As a child, Ife Rodney, MD experienced severe dry patches of skin along with itchy bumps that would appear around her hair follicles. However, it wasn’t until adulthood that she finally found the culprit.
“My main eczema symptom has always been having very dry skin that felt impossible to moisturize. Throughout the years, I also had rashes that would flare up from time to time and then improve,” Dr. Rodney shared.
“Most of my life, my rashes just presented as small bumps around hair follicles on different parts of my body, but during my first pregnancy, my eczema really flared out of control. I got these thick, dark patches on my thighs that were so extremely itchy they woke me up at night. I’d scratch them so much and nothing gave me any relief. I’d be tempted to take a hot shower because the warm water would sometimes soothe some of the itching, but then, as soon as I got out of the shower, the itching would be even worse. Ultimately, that’s when I diagnosed myself with eczema,” she continues.
Dr. Rodney’s doctor prescribed a mild steroid ointment, “which can be helpful for eczema and a wide variety of inflammatory skin conditions.” Unfortunately, the ointment didn’t offer her much relief. Determined to find an effective solution, she turned to her background in dermatology training.
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“During my dermatology training, I learned that lifestyle changes and skin care can make a big difference in eczema. And that’s exactly what I experienced: When I became really purposeful about following a simple lifestyle-based approach to my eczema treatment (and only using prescription steroid creams in specific spots during bad flares), the itching and my rashes significantly improved,” Dr. Rodney shares.
Here are Dr. Rodney’s tips for caring for melanated eczema-prone skin.
1. Avoid long, hot showers & harsh soaps
“The number one change I’ve made is avoiding long, hot showers, which strip my skin of its moisture. I love hot showers so much, but cutting them out has really helped me avoid that intensely itchy, dry skin,” Dr. Rodney says. “Instead, I take short, lukewarm showers, where I’m in and out. I’m also careful about how I wash—soap can be very drying, so I only use soap in key areas like my armpits and genitals on a daily basis, unless I’m especially dirty or sweaty. I like to use the white Dove bar soap because I find that it doesn’t strip my skin of its moisture as much as others.”
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2. Moisturize after you shower
“Another important lifestyle habit I use to treat my eczema is moisturizing my skin immediately after showering. Right now, I like to use the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm ($20, Ulta), which I keep in the shower with me. As soon as my shower is finished, I pat my skin dry with a towel to remove excess water, but not enough to dry it completely. Then I apply moisturizer all over my skin. Next, I apply a layer of petroleum jelly, which acts as an extra barrier to lock that moisture into the skin,” she adds.
3. Avoid perfumes, dyes, and fragrances
“Eczema-prone skin is so sensitive and prone to allergic-type reactions that products containing perfumes, dyes, and fragrances can be extremely irritating and cause an eczema flare,” Dr. Rodney shares. “So I make sure to avoid moisturizers, soaps, detergents, and other products that contain added fragrances. My goal is for all the products that come in contact with my skin to be bland and mild and contain as few ingredients as possible.”
Spotting eczema in Black skin
Eczema presents differently in darker skin, which often causes it to get overlooked. Eczema in darker skin typically has a dark brown or purplish appearance.
Here’s what you should know about eczema in Black skin:
1. It may look like little bumps instead of a rash.
Follicular eczema frequently occurs in people with darker skin.
“Follicular eczema doesn’t really look like a rash; instead, it looks like goosebumps or small bumps around hair follicles throughout different areas of the body, including the back, abdomen, thighs, and chest. As a dermatologist, a lot of parents bring their kids into my office wondering why their kid’s skin is so dry and bumpy,” Dr. Rodney notes. “The skin in these patients may not even be itchy, but it lets me know that they may have eczema and we should practice very gentle skin care with them to reduce the risk of a visible flare.”
2. You might see dark spots on your skin.
Inflammation causes the melanocytes, or the cells that make skin color, to become overactive. This results in dark spots (hyperpigmentation), which is common in melanin-rich skin.
“When the discoloration persists even after the eczema calms down, we call it post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It can last for months or even years and can be really distressing to people, which is why it’s so important to treat eczema early before a flare gets severe and causes a ton of inflammation,” Dr. Rodney says.
While waiting out hyperpigmentation is important, Dr. Rodney also advises protecting your skin from the sun, which can worsen dark spots.
“I like to use a broad-spectrum, mineral sunscreen all over my skin, including on my arms and legs. Sunlight can penetrate through many types of clothing, so even when you think an area might be protected, it’s still a good idea to wear sunscreen,” she shares.
You should also avoid scratching to reduce inflammation and prevent further discoloration.
Keeping your skin healthy
Even with treatment, your eczema may not completely disappear. However, the key to effective eczema management is to keep your skin healthy.
“It’s equally important to adopt lifestyle changes and to understand that, at baseline, most people with eczema have super dry and sensitive skin, even when the eczema isn’t flaring. I want people to understand that there are things you can do every day—good days, medium days, and bad days—to keep your skin looking and feeling its best,” Dr. Rodney concludes.
