Eczema type: mild
If you have mild eczema, such as one or two small, mild patches of inflammation on your body, moisturizer (when paired with certain lifestyle changes) is the best eczema cream for you. Hydrating ingredients include lipids, ceramides, and, really, anything rich, says Michele S. Green, MD, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She is a fan of Aquaphor Healing Ointment and Eucerin Eczema Relief. The key is to use enough of it and apply it to damp skin, which helps to lock moisture in. Avoid triggers when possible, take lukewarm, short showers or baths instead of super-hot ones, skip harsh soaps, wash clothes with laundry detergent that has no perfumes or dye and use a humidifier in the house to reduce the risk of kick-starting the itch-scratch cycle. There are home remedies that can also put the brakes on eczema symptoms.
Eczema type: moderate to severe
More extensive than mild eczema, moderate to severe eczema can be itchy, dry, and easily irritated. If you have moderate to severe eczema, you skin’s barrier is in need of repair STAT with an eczema cream. The skin barrier is inherently damaged in moderate to severe eczema, but barrier repair can lock moisture in and keep irritants and infectious agents out. Jeffrey Fromowitz MD, FAAD, a dermatologist in Boca Raton, Florida, recommends Avene’s TriXéra+ Selectiose Emollient Cream for moderate eczema, and steps it up to prescription strength Epiceram Controlled Release Skin Barrier Emulsion for severe eczema. Epiceram mimics the natural proportions of three essential fats found in healthy skin, but devoid in eczema-prone skin. The National Eczema Association (NEA) gave its seal of approval to these moisturizers. Make sure you are not damaging your barrier function without realizing it.
Eczema type: eyelid eczema or eyelid dermatitis
The eyelids are a really delicate area and commonly affected by eczema, says Dr. Green. “I use a gentle moisturizer such as Cetaphil and/or a mild steroid ointment to reign in inflammation.” User beware: Steroids can cause thinning skin, which is especially concerning in the eyelid area where skin is already pretty thin. “Make sure you are in contact with your dermatologist when treating eyelid eczema.” Always using an eye cream is one of the skin-care tips that dermatologists follow themselves.
