How can I stop my child's eczema getting worse after a bath or shower? 

Bathing or showering helps wash off things that might irritate the skin and stops infections. Many families also find it useful as part of their child’s bedtime routine.

Some people find that bathing or showering can dry out their skin and make it itch more. The best thing you can do to stop this is to put moisturising creams on afterwards. This restores your child’s skin barrier and locks moisture into their skin.

You may find it helpful to put cream on once the skin has had time to cool down. This will stop your child from getting too hot.

You may find it helps to pat your child dry with a soft towel, as rubbing can make your child’s skin itchy or sore.

Many children find baths soothing and relaxing. If your child doesn’t like baths, reading this section may give you ideas for making bath time more enjoyable.

Can I use wash products?

People with eczema should avoid using wash products, including soaps, bubble bath, shower gels, and body wash. This is because they dry the skin out and can cause an eczema flare-up.

What can I use instead of these products?

Most moisturising creams can be used instead of these wash products. If you don’t find this easy to use, you can also ask your doctor or pharmacist for a soap-free wash product that has been made just for eczema.

You can use all of these products in the same way you would use normal soap to wash your child in the bath or shower, or when washing their hands. These products do not foam like normal soap, but are just as good for cleaning the skin.

How could I use my child's moisturising cream or soap-free wash as a soap?

If your child’s moisturising cream or soap-free wash is quite thick, you can mix around a teaspoon of it in the palm of your hand with a little warm water. You can then use this to wash your child’s skin.

You can also put it on dry skin and then wash it off in the bath or shower. Whatever way you do it, make sure you rinse all of the cream off your child's skin before drying.

Finding a product that both you and your child like is very important. Most families try a few different ones before settling on their favourite.

What about bath additives or bath emollients?

You can also get an eczema treatment that you pour into the bath water. These are sometimes called ‘bath additives’, ‘bath emollients’ or ‘bath oils’.

It was once thought that you should use these bath treatments as well as moisturising creams to keep control of eczema. Research now tells us that if you are using moisturising creams at least once a day, then these bath treatments don’t add anything extra.

Although, they can be used instead of soap, the same way as your child’s moisturising creams and soap-free wash.

Can I use shampoo on my child’s hair?

Children under 1 year old don’t really need shampoo. Older children with short hair don’t always need shampoo. Some shampoos contain colours, perfumes or soaps that may make eczema worse.

If your child needs to use shampoo, it’s best to use shampoo for sensitive skin that doesn’t contain any colours or perfumes that may make eczema worse. Some families find it helpful to wash their child’s hair while they lean over the bath to avoid the shampoo coming into contact with their skin.

If you use these shampoos, it is important to wash them off your child’s skin straight away. They can still make eczema worse if they are on your child’s skin for too long. You may prefer to wash your child’s hair in the shower. If you do this, try not to let the shampoo run onto the body.

How often should my child have a bath or shower?

Research shows that it makes no difference if you have a bath or shower every day, or once or twice a week.

Many families find that their child’s eczema gets worse if they have a bath or shower more than once a day.

The best advice is to go for whatever works best for you and your child.

What washing powder shall I use for my child’s clothes?

You might have heard that a non-biological washing powder or liquid is better for eczema, but there is not much scientific evidence for this.

Some brands will do a range for sensitive skin, which some families prefer. Again, there is not much scientific evidence that these products are any better for eczema.

Often, it is possible to use much less washing powder or liquid than the product label suggests. This means there will be less product left on the clothes.

Try not to use fabric softener on your child’s washing, because it also has things in it that can cause an eczema flare-up.

Here are a few handy tips for doing your child’s washing:

• Use the least amount of washing powder or liquid needed. This way, these products will not affect your child’s skin as much.

• Moisturising creams can build up and damage the rubber seal of your washing machine over time. Give your washing machine an empty wash on the highest temperature every now and then to help remove any cream that is left behind.

• When trying a new washing powder or liquid, only wash a few of your child’s items to make sure their skin doesn’t react.

• Some families believe that washing liquid is better for eczema, because it washes off clothes better than washing powder.

Will water softeners help my child’s eczema?

You may have heard that hard tap water can make eczema worse. A research study looked at whether putting a water softener in your home can help eczema.

The research found that it made no difference to people’s eczema. So, it is unlikely that water softeners will help your child’s eczema.