My Personal Experience with Eczema and How I Treat It

Atopic dermatis, otherwise known as eczema, has been affecting more and more people across the globe. Eczema can look different for many different people, but it is often itchy and dry patches of skin. Eczema is more commonly found among African American and/or Asian children, which explains why I've dealt with it in my life. My father is of both African American and Asian descent, and my mother is English.

I've had problems with eczema since before I can remember (usually during stressful times of my life) and it's been really hard to get rid of. My worst outbreak was during my parents' divorce when I was little. The whole of my upper arms was covered in little itchy bumps. I went to the doctor and was prescribed an oral antihistamine to help with the itchiness and after a while the eczema went away.

There have been many other instances in my life when I have had to deal with my eczema, and it's always in the same place - my arms. I usually have bursts of eczema around the time when I have a cluster of tests, such as the week of college finals. My eczema doesn't typically get too bad, and I haven't had to deal with major itchiness since I was a child. Now, instead of constantly returning to the doctor for prescribed medication, I opt to treat it by myself.

Keeping my skin moisturized is one of the ways I help combat my eczema. I've personally found that when I get stressed out it is usually during a period when I don't make time to take care of myself the way that I should. Sometimes I get so stressed out with school that I'll study for 10 hours, take a shower, and go straight to bed. However, I have noticed that when I consciously make time to moisturize my skin with either lotion or baby oil my eczema gets a little better. I don't know if it is because I have taken time to relax or if its actually because keeping my skin moisturized helps but I know that the eczema does clear up.

This brings me to my next eczema-treatment technique- relaxation. Whenever I feel like an outbreak is on the way I know that I need to take it slow. I usually make sure to go to a Yoga class in the evening to ensure that I will do something for me specifically aimed at relaxation. I also try not to freak out about studying. That's not to say that I stop studying but I definitely make time for multiple breaks.

I keep Benadryl in my room in case I do have a little outbreak of itchy eczema that doesn't clear up. I definitely recommend keeping some handy if you have problems with eczema that causes itchiness, I've found that it works the best for me, and we all know that it's not good to scratch any inflammations.

So in conclusion, my favorite treatments for eczema are keeping the skin moisturized, relaxation, Benadryl, and if the eczema is severe, prescribed medication from a doctor.