It would be nice if you could just take a pill and be done with your dermatitis but unfortunately this isn’t yet the case.  Until scientists come up with that pill, chances are you’ll need to address your dermatitis on a consistent and regular basis.  This might be inconvenient and even annoying but it’s well worth that effort.  Your skin’s health is important for your health overall, so keeping up with that effort is important.

If you follow the tips and tricks outlined in this book, you’ll no doubt have success with your treatment.  So keep it up!  You’ll be glad you did.

If you’ve been prescribed medication for your dermatitis, it’s important to keep up with your doctor’s recommendations regarding the use of that substance.  If you’ve been told that your condition is chronic and will return if you stop using your medications, then don’t stop!  No one wants to be constantly tied to a medication or regime but it’s important for your skin’s overall health to keep up with your doctor’s recommendations.

Remember too that your dermatitis is more than just annoying. When you scratch it may be breaking the skin which make it more susceptible to infections and other concerns. So don’t stop taking your medications unless and until your doctor says its time.

Here are a few simple tricks to keep yourself hydrated with enough water:

• Have a glass before every meal.  Dieters use this trick to help themselves feel full but this way you know you’ll be getting a few glasses in every day without fail.
• Keep a water bottle with you all day at the office and wherever else you might be.  If you have water on hand you’ll be more likely to keep sipping.
• If water is boring, add a bit of fruit juice or try something like Crystal Light drink mixes.  Avoid caffeinated beverages in its place as caffeine will cause you to lose moisture.
• Make a check on the calendar for every glass of water you drink throughout the day.  Challenge yourself to get those eight checks or eight glasses every day.

Water is good for the skin, the digestive system, the sinuses, the eyes, and every single cell of the body.  If you keep up with your water intake you’ll be benefiting yourself by making your skin stronger and more able to withstand outbreaks of dermatitis and may see other health benefits as well!

You may assume that you need to have allergies in the family to have allergies yourself but this isn’t always the case.  One good way to determine your own allergies is to see an allergist for a test, and to keep a food diary as well.  If you note everything you eat then the allergist can know what to look for and can give you personal recommendations.

It’s also good to be aware of how much caffeine you drink and sugar you consume.  You might not think of these things as being a cause of your dermatitis because you know other people that consume these things and aren’t affected the way you are but your skin’s condition is often as personal as a fingerprint.  You may just be more sensitive to a substance than someone else, just like being allergic to something.

So keep a food diary and see an allergist if you suspect anything in your diet may be contributing to your condition.

There’s a good chance that it’s any and all of them.  One’s environment just sits on the skin and is absorbed by it, so it’s no wonder that people dealing with any of these issues suffer from dermatitis.  As a matter of fact, considering how polluted most environments are, it’s no wonder that there aren’t more cases of dermatitis reported!

Here are some considerations when it comes to your environment and dermatitis:

• Keep a warm mist humidifier going whenever possible, especially in cold and dry climates.  Have one in your bedroom that runs at night.  Put one in your office.  The more moisture there is in the air, the more moisture your skin will absorb and the less likely you’ll be to have dry skin and dermatitis.
• Stay out of direct sunlight.  This causes damage to the skin and is very unhealthy for it.
• Make sure you protect your skin from dust, debris, and elements like this if you work in the construction industry or in a manufacturing environment.

The environment is so important to the health of your skin and can also cause quite a bit of damage to it as well.  And yet many people forget to protect their skin from outside elements even when already suffering from dermatitis!

Remember that household gloves, long sleeves, protection lotion, and simple things like this can go a long way toward keeping you safe from these irritating elements and can protect you from harsher outbreaks of dermatitis as well.

Sodium lauryl sulfate, the most common ingredient in household detergent, has been shown to increase allergic reactions in those who are sensitive to these chemicals including those who suffer from dermatitis.

There is no one specific brand or type of soap, cleanser or detergent that is recommended for all dermatitis sufferers.  Soap manufacturers can use the terms “clinically tested” and “hypoallergenic” without much government regulation so sometimes these claims themselves are not guarantees that the product will work as expected.

Instead, consider the following tips:

• Avoid harsh soaps or those that have any drying elements.  Don’t use any product that is advertised as being for oily skin as these are meant to dry the natural oils from the skin’s surface.
• A fat or oil based soap is best.  Some recommend what is called a “super-fatted” goat’s milk soap.
• Make sure you avoid scented products completely.  Perfumes also have a drying effect when exposed to the skin.
• Do a patch test for any new product; apply a small amount to a part of the affected skin and see what the results are before using it on the entire area.
• Some also recommend that you use plain yogurt instead of soap.
• What soap and detergent you do use, make sure you use it sparingly.  Most loads of laundry can be cleaned with just a teaspoon of detergent; rarely do they need the entire capful that the manufacturer recommends!  Often this is recommended just so that you’ll use more product more often.
• Try just rinsing parts of the body that are affected with dermatitis to see if this gets them cleaned adequately.  The arms, legs and back rarely need soap to clean them unless they’re particularly dirty.

If you notice that any soap, cleanser or detergent is irritating your condition, stop using it.  Ask your doctor for his or her recommendation.

It’s important to remember that untreated, severe cases of dermatitis can cause scarring, hair loss, and other long-term problems so getting those cases addressed as soon as possible is recommended.  Your doctor is there to do nothing but help, so don’t hesitate to contact him or her especially if your dermatitis is chronic and consistent or is interfering with your quality of life.  Dermatitis can be treated and it can be controlled and cured, so don’t hesitate to call your doctor for help with your particular case.

The skin is a living, breathing organ that is affected by many outside factors.  Exposure to chemicals and other irritants can cause dermatitis and irritate and cases already present.  If you have patches of dermatitis on any spots on the body, it’s important to protect those spots at all times but especially if you are going to be exposed to irritants.  If you work in construction or a manufacturing environment, make sure you wear long sleeves to protect your arms.  It’s also good to tape your pant legs shut or tuck them into your socks or boots so that dust does not travel up the pant legs.

While light therapy is good for skin with dermatitis, this is a controlled light therapy with only certain types of light.  Exposure to sunlight can make dermatitis spots much worse as this damages the skin and causes dryness.  When outside it’s good to wear a sunscreen even if you’re not sunbathing or don’t think you’ll be overly exposed to the sun.

Since many cases of dermatitis are caused by outside factors, it’s good to protect the skin from any of these irritants so as to avoid these cases.  This will also mean that your skin can heal itself as much as possible.

Very often using the right product will make all the difference in the world when it comes to keeping the skin healthy and clean.  Facial cleansers should contain moisturizers and it’s good to use products made for sensitive skin.  Gentle soaps should be used on the body and should contain emollients and moisturizers as well.  There may even be parts of the body where you don’t need soaps and cleansers at all – just rinse the legs, arms, and back for mild cleaning.

Moisturizing

Moisturizing after cleaning is also good especially on spots of dermatitis.  This helps to renew and replenish the oils stripped away with cleaning.  Use gentle moisturizers; if you’ve been prescribed a lotion from your doctor, use that on your spots of dermatitis. You may also want to try natural products such as vitamin E oil or petroleum jelly on the skin.  These are also typically less harsh on the skin.

Soap itself, no matter the ingredients, will dry the skin since it will remove protective oils with the dirt and bacteria it targets.  Many soaps and body washes compensate for this by adding lotions and moisturizers to their product.  Some however don’t do this and you may have already noticed their drying effect on your skin.

Acne products especially can cause severe dryness since they are designed to dry up the oil caught under the surface of the skin. However it’s virtually impossible to get acne products on the acne pimples themselves and not on any other part of the skin.

While many products you use on your skin may not be causing your dermatitis per se, they may be compromising your skin’s health and its integrity.  This can make it more prone to rashes and irritations of all sorts.

Along with actual creams, lotions, soaps and cleansers, you may also want to be cautious about things such as brushes and other items used in the shower.  These products also compromise the top layer of skin and can cause it to become overly dry.

Exfoliating agents

Many people use exfoliating agents when they have dry skin and in many cases this can help to remove dry skin cells from its surface.  Flaky skin doesn’t always correct itself so using an exfoliating agent can help skin’s overall appearance and health.

However exfoliating agents also typically remove more than just dry and flaking skin; healthy skin cells also come off with them as does that natural oil your skin produces!  This can mean that you just get even more dry skin which means more flaking – and of course it’s easy to be tempted to exfoliate again when your skin is dry and flaking, and this creates an endless circle that is very damaging to your skin.

Using an exfoliating agent should be done once per week for most people and should always be followed with a good moisturizer.  If you notice that your skin feels tight or uncomfortable in any way after exfoliating, do this even less often.  It’s better to try to address the reason why your skin is dry and flaking than it is to exfoliate too often.

Expensive vs. inexpensive products

When taking care of your skin, should you always opt for the most expensive products there are?  Do those designer brands of skincare products really make a difference?

There’s no definitive answer to this.  Some people use the cheaper products you by at mass merchant retailers and their skin is fine.  But for others, they firmly believe that “you get what you pay for.”  Sometimes those more expensive products do use better ingredients or have a higher concentration of the active ingredients they use.  The cheaper ingredients used in cheaper products can sometimes be a bit harsh on skin.

If you try a product purchased from a mass market retailer and it works for you then there’s probably no reason to try something more expensive.  However if you can afford you might want to try more expensive lotions and creams to see if they don’t help your dermatitis and your skin overall.