safe at-home treatments

Avoid washing your hands as much as possible. It will strip your natural oils and make your skin more dry.

helpful ingredients/products

experimental treatments

These treatments have worked for some people, but are not confirmed to be effective/safe.

Before I go into this section, please remember that when you try new things, it can often coincide with a clear-up. There is no miracle cure that can heal your eczema in 3 days. It is an experimental process of figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. ‍‍
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1) Diets: Low carb diet, low histamine diet, anti-inflammatory diet, paleo (caveman diet), keto (high fat, low carb), carnivore (meat, fish, and animal foods), etc.
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Diets can help if you have food allergies. If you are trying a diet, stick with it for at least two months to see any changes. Some diets run a risk of vitamin/mineral deficiencies and may cause stomach issues for people. Consult with your doctor/nutritionist and research carefully before you decide to take on a diet.

2) Supplements: Omega-3 supplements and fish oil
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Omega-3 has anti-inflammatory properties, so foods with omega-3 in them and fish oil can benefit inflammatory conditions like eczema. If you do not like supplements, you can eat foods that are high in omega-3: mackerel, salmon, herring, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds.

Be careful not to eat too much. Consuming too much fish oil can lead to high blood sugar and other side effects.

4) Fasting
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Intermittent fasting can limit your diet if you have food allergies. Some people do 14/10 hour eating periods, 16/8, etc. This can be dangerous for children, elderly, and people who have other conditions like diabetes.
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5) Diluted vinegar soaks
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White vinegar or apply cider vinegar soaks for 5-15 minutes. One tablespoon of vinegar in one pint of water. They are usually used for fungal infections, not dyshidrosis. Vinegar soaks will make your skin very dry and may cause more inflammation.

Approach this method with caution. If you have open cuts/raw skin, it will burn badly.

6) Mouthwash soaks (Listerine)
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Some ingredients in Listerine such as alcohol could dry the skin out and cause more irritation. While herbal ingredients in Listerine such as eucalyptol can bring temporary relief to certain skin conditions, there are more effective and safer alternatives out there like ice packs and coconut oil.

7) Probiotics

Probiotics are great for boosting your immune system and aiding your digestive system. It can be used as a complimentary treatment for eczema, but it is not effective enough to be used as a sole treatment.

If you think you have a diet-related trigger, narrow down that trigger before you try probiotic foods. If you have a histamine allergy, note that most probiotics have strains with histamine in them. If you want to take probiotic supplements, consult your doctor for the correct dosage and strains.

8) Popping blisters

I put a warning at the top of the site that it is best to not touch or pop your blisters and that is still true. But for people that have white or yellow pus in their blisters or if their blisters will likely turn into an infection in the future when left alone, popping blisters may be a way to relieve the itchiness and prevent the infection if done correctly. Read this article to learn how to safely pop your blisters. Remember to put an antibiotic or an antiseptic ointment after you pop them.

types of medical treatments

When you go to a medical professional, they will usually give you a topical steroid ointment to reduce inflammation and itchiness.

Don't be scared of steroids
Many people have a fear that the more they use steroids, the more their skin will have side effects such as withdrawal and dryness. Topical Withdrawal Syndrome will only happen if you have been using strong steroids daily for a long period of time (around a year or more).

In many cases, steroid fear delays recovery for people with eczema. When patients cut down their steroid usage or stop using them too soon without consulting their doctor, their skin may not recover fully and it can lead to more steroids being prescribed to counteract the damage. Steroids are safe and effective when used as directed by your doctor and in moderation.

What to do if steroids are having negative effects
Try not to use them for longer than 2 weeks, gradually wean off of them, and let your skin rest a while before you use them again. You can buy a keratolytic lotion like Urea cream or Amlactin, which helps with dryness, breaks down tough skin and allows the steroid to work better.

Medications for mild/moderate dyshidrosis
-Antihistamines like Claritin and Benadryl
-Corticosteroids
-Mild topical steroids

Specialized treatments for severe dyshidrosis
-Strong topical steroids
-Phototherapy: exposing skin to UV light
-Draining blisters if they're very large
-Immunosuppressant medications like Protopic
-Injections like Duxipent (lifelong drug and very expensive)
-Alitretinoin capsules: improves severe hand eczema (usually a last resort)

Types of tests you can ask your doctor for
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1) Skin prick test
For inhaled allergens (pollen, mold, pets, etc.) and food allergies. Tests up to 40 different allergies.
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2) Patch test
To find substances that cause irritation by contact/touch (ex: metals). Patch testing takes 2+ days and you cannot wet your back during that period. Tests 20+ substances.
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3) Blood test
To find vitamin deficiencies and nutrition levels; detects gluten, minerals, iron, calcium and other deficiencies.

4) Skin biopsy
To check if you have an infection or other skin disorders.

5) Skin and wound cultures
A test to find germs such as a bacteria or a fungus that cause infections.

What if you're allergic to everything
Go to an allergist. See if you can get allergy shots and immunotherapy such as hyposensitization (gradually vaccinating the person with doses of the allergen to change the immune system's response).
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if you think it's diet/food related...

Food
-Keep a food diary to keep track of what you eat, ingredients, time, etc.
-Take a skin prick test to see if you are allergic to certain foods
-Go on an elimination diet and watch for patterns
-Common food intolerances: sugar, alcohol/caffeine, histamine foods, dairy

Vitamins
-Use a digital app like Cronometer to track vitamin intake
-Take a blood test to see if you are lacking vitamins

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if you think it's a contact allergy...

Think back
-Look at where your dyshidrosis is and think back to when it appeared. List all the things you touched with that area of skin today and yesterday.
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Ex: If your dyshidrosis appeared on your fingertips and you just touched your steering wheel, you could be allergic to a material on your steering wheel. If it is around your fingers and you wore rings yesterday, you could be allergic to a type of metal.
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Observe and experiment
1) Take pictures of the ingredients in all of the products you use such as soap, shampoos, detergents, cosmetics, and household chemicals. See if there are common ingredients, buy products without those ingredients, and see if your skin gets better.

2) Use a journal to keep track of what you touch such as phone case, doorknob, etc.

Allergy testing
-You can ask for a patch test to your doctor.

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if you think it's related to the weather...

High humidity
Increases sweating. Keep your place cool with a fan or air conditioning. You can also get a dehumidifier to reduce the moisture in the air. This includes places and hot summers.
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Extremely low humidity
Can dry out your skin and make it harder to heal. Get a humidifier and put it in your room while you sleep. During cold days, wear mittens or put your hands in your pockets to keep the moisture in. This includes places and dry winters.
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Tip: Keep track of the places you travel to and the weather there.

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if you think it's related to the dust/mold...

General tips
-Clean and vacuum your place frequently. Wear a mask when you clean.
-Remove carpets and curtains. Go for wood floors.
-Get a dehumidifier if you live in a hot and sticky climate. Use a hygrometer to make sure the humidity in your home is below 55%.

Note: Dust mites and mold cannot thrive in low humidity.

Dust allergy
-Place a HEPA air purifier in your bedroom.
-Keep pets outside of the house or limit them to one part of the house.
-For dust mites, get 100% cotton bedsheets and pillowcases. Wash them in hot water once a week.
-Get a humidifier if you live in a dry place. They add moisture to the air and soothe the nose and throat. If you would like to learn about different types of humidifiers, click here.

Learn more about dust allergies.

Mold allergy
-Dry damp areas of house such as under the kitchen sink, washing machine, etc.
-Dry water-damaged items within 24 hours.
-Clean out air conditioners often.
-Clean out fridge once a week. Throw away expired food and leftovers.

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if you think you're sensitive to hard water...

-Go to a hotel or vacation spot that uses soft water for one to two weeks. See if your skin gets better while you're there.
-If it does get better, you can install a hard water filter or a water softener in your home, move to a new area that uses soft water, or limit your contact with hard water such as taking short showers.

Note: A water filter is different from a water softener. While water filters will not turn hard water into soft water, it filters out impurities from hard water like metals and chemicals. It costs around $30-$50 every few months and has helped people reduce their eczema flare-ups.

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if you have other conditions...

-Other conditions' side effects may be the triggers to your own dyshidrosis flare ups. Consider treating those conditions first.
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Ex: If a person has a fungal infection with dyshidrosis, they might decrease the risk of having dyshidrosis flare ups if they treat their fungal infection first.

-If you suspect you have other conditions, you can ask for a skin biopsy from your dermatologist to test for other skin disorders.  

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the itch-scratch cycle

Scratching tears the skin's surface and prevents moisturizers from working. Constant scratching and rubbing can cause lichenification, a condition where the skin becomes thick, uneven, and leathery. Lichenification clears up when the scratching stops.

The itch-scratch cycle starts when people start to feel itchy and scratch that part of their skin.

habit reversal training

People can form unconscious habits to scratch in certain situations such as when they are tired/stressed or when they are doing daily tasks. Many eczema sufferers scratch their hands and feet unconsciously.

What I am about to tell you is a simple and free habit reversal therapy you can do at home. This training is usually used for people with uncontrollable tics, but it can also be applied to people who have itchy eczema.
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Objective: To replace damaging habits with new responses

Duration: Do this for at least 6 weeks to instill new habits

Here are the steps
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1) Building awareness: Use a tally counter to note down every time your scratch. You can also use a paper tally list if you don't have a counter. You may be surprised at how many times you scratch in a day.

2) Behavior modification: Replace the scratching habit with a competing response such as clenching your fist for 40 seconds or shaking your hands for 30 seconds. It can be a combination of responses such as deep breathing for 60 seconds, clenching your fist for another 60 seconds, then placing your hands at the sides of your body firmly at waist-level.

The new response has to be long enough for the scratching urge to go away. This will break the itch-scratch cycle. If you're going to be around other people everyday, choose an response that people won't notice.

3) Awareness + behavior modification: Write down all the situations that make you itch. If you're more itchy at certain times of the day, you can write that down too. Then create individual methods for each situation to avoid scratching yourself.

Ex: I scratch myself unconsciously when I am driving. My individual method for this situation is to keep both of my hands on my steering wheel so I can't use my hands for scratching.

4) Relaxation training: Learn relaxation skills such as deep breathing, mental imaging, and muscle relaxation for stressful situations.

5) Practice the above steps in different situations.

Example responses you could use:
-Pumping hands up in the air
-Doodling/writing in the air
-Tapping or patting arm/leg
-Deep breathing

If you want to know more about this method, here are some resources below:
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Habit Reversal Training for Adults‍
How I Saved My Skin
What is Habit Reversal Therapy?
‍PDF Worksheet for Habit Reversal Training

meditation + mindfulness

(under review; unfinished)

There are many different types of meditation such as spiritual, but for this case, let's focus on mindfulness. Personally, I believe that habit reversal training is more effective than this method, but this option does work and some eczema sufferers have found success with meditation.

This mindfulness is about recognizing your itch, observing it, resisting the urge to scratch (yes, it will drive you crazy), and letting it slowly fade away. You will learn that if there is an itching sensation, you do not have to immediately react to it.

Objective: To break scratching habits by intense concentration and patience
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Duration: Many months

Steps

Other techniques
1) Body scan guided meditation

ways to prevent sleep scratching

(under revision)

Environment
-Keep your room cool with a fan
-Measure humidity levels (if too dry, buy a humidifier)
-100% cotton or silk bedsheets and pajamas

Soothe
Buy diffuser with for essential oils
Most relaxing scents: lavender, rose, chamomile,

Before bed: drink chamomile tea, take a short and cold shower

Scratch prevention
-Soften your nail cuticle with
-Cotton gloves for winter and cotton finger guards for summer
-For fashionable people: fake nails make it harder to scratch because of their round edges
-If the above does not work and you still scratch, try taping your cotton gloves or buy hand control mitts

Sleep Medications
-Benadryl
-Nyquil
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Review this:
-cooling pad for mattress
-is it possible to soften nails so they don't do damage when scratching
-are there cotton gloves w cool gel/built in ice packs
-explore thin silk gloves

daytime:
-dry body brushes for day (no damage, satisfies itchy feeling, may worsen eczema)
-rubbing/scrubbing/dragging 100% cotton towels for severe itchiness (least damage)

managing stress

One main source of stress is from responsibilities. Make lists of everything you need to do to keep yourself from being overwhelmed.

Tip: Be careful of distracting yourself unconsciously. In the past, I made up "fake chores" I had to do so I didn't have to do my real chores. At those moments, I have to catch myself and get myself back on track.

stress management