How can I find eczema friendly products?
Kids with eczema have very sensitive skin. Many products that touch their skin can trigger eczema.
To complicate matters, it can take time for your child’s skin to react. For example, an ingredient in your child’s shampoo could trigger an eczema flare. The flare could occur a few hours or days after using the shampoo.
Select fragrance-free
Choose fragrance-free rather than unscented products to help prevent eczema outbreaks in your child.
3 things you can do to find eczema friendly products
Here are 3 techniques that can help you find products for your child:
Ask your child’s dermatologist for product recommendations.
Look for products containing the NEA Seal of Acceptance™.
On the National Eczema Association’s website, you’ll find products that have earned this seal. Products include moisturizers, shampoo, cleansers, laundry detergent, sleepwear, and hydrocortisone creams.
Choose fragrance-free rather than unscented products. Fragrance-free and unscented have different meanings. Unscented means that a fragrance is masked, so you cannot smell it. Fragrance-free means the products is free of all fragrances, even ones that you cannot smell.
How to avoid common product triggers
Use the following dermatologists’ recommendations to help your child avoid common product triggers.
| Possible trigger | What dermatologists recommend |
|---|---|
| Baby powder | Best to avoid. Baby powder dries the skin. People who have eczema already have very dry skin. |
| Baby wipes |
|
| Bubble bath | Best to avoid. |
| Clothes |
|
| Dyes | Talk with your child's dermatologist if you suspect that your child is sensitive to a dye found in food, clothing, or any other product. Testing can find allergens (what a person is allergic to), so you know what to avoid. |
| Laundry products: Detergent | Use only detergent that is fragrance-free and dye-free |
| Moisturizer | How to select eczema friendly moisturizer |
| Preservatives | Talk with your child's dermatologist if you suspect that your child is sensitive to preservatives in skin care products. Testing can find what triggers your child's allergies, so you know what to avoid. |
| Shampoo | Select a gentle shampoo that is fragrance-free. |
| Towels, sheets, and other bedding |
|
| Soap |
|
| Stuffed animals and other soft toys |
|
| Sunscreen |
|
Related AAD resources
References
Shaughnessy CN, Malajian D, et al. “Cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity in patients with atopic dermatitis: Reactivity to surfactants.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014 Apr;70(4):704-8.
Sidbury R, Tom WL, “Guidelines of care for the management of atopic dermatitis. Part 4: Prevention of disease flares and use of adjunctive therapies and approaches.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014 Dec;71(6):1218-33.