My Experience with Eczema

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NEOSPORIN® ESSENTIALS™ for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Eczema. Eggggsama. Eggs. Ama. Ick!

What is eczema?

Here's the technical definition:

Eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by dry, itchy skin and visible skin rash. Atopic dermatitis is the most common form of eczema. In a healthy state, the external layer of your skin acts as a protective barrier. But for eczema sufferers, the skin has a deficiency in the external layer that allows the moisture to escape and causes chronic dryness. When skin is dry and unprotected, irritants can reach the sensitive layers below and cause uncomfortable itch flare-ups. Therefore, people with eczema are more susceptible to irritants or allergens, which trigger inflammation-producing cells that result in itching and redness.

Sounds great, doesn't it?? I had eczema a LOT when I was a kid. (Telling other kids what the rash was caused a lot of questions...what about eggs?? Not eggggsama, eczema!) When I turned 7 I developed an allergy to milk, and eczema was one of the biggest side-effects of the allergy. I would have random patches in a few areas, but I always would get it on the back of my arm right beneath my elbow. I remember scratching and scratching, countless trips to the dermatologist, tons of different creams, and even wrapped my arm up in plastic wrap before bed!!

I'm lucky enough to have outgrown my allergy to milk and my eczema, but it still brings back bad memories!

Eczema is not just caused by allergies, but common triggers are Irritants like soaps and fragrances, wool, rough textures, Cold and dry weather, and heat and sweating. Common signs of eczema are dry, itchy, red and inflamed skin.  And I'm not alone in having had eczema before, it's estimated to affect 35 million Americans: 1-3% of adults and 10-20% of children.

Now that wintertime is here, learning how to avoid eczema for those of us prone is a good idea! Here are some tips:

• Keep skin warm and protected when outside
• Try a thick, protective moisturizer on the exposed skin to prevent windburn
• Consider talking to your doctor about supplementing vitamin D during the winter months as many people are deficient and this may play a role in eczema
• Consider getting a humidifier for bedrooms to help add moisture to the dry air
• Continue your regular skincare routine with regular bathing and moisturizing, as well as using topical medications when needed

If you struggle with eczema, you will be happy to hear that NEOSPORIN® has created a new line of skin care products called NEOSPORIN® ESSENTIALS™. These are designed for people with eczema and include a Daily Moisturizing Cream, Daily Body Wash, and Anti-Itch Cream.

Here's some more info on each of the products:

ECZEMA ESSENTIALS™ Daily Moisturizing Cream:

• Clinically shown to restore visibly healthier skin in 3 days
• Goes beyond ordinary daily lotions to relieve dryness, itch and irritation due to eczema while also helping to strengthen and restore the skin’s natural barrier function
• Clinically shown to relieve itchy skin due to eczema on contact

MOISTURE ESSENTIALS™ Daily Body Wash:

• Proven gentle and non-irritating even on eczema-prone skin
• Effectively cleanses even the most dry, sensitive skin
• Contains gentle moisturizers for non-drying cleansing

ECZEMA ESSENTIALS™ Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream:

• Contains a dual-action formula to provide fast relief of itch flare-ups due to eczema while it moisturizes to restore visibly healthier skin
• Clinically shown to improve dryness, flaking and the appearance of redness
• Contains hydrocortisone

What I like about the product is that they come from a very reputable skin-care company, and they are all over-the-counter! So if my eczema ever comes back, instead of a pricey trip to the dermatologist I can give these products a try without a prescription!

If you're interest in learning more, check out the NEOSPORIN® ESSENTIALS™ website!