Eczema Bulletin, Issue #007 - Have An Eczema Friendly Valentine's Day
Welcome to February's edition of the Eczema Bulletin e-zine, and thank you for subscribing.
This is the 7th edition of Eczema Bulletin. It will bring you articles and news about eczema, and also any updates to what-is-eczema.com. If you would like to add any suggestions for articles or news, or even add your own then I would love to hear from you
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This months Eczema Bulletin includes
- February's Featured Article – Have An Eczema Friendly Valentine's Day
- My favourite eczema news article
- Tip of the Month
- 5 ways to.....protect your hands
Featured Article - Have An Eczema Friendly Valentine's Day
If the man or woman in your life suffers from eczema, it can restrict what you buy them for Valentine's Day.
Here are some ideas of things you can give the love of your life! Or some ideas to drop as hints :)
- Cook an allergy free meal. Whatever their allergy there is a meal for them. The internet is the best source of recipes. It is the world's biggest recipe book!
Some of the good websites that could help are
Everybody loves eating, so you cant go wrong
- Experience Days. There are so many different experiences to choose from. Whether your partner wants to drive a Lamborghini at Brands Hatch, see the view from the Shard, or drive a tank, there is something for everyone. Again, search the internet for companies who provide these experiences. If you know what
activity your partner would like do, you can do a search for that
- Nickel Free Jewelry Most people, especially women, love a gorgeous piece of jewellery Unfortunately, so many pieces contain nickel. Luckily there are more and more companies selling jewellery that wont affect eczema. So whether you want to buy earrings, a watch, or a ring, perhaps an engagement ring, you will find places to get them
- Your Own Words. As well as being a great gift for the money conscious, it can be a very thoughtful gift. You could write a poem, a verse or a story. It could be about how you feel or how you met. Make it as romantic as your partner would like. You could even make a book based on your relationship. Use pictures, and anything you have collected from dates or holidays. The effort will get you some brownie points!!
- Latex Free Condoms. A good gift if you have been together a while, and you know how they will take it!! Its probably a good gift
for a man. I think he will be very happy receiving those on such a romantic night! Enough said :)
Eczema News Article
The National Eczema Association (NEA), based in the US, have come together with the International Topical Steroid Awareness Network (ITSAN).
They have been talking for a few years about topical steroid addiction. They have also been corresponding with former chronic eczema sufferers. Together they have got together evidence of topical steroid addiction.
Because of this it has been announced that NEA have formed an advisory committee task force. They will produce a study to explain the addiction, the symptoms and treatment.
This is definitely a news article I will follow closely. There is a lot of differing views on the use of topical steroids, and I will be interested to read their findings. Anything that can help make living with eczema easier, is a huge positive.
Tip Of The Month - Moderate Your Alcohol Intake
Alcohol in moderation is reported to be ok for your health. If you have eczema it can be a hindrance whether you drink in moderation, or enjoy a good night out where you have more than a few!
Alcohol has a dehydrating affect on the body. It is what causes the horrible hangovers the next morning.
It has the same affect on the skin. If you have eczema you will find your skin dries, becoming flaky and itchy. You may find that during your sleep you will scratch, so in the morning you may have red, sore skin.
While drinking, you could alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Water would be a great choice to help combat dehydration. Also, before going to bed drink more water and moisturise your skin. When you wake, do the same.
Lastly, limit the number of heavy drinking nights you have, and increase the number of alcohol free nights.
Do you have a tip you would like to share? Let me know :)
5 Ways To.......protect your hands
1. Wear gloves. Your hands come into contact with so many things throughout your day. Some things wont affect the eczema on your hands. And some will. If you know your triggers you can wear gloves when you know you are likely to come into contact with any. It is recommended that you wear latex free gloves. Latex can be an irritant to eczema.
Don’t wear gloves all the time. Let your eczema breathe. Also the gloves could make your skin hot, and itchy. Just wear them when needed
2. Moisturise. For most of the day and night your hands are susceptible to allergens, irritants and your environment. Applying a moisturiser to your hands throughout the day, will help to keep your skin supple and flexible. When your skin is dry, it is more prone to breaking. These breaks in the skin allow allergens and irritants in. They irritate the skin, making it more itchy. You scratch, and your eczema becomes worse. So moisturise very regularly, and very liberally
3. Keep
your nails short. This will reduce any damage that your nails can do when you scratch. They end up being like claws. Also dirt gets trapped under your nails. If your skin is broken you may end up scratching the dirt into your skin. It can cause irritation, and maybe even cause an infection to occur
Keep your nails super short and filed. Even a little piece of nail, not filed properly, can cause damage to your skin
4. Limit any wet work you do. Not just in your everyday job, but in your daily life. Anything that involves putting your hands in water. This includes washing the car, the dishes, your hair, and even your children!!
Some of these things you can delegate to others. Others you can limit the damage they do. You can either get someone else to do it, like the washing up, which isn’t a bad thing. Or you can protect your hands, which is a good option with something you need to do, like bathe your child. To protect them you can wear a pair of latex free gloves.
If you have to do any wet work without gloves, follow the next point
5. Perfect your wash routine. You cant get away from the need to wash your hands during the day. Firstly, you need to find a suitable hand wash, one that doesn’t irritate your skin. A soap substitute is a good choice. The water should be lukewarm and you wash your hands as normal. Then with a soft, clean towel pat your hands dry carefully. Don’t rub the skin. Lastly, cover your hands with your favourite moisturiser.
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The March edition of Eczema Bulletin will include
- March's Featured Article – Are Bleach Baths Effective In Eczema Management?
- My favourite news item of the month
- Tip of the Month
- 5 ways to.....use coconut oil
Hope you enjoyed February's Eczema Bulletin, and thanks for reading
Teri
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