There's been a 40% rise in eczema cases over the past five years, and experts suspect that one of the causes could be that parents are over-washing and bathing their babies.
Take the following steps to avoid the triggers that can aggravate dry skin and eczema:
- Avoid soap and fragranced bubble bath as these can be really drying.
- Avoid dressing children in woolly clothes as it can make their skin hot and itchy. Cotton clothes will help their skin breathe.
- Bed linen makes a difference too – choose cotton sheets and covers and avoid pillows or duvets that contain feathers.
- Keep bedrooms cool - being too hot can make itching worse. In warmer weather, place a saucer of water in the room to keep some moisture in the air.
- Choose non-biological washing powders and fabric conditioners.
- Fur and feathers can aggravate eczema, so keep pets out of the house where possible.
- House dust mites can make eczema flare up, so try to keep dust to a minimum.
- Sometimes, dairy foods like milk and eggs could make skin conditions worse – ask your doctor or dietician if you think this may be the case.
