When you experience an eczema itches flare-up, it can feel like the condition consumes your entire day. You long to calm your eczema itches, dry skin or prevent the uncomfortable rashes. Depending on the location of your eczema, you may also be self-conscious about the appearance of your red, scaly, or bumpy skin. Although eczema is more prevalent in children, many people deal with flare-ups well into their adolescent and adult years.
Safe Alternatives
Giving in to the urge may bring some oohs and aahs. Yet when you scratch or even rub, you can make the itch and your eczema worse. Some people scratch so much they bleed, and that’s a setup for infection. When sitting on your hands isn’t an option, try these ways to get fast itch relief and soothe your skin.
Chill It
Make a quick compress to cool your skin by wetting a washcloth or gauze with cold water. For more intense relief, grab an ice pack or a bag of frozen veggies like peas or corn kernels, or just pop an ice cube or two into a small plastic bag (to catch the water as it melts). The cold helps numb the area, but it may take up to 10 minutes for this to work.
Mirror Scratching
Try this when the itch is on just one side of your body. It may sound like a magic trick, but it’s more than an optical illusion. Say your left arm itches. Look into a mirror and focus on your reflection’s left arm, which is actually your right. Scratch there as you watch, and your brain gets the message that your eczema itch was taken care of.
Acupressure
A study at Northwestern University found that pressing a certain spot on your arm may help ease eczema itch anywhere on your body. To find it, bend your left arm, place your right hand on the outside of the crook of your elbow, and feel for the top of the forearm muscle. Massage firmly with your fingertip for 3 minutes as you breathe deeply. Read More….
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