How to care for eczema-prone skin when you're constantly washing your hands

Never before has washing our hands and face been so vitally important. However, for those living with inflammatory skin conditions like eczema - or even just very sensitive skin - the constant cleansing can cause irritation and flare-ups.

It's all about your skin's barrier

“This has a lot to do with your skin’s delicate barrier function and how easily it can become disrupted”, explains Lesil Harvey, owner of Ageless Faces, a popular anti-ageing clinic in Cape Town. 

“The skin acts as a barrier between the outside environment and the underlying soft tissue,” says Harvey, explaining that its role is to prevent moisture from escaping while preventing irritants from getting in. “Excessive cleansing and exfoliating can rid the skin of its natural oils and can cause an overly dry, inflamed and sensitive skin”.

Bring back the balance

So, how can you keep your skin clean, without stripping it of its natural moisture? Fortunately, you can look out for cleansers specially formulated for sensitive skin. Harvey also suggests you keep an eye out for those that contain soothing, hydrating ingredients, like glycerin, ceramides, vitamin E and panthenol.

“You can also mitigate the drying factor by using lukewarm water, not scalding hot”, says Harvey. Also, if you’re in the middle of a flare-up, now is not the time to use exfoliants. Only once your skin has recovered can you gradually introduce them back into your routine. “Initially twice weekly, then increase slowly if need be over time,” she says. 

Pat your hands dry – don’t rub

After washing your hands, pat it dry with a disposable paper towel or tissue rather than rubbing it with a towel, etc. Rubbing can be traumatic to the skin, especially if it is tender and inflamed to begin with.

Re-hydrate cleverly

After cleansing, it’s important that you restore your skin’s moisture levels, but you have to be careful about what you use. Hydrating, soothing ingredients are great, but if they’re mixed with potentially harsh ingredients like high strength retinol or alpha hydroxy acids, they might re-ignite a flare-up.

“Just a few core products are all you need to start you on your journey to a healthy new skin,” she says. “For now, just a basic hydrator will do and you can revert to gradually reintroducing treatment products with potential irritants once your skin’s barrier function has been restored”.   

Harvey suggests you start paying attention to what’s on your moisturisers ingredients list. “Ideally, you want to ensure your products are free of potential irritants like sulphates, parabens and synthetic fragrances.”  

Important to note: If you choose to carry your own cleanser and moisturiser with you when you are out and about, remember to disinfect the containers regularly. Otherwise these containers could very well become a breeding ground for all sorts of germs.

Following these guidelines will allow you to lessen the impact of regular hand washing on your delicate skin barrier. If your skin condition is very serious and you find that these measures are not effective enough, it is recommended that you get in touch with your treating dermatologist to seek expert advice. 

IMAGE CREDIT: Shutterstock