Managing eczema can be difficult, especially if you don't understand your triggers. You may find it difficult to prevent and control flare-ups that have different triggers during different seasons of the year. It helps to work with a dermatologist who can monitor your condition and prescribe the right eczema treatment for you. Your dermatologist might try medications and phototherapy for your eczema. They might also try wet wrap therapy. Here's a look at how wet wrap therapy is done.
Start With A Warm Bath
Don't bathe in water that's too hot, just keep the water warm and add treatments to the water as recommended by your dermatologist. This might include putting oatmeal, salt, or oil in the water. Soak for several minutes and then pat your skin dry, being careful not to rub your skin.
Apply Moisturizer
Since eczema makes your skin dry, you can keep your skin moister and healthier by applying moisturizer. Applying moisturizer right after you bathe is a good practice since your pores are open and the moisturizer is absorbed more readily. Your dermatologist can recommend the right moisturizer and they may even give you a prescription for an ointment, cream, or lotion to use right after you bathe.
Use Medication
Your doctor might also want you to apply topical medication to your eczema spots before you apply the wet wraps. You might have prescription anti-inflammatory cream, topical steroids, or topical medications that affect your immune system response. Apply them to your skin as directed before or after the moisturizer as instructed by your dermatologist.
Apply Wet Wraps
Wet wraps are sections of rolled gauze that you use for wrapping areas of your body that have eczema flare-up. You wet a section of gauze with warm water and wrap the gauze around your hand, arm, foot, or another place on your body. Then you wrap a dry section of gauze around the wet section. After that, you cover the area so you can leave the wet wraps in place overnight. If the eczema is on your feet or hands, you can cover the gauze with socks or gloves. Otherwise, pull dry pajamas over the gauze strips so they are covered and stay in place.
Wet wrap therapy can help eczema when you're having a flare-up of your symptoms. You may also need other medications or eczema treatments to reduce your symptoms and prevent another flare-up from developing too soon.
There are a variety of medications and eczema treatments to try, so if wet wraps don't help your skin heal, or if they make your skin worse, let your dermatologist know. Then they can find another way to treat your skin condition and bring about relief from discomfort and itching.
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