How to calm eczema on your face

What to do during a flare

An emollient is a moisturising treatment, which is a fairly ordinary job for such an elaborate word.2

1. 1Wash with an emollient rather than soap, and avoid known triggers.
2. 2Apply an emollient at least twice a day and more often as needed. Continue when your skin improves.
3. 3Use a pump or clean spoon rather than putting fingers into a pot. Do not share emollients.
4. 4Keep cool and avoid scratching. Try gently rubbing an itchy area with a finger instead, and keep nails short.

Avoid aqueous cream because it can irritate eczema. Do not change your diet unless a doctor advises it. Keep away from smoking and naked flames: emollient residue on clothing and bedding makes fabrics catch fire more easily.1

Could a product be causing the rash?

Contact dermatitis is eczema caused by something that irritates your skin or triggers an allergic reaction. Fragrance allergy can cause a rash where you apply personal care products. Burning, stinging, tenderness and very dry, cracked skin can occur alongside itching. Stop using a product you suspect is responsible, and seek help identifying the trigger if the rash keeps returning.3

Look beyond products applied directly to your face. Shampoo can touch eyelids during rinsing, and ingredients in nail polish or artificial nails can reach the eye area when you touch it. Product labels organise the bathroom shelf, not where the contents end up. Eyelid skin is thinner than skin elsewhere, making contact dermatitis common there. An allergic reaction can take time to appear, so the trigger is not always the last product you used.3

When moisturising is not enough

Adults can develop atopic dermatitis for the first time, or have childhood eczema return years later. The face and skin around the eyes are common sites in adults. A new facial rash needs a diagnosis rather than an assumption: several types of eczema cause intensely itchy patches but require different treatment. A dermatologist can identify the type and build a treatment plan. Untreated atopic dermatitis can worsen, and persistent itching can disrupt sleep.4

A pharmacist can help with small, dry, slightly itchy patches. More severe eczema needs a doctor. Treatment can include topical corticosteroids, meaning steroid medicines applied to skin. Atopic eczema has no cure, but treatment can manage symptoms.2

When to get urgent help

Seek urgent medical help if eczema becomes blistered, crusty, leaks fluid or develops pus; becomes painful, swollen or warm; suddenly worsens or spreads; or comes with fever or feeling unwell. These can signal infection or eczema herpeticum, a serious condition.1