For many eczema-sufferers, the most dreaded and excruciating task of the day is bath-time. I’ve picked up some tricks along the way to make the experience more bearable, but this isn’t to say that I’ve never screamed or sobbed in the shower before… If you’re currently on Dr Aron’s treatment and are therefore only using Dove cream soap bar, you’ll need to employ some selective reading 
Smother yourself in emollient beforehand. Think of this as a protective second skin. Or first skin, because your real skin is MIA.
Keep the water lukewarm. Crucial. Even now, when my skin is relatively clear, I dream of hot showers. How wonderful it would be to jump in without a care and feel the warmth cascading from my head to my toes…
Open the window. Steam is not your friend. You need to keep your skin as cool as possible and avoid the humidity of a sealed bathroom.
Splash yourself. The worst part of the bathing experience for an eczema sufferer is the sting of the first touch of water. It stings all the way down to your bones. The way I get round this is to lightly splash myself first to gradually get the sting out of the way before facing the full force of a large body of water.
Keep wash-time to a minimum. Once you’re in the water and you’ve gotten through all of the burning and stinging to reach the point where the water is comfortable on your skin, it can be difficult to persuade yourself out. However, water ironically has a drying effect on the skin, and the longer you’re in there, the more you will itch. Water + itch = softened skin that will tear off like tender lamb from the bone. Try to limit yourself to under 10 minutes.
Split your washes. I have long hair down to my waist, so washing it takes a long time, and I find that wet, shampoo-laden hair sticks to my back and irritates the skin there. When my eczema gets unbearable, I wash my hair separately by hanging my head over the edge of the tub and using the shower head. Then I wrap my hair into a turban and jump in the shower for a 30-second body sluice.
Buy an eczema-friendly shampoo & conditioner. I highly recommend Vichy and Salcura. However, these aren’t always cheap, so I just use them on the scalp and put normal stuff on the length of my hair. Tar shampoo is apparently very good, but I always found that it mattes long hair.
Forget about smelling nice. Your peers may carry the soft fragrance of Amalfi orange blossom with a hint of jasmine but you, my friend, are going to have to get used to smelling of either Dove Extra Sensitive Beauty Cream Soap Bar or Sanex Dermo Sensitive Cream Bath… Or tar. Sorry.
Use music. When the going gets tough, I can always rely on Taylor Swift to distract me from my pain.
Shave cheap. Although expensive personal care brands tell us that their razor is the best because it “looks after your skin”, don’t forget that by “your” what they actually mean is “normal people’s”. Your skin isn’t normal, and the slimy soap either side of those expensive razors could make your eczema react. For this reason, I tend to buy the cheapest razors with no slimy soap and just use them really carefully on the patches that are healthy.
Generally though, I don’t have to shave at all when I have a massive flare because a) I’m not able to sit still long enough for anyone to inspect my hairy legs and b) I scratch off most of my body hair anyway (eyelashes often included).
For baths, use a water softener. Oilatum is great for this; it will probably still sting but it makes your skin feel oily and soft for a precious little while.
Try oat baths. Although they make my skin sting even more (should have guessed by the fact that I sting after using Aveeno), oatmeal baths do work for a lot of people so could be worth a go. Put oats into an old stocking/cut up a pair of tights and tie it so they can’t escape, then put it into the (soapless) bath while it’s running. Use the stocking as a sponge and try to avoid getting it in your hair.
For staph infections, try bleach baths. You should probably consult your doctor before doing this, but many people pre-Dr Aron have said that to keep down the staph they would add small amounts of bleach to a full bath tub. It’s not as drastic as it sounds!
Once out, dry immediately. Reduce the time your body is wet to minimise dryness and itch.
Use a soft towel. 100% cotton would be ideal. Don’t forget, it needs to have been washed only with non-bio detergent. If your hair is long, use another towel to wrap it into a turban to keep it from dripping down your back or chest.
Pat yourself dry. DO NOT RUB. Rubbing leads to itchies and the ripping off of scabs.
Lock in the moisture. When you are completely dry, apply an emollient straight away to keep your skin from freaking out.
Don’t panic at the loss of hair. If you suffer from eczema on your scalp, it is perfectly normal to have a whole drain full of hair by the end of your shower. Don’t stress, it will grow back as soon as your skin returns to health. Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend how you even have hair left when this is a daily occurrence:
If it’s too painful, skip a day. We all have shit days. Like, really really shit days. If it’s too much, it’s perfectly OK not to wash your body every single day. When your eczema is that bad, people won’t want to get close enough to you to even notice the body odour anyway #silverlining
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any tips that I’ve missed in the comments
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