other ingredients because it is a sealant that keeps moisture and hydration in your skin where they belong.
“You have to get the moisture in there first, whether from other ingredients or from water, and then seal it in with a topcoat,” Dr. Anthony explains. “That’s what we call occlusive therapy.”
Occlusive ingredients good for eczema include:
- Coconut oil.
- Mineral oil.
- Petrolatum (petroleum jelly).
- Silicone derivatives, like dimethicone.
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What products should you avoid?
When choosing a product, remember what works well for everyone else may not be what’s best for someone with eczema.
Dr. Anthony encourages eczema patients to use bland products that don’t have fragrances or floral-based ingredients and to avoid ingredients like:
- Calendula.
- Chamomile.
- Feverfew.
- Lavender.
Other products you should avoid if you have eczema include:
- Olive oil.
- Essential oils.
- Lanolin.
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
How to apply your eczema product
Dr. Anthony shares some of the key steps in applying your eczema products of choice:
- Wet your skin. “Bathing gets moisture into the skin,” he says. If you’re not bathing before putting on your eczema cream, wet your skin with a warm washcloth to moisturize it first.
- Apply to wet skin. Eczema products should go on top of clean, moist skin.
- Add an occlusive. Ointments are already occlusive, but if you’re using something less occlusive, like a lotion or cream, add a product like Vaseline on top to seal everything into place.