For eczema prone skin, look for a mild, fragrance free, hypoallergenic cleanser made for dry skin. These features make a cleanser less likely to irritate skin, rather than making every body wash interchangeable. A suitable body wash can belong beside the sink, despite the bottle's apparent commitment to the shower. Choose fragrance free rather than simply unscented: an unscented product can contain fragrance added to hide other smells.1

How do you wash your hands with it?

  1. 1Remove rings and bracelets if possible, then wet your hands with lukewarm water.
  2. 2Apply enough cleanser to cover your hands. Rub your palms together, then wash the backs of both hands and between your fingers.
  3. 3Clean the backs of your fingers against the opposite palm. Rub each thumb with the other hand, then rub your fingertips against your palms. Spend around 20 seconds washing.
  4. 4Rinse thoroughly with water. Dry your hands completely with a disposable towel, and use the towel to turn off the tap.
  5. 5Apply a fragrance free cream or ointment after washing, before putting your rings back on. For nummular eczema, which causes patches of eczema, applying moisturizer while skin is still damp helps trap water.
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Wash when hand hygiene calls for it, rather than treating the wash as a morning or evening treatment. That includes after using the toilet, before eating, before and after handling raw food, after coughing or blowing your nose, after touching animals, and before and after treating a wound. Covering every hand surface matters; washing only your palms leaves the job unfinished.2

Does it need to be antibacterial?

Ordinary household soap is sufficient for hand hygiene at home. Soap removes bacteria and viruses through washing rather than necessarily killing them. Do not treat Aveeno body wash as an alcohol hand sanitiser: a wash is rinsed away, while hand rub is used on dry hands. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol based hand sanitiser; visibly dirty hands need washing.23

Will the wash treat hand eczema?

A mild wash belongs in eczema care because avoiding irritating cleansers matters, but cleansing is not the same as treating an active flare. A rinse off wash and a leave on moisturizer have different jobs, even if the bottles are competing for the same shelf space. For nummular eczema, creams and ointments trap water better than lotions, and moisturizer should be used after washing and throughout the day when skin is dry. Clearing the patches can also require prescribed treatment.14

Who should be careful?

For children under 12 with eczema, soaps and detergents, including shower gels, can be triggers. If a wash worsens itching, redness or dryness, stop using that wash and seek advice about an alternative. Reactions to skin treatments or eczema that was controlled and then worsens can need assessment for contact allergy. Persistent patches or unbearable itching deserve a dermatologist appointment rather than another cleanser experiment.15

How do you use body wash with your hands?

If you mean using your hands to apply body wash during bathing, choose a mild cleanser and apply it to areas that need washing. For nummular eczema, lukewarm water and moisturizer on damp skin after bathing help keep washing from becoming a drying routine.14

Where this answer comes from

  1. 1Eczema types: Nummular eczema self-careaad.org
  2. 2How to wash your handsnhs.uk
  3. 3Hand rubs and the skindermnetnz.org
  4. 4Eczema types: Nummular eczema diagnosis and treatmentaad.org
  5. 5Recommendations | Atopic eczema in under 12s: diagnosis and management | Guidancenice.org.uk