8 Steps You Can Take to Feel Confident In Your Skin with Eczema

In late October, SheKnows hosted a panel on living with eczema called Empowered With The Skin You’re In: Navigating Eczema & Sharing Moment Of Clarity. The panel was moderated by Nitika Chopra, founder and CEO of Chronicon, with speakers Dr. Sandra Lee (aka “Dr. Pimple Popper”); Kristin Belleson, CEO and president of the National Eczema Association; and comedian Heather McMahan. The panel covered everything from the challenges of living with eczema to real-world advice on how to get relief when flares strike. 

Dr. Lee, who is a board-certified dermatologist, opened up about living with mild-to-moderate eczema, noting that she’s had it ever since she was a baby. But Dr. Lee shared that she struggled with bad flares during medical school and beyond. “I had one of the worst flares during medical school. I was studying for an exam, and it was cold, so I decided to use this dusty old space heater a lot,” she said. “Big mistake, because it triggered a flare, and I just immediately could feel that heat and that dust on my face, working with my skin to cause it to get really tingly. I remember turning that thing off as soon as I started feeling those symptoms, and just slathering myself with moisturizer to try to slow this down, because I knew that this was potentially going to be bad.”

Now, Dr. Lee said she tries to avoid her triggers, like wool, on a daily basis—and especially when she’s going to be on camera. “Eczema can affect my day, any day, and it’s no different when I’m on set or not,” she said. Dr. Lee revealed that she uses OPZELURA when she experiences an eczema flare. “It works pretty quickly,” she says. “When I had an itch and used OPZELURA for a few days, I really noticed an improvement in my itch and a clearing in my flare within a few weeks.”

But Dr. Lee wasn’t the only speaker to share her story with eczema. “When I’m on the road, I’m not sleeping well, there’s a million other things that are going on, and I can just feel it like when I am run down, when I am stressed, when I’m under those hot lights and I’m sweating under makeup, I can just feel like a flare up coming,” shared McMahan. She said she’s learned to be “proactive and not reactive,” noting that she picked up a lot of eczema hacks from other people on TikTok. She also said that OPZELURA has been “helpful” for her, personally. 

But McMahan, Dr. Lee, and Belleson also spoke about the importance of community and sharing what they’ve learned to help other people with eczema. Here’s the knowledge they want others to know:

Don’t leave home without moisturizer

Dr. Lee noted that having moisturizer on-hand is “the most important thing” to her eczema management. “I don’t care about my lipstick, but if I forget my moisturizer when I go on a trip, I will look like a lizard,” Dr. Lee said. So, she carries her moisturizer with her everywhere. “If you don’t have those things, one little thing will put you over the edge, and then it’s over,” she said.

Try not to scratch

It’s easier said than done, but Dr. Lee and McMahan issued a warning: Scratching can lead to scars. “As a kid, I had it so bad that I would scratch the back of my legs, and then I would get a suntan in the summer and just have, like, white spots everywhere,” McMahan said. McMahan said she still has “old eczema spots” and can’t get a spray tan during a flare because the results will look like a “hot mess.” One more reason to avoid scratching as much as possible? You can get an infection, Dr. Lee pointed out. 

Act fast when you’re irritated

Dr. Lee noted that if she feels scratchy in bed at night, she’ll jump in the shower to wash off whatever could be irritating her skin, even though she’s wiped. “It can be a tough thing to deal with. You can lose sleep over it,” she said. “It can really affect your life in so many ways.”

Moisturize immediately after showering

This was one of the biggest tips the speakers shared. “I used to dry myself off when I got the shower and my dermatologist is like, no, no, no, you have to be damp,” Belleson said.

Why? “When you put water on your skin and it evaporates, it actually pulls out the moisture from your skin so you get more dry. That’s what triggers the eczema,” Dr. Lee explained. “The moment I get out of the shower, I put moisturizer on.” McMahan joked that she’s a “slick cat” when she gets out of the shower and “covered up like a Pilgrim” when she goes to bed to lock in moisture. 

Consider using a humidifier in your room

Dr. Lee said this can be “very helpful” for eczema management. She suggested using a warm humidifier in particular because it can warm the room and keep humidity in the room, moisturizing your skin in the process. 

Be on the lookout for new triggers

McMahan told the story of how she realized gel manicures triggered flares. “There was something about the bonding in the top of the gel nail,” she said, noting that she had to change her nail routine as a result. “I really felt a little insecure for a minute, I’m not gonna lie,” she said. 

Focus on your diet

McMahan revealed that she views her diet as part of her eczema management, too. “If I’m eating too much sugar and I already know I’m stressed out, it’s me being proactive and saying, ‘Okay, you know it’s gonna be a stressful week. You know you’re not sleeping a lot, you’re on 15 different airplanes. So, take the steps to protect yourself. Let’s make sure we’re eating healthy from the inside out and all of those things,’” she said. “But if I’m drinking white wine and eating Butterfingers, you know your girl’s going to be itching.”

Meet with a dermatologist

Dr. Lee stressed the importance of meeting with a board-certified dermatologist if you have eczema and coming prepared. “I suggest you bring some notes—maybe like three or four questions,” she said. “It’s important to have a pen and to write down the answers that you hear, because you’re going to forget a lot of the things that they say.” Your doctor should be able to help you identify your triggers and set you on the path to the best eczema management plan for you. 

Visit mymomentsofclarity.com for personal stories from people living with eczema.

This story was created independently by the SHE Media editorial team. Note, this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider for any treatment decisions.