I am sure every Eczema sufferer had to deal with this, at some point in their lives. Some of us have flare ups more often then others. While we cannot 100% free ourselves from every product in the market, or scrutinize down to every of their ingredients based on research and our own judgement, we still can try to minimize the aftermath in case if it happens.

The experience may come after using it for 48 hours or in some cases, even weeks. You may notice that your skin looks flushed, red, with a burning or stinging sensation. It may also feel itchy and swell up in some sever cases. Take note that you may not experience the effects immediately after using a new product which may be unsuitable for you.

What can we do when we experience an outbreak? I am writing this article as I've just experienced a terrible allergy outbreak from using an innocent piece of facial mask which reads, suitable for all skin types, and sensitive skin, even after researching its key ingredients, I still cannot pin point exactly what had gone wrong, so here are some key things you can do.



(1) If the allergy outbreak comes after using a particular product, stop using the product. Wash it away if it is still on your skin. You might want to keep the product with you so that you can take a look at its main ingredients and avoid using something similar down the road.

(2)  Wash/cleanse your skin with warm water or a mild gentle cleanser which you had used before, that works for your skin. Stick to your old trusty skincare regime, minus all the frills. (Serum, toner, essence, mask etc.) Do not use any products with scrub, exfoliant, deep cleansing properties or microbeads as these are too harsh for your skin. Do not keep washing your face as we need the natural skin oils to protect and repair our skin.



(3) The next natural thing to do is to MOISTURIZE! Do not just leave your inflamed skin open or worse still, try to cover it up using you clothing, surgical face mask or make-up. Fall back to your old trusty moisturizer which you had been using. It is best not to try using new products at this time because you do not want to further aggravate your skin. Your inflamed skin will need time to settle and heal so moisturizing helps to rebuild your skin barrier making it strong again.



You can use a gentle facial mist (Biowater) to spray all over to moisturize and cool your skin, or apply a soothing aloe vera gel to soothe your inflamed skin, if you are not allergic to any of them. Some people also recommend a cool therapy, applying ice or cold water over a towel to cool your skin down.

(4) Topical Steriods. I would like to discourage the use of steriods when possible as prolonged use of steriod causes withdrawal symptoms such as an extremely dry flaky, peeling skin, which is harder to deal with in the long run. Buy a hydrocortisone which you can get in the pharmacy if you must and apply only a thin layer on affected areas after you have fully moisturized your skin. Stop using the steriod cream after your inflammation goes away.



(5) Antihistamines such as Zyrtec, cetirizine, chlorphenamine, piriton can be taken to control the itch. If the itch becomes unbearable to deal with, or causes you to lose sleep over it, you are encouraged to take an antihistamine. These are available in the pharmacy/drug stores. They are usually used to treat the common flu and cold.

Your allergy/break out should go away and your skin should be on its way to recovery anytime within 3 days to 2 weeks if you had followed all steps. Your skin should be feeling better afterwards. If you've done all these and your skin does not recover, or get worse you are highly encouraged to visit a doctor.

To prevent this from happening again, always patch test a new product on the less sensitive part of your skin before mass applying it on affected areas. Start with small amounts and increase dosage slowly so that even if something unpleasant happens, you are able to stop using in time.

Have you checked out the other helpful articles which I had written for Eczema Suffers too?
1. Find out 4 types of commonly found Eczema in Singapore
2. 10 Tips to fight Eczema
3. 4 Types of food you need to fight Eczema
4. Facials suitable for Eczema Sufferer
5. 5 Essential Oils for the Eczema Sufferer
6. 5 Pharmaceutical brands with products suitable for the Eczema Sufferer
7. 4 Pharmaceutical brands with products suitable for the Eczema Sufferer
8. Showering with shower filters

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