging, but with our step-by-step guide, you can take control of your symptoms and improve your skin's health. Remember to:
Use the personalised routine for flare-ups.
Follow the key steps to manage flare-ups.
Focus on prevention to conquer eczema.
By consistently applying these strategies and using the Proton Health app, you can better manage your eczema and work towards healthier, happier skin. Stay connected with the Proton Health Support group for additional support and resources to help you on your journey to better skin health.
Further Resources
Living with Eczema: Flare-ups - An informative guide from Eczema.org that provides tips on how to handle eczema flare-ups effectively.
How to Live Better with Eczema - A comprehensive resource from WebMD that discusses several aspects of living with eczema, including managing flare-ups.
Understanding Eczema Flare-ups - This resource from K Health offers insights into what triggers eczema flare-ups and how to manage them.
Infected Eczema: Signs, Treatment, and Prevention - Healthline's article gives an in-depth understanding of how to recognise, treat, and prevent infected eczema.
Skin Infections and Eczema - This is a comprehensive guide from Eczema.org discussing the correlation between skin infections and eczema and how to manage them effectively.
