Moisturising Creams

Moisturising creams form a barrier over the skin to protect the skin and keep control of eczema. They help to:

• Stop eczema flare-ups by keeping out things that may irritate the skin
• Make the skin soft by locking water in the skin
• Stop itching
• Reduce soreness
• Keep out infections, which are more likely in dry skin

Scientific evidence on the benefits of moisturising creams

Yes, moisturising creams are very safe. They are mainly a mixture of oils and water. They don’t harm your skin. Millions of people across the world use them.

Scientific evidence on the safety of moisturising creams

Moisturising every day can take time. Many people find it difficult to fit moisturising creams into their daily routine.

You may find it helpful to look at the ‘studying and work’ section where these issues are discussed in more detail.

Moisturising creams may sometimes sting the skin when first put on. This will happen when:

• the skin is very dry or cracked
• you are having an eczema flare-up
• you have not yet got control of your eczema using flare control creams

Stinging normally settles down after a few days as your skin repairs itself. If the stinging doesn’t go away after a few days, then you may want to tell your doctor. It may be that you are having a reaction to an ingredient in the cream. You may need to try a different moisturising cream.

There are plenty of different creams to try, so you don’t need to settle for the first one. You can try the 2 week challenge later in this section to help you find a moisturising cream that works for you.

Some people can get sore red spots after using moisturising creams. This is because thicker moisturising creams can sometimes block the natural holes (pores) in your skin. It is more likely to happen on body parts with hair, such as your legs.

These spots should settle on their own. If they don’t or get worse, then you should talk to your doctor or nurse. You may need medication to treat them. You may also want to ask your doctor for a thinner moisturising cream.

Later in this section, there will be advice on the best way to put on your creams to stop this from happening again.

Lots of people find that moisturising creams rub off onto their clothes. This won’t damage your clothes or affect your skin in any way, but you may not like the way it feels or looks. It may also mean you need to wash your clothes more often.

One way to stop moisturising creams rubbing off onto your clothes is to leave a little more time to let your creams soak in before putting on your clothes. It usually takes about 5-10 minutes for the cream to fully soak in.

You could try going into a warm room to make your creams soak in quicker. Some people with eczema find it helps if they wear loose clothing.

No, your skin does not ‘get used to’ the moisturising creams.

Using moisturising creams every day is the best way to look after your skin and prevent eczema flare-ups. Moisturising creams do not stop working the more you use them.

If you are having a flare-up, then you will also need to use flare control creams, as well as the moisturising creams, to get control of the eczema.

You can find out more about this in the ‘flare control creams’ section.

Some people with eczema worry about this. You may find that some moisturising creams can make the skin look shiny.

The skin might also look shiny if your moisturising cream has not fully soaked in. You may want to leave a little more time to let the creams soak in before going out. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

Some people find it helpful to use lighter creams when they are out and thicker creams when they are at home.

It’s so easy to forget to put on moisturising cream every day, especially when you are really busy with school, university or work.

Many people with eczema find it helpful to set themselves a reminder. You could try setting an alarm on your phone or put a reminder on a post-it somewhere you will walk past to remind you.

Many people with eczema find it easier to remember if they make putting on moisturising creams part of their daily routine. You may find it helpful to put on moisturising creams at the same time each day. Perhaps after a shower, before you brush your teeth or before you go to bed.

You can try the 2 week challenge later in this section. This can help you get into the habit of using your moisturising creams every day. You can also set up email or text reminders so you don’t forget!

Different moisturising creams smell and feel different. Most moisturising creams do not smell. If you don’t like the way yours smells, you may want to ask your doctor for a different cream. There are many different moisturising creams you can try.

They come in different levels of thickness and greasiness. People who use thicker or greasier creams find that they last longer and are good for very dry skin. It doesn’t really matter which cream you use, as long as you use it at least once a day.

If you find the cream is too greasy, then you may want to try using a thinner cream. You could also use a thinner cream in the daytime and a thicker one in the evening.

This section will give you advice on how to find the right moisturising cream for you.

It can take a while to notice improvements in your skin. If you’ve used moisturising creams regularly for 2 weeks and it’s still not working, it may be worth going back to your pharmacist, doctor, or nurse to try another one. It is important to find a moisturising cream that suits your skin. Why not take part in our 2 week challenge? You can find out more about this later in this section.

If yes, then moisturising creams may not be enough. You may need to get control by using flare control creams as well. You can find out more in the ‘flare control creams’ section for more information.

Even if you are using your creams correctly, there are things that can be making your eczema worse that are out of your control. For example, the weather, or stress.

The best thing you can do is to keep using your creams as part of your daily routine to keep your eczema under control.