How to Treat a Sudden Eczema Flare-up

The eczema is back in our household in full effect as the weather changes from winter to not so winter. We’ve gotten lax with our routine as to be expected as we adjust with a new baby. Our baby keeps scratching from dairy and dry weather and our toddler has a flare-up on the back of the knees. We need a plan for sudden eczema flare-ups.

What Causes Eczema to Flare-up

Our older son hasn’t had eczema show up in a while, so we’ve taken him off his allergy medication. Changing medications and routines will cause reactions. Though, our biggest issue has been skipping moisturizing sessions.

Today I found scarred up eczema patches behind his knees. 

The broken red itchy skin always makes me sad. I felt a little guilty not treating it before he scratched through the night. But this just goes to show it’s not easy to keep up the routine and get it right every time. Trust we will be getting back into a better moisturizing routine. 

If you are wondering what causes eczema to flare up read all about eczema to get an idea of what it is and why it happens. Once you understand why it happens you can start to see what changes may have caused a flare-up. 

Here are a few things that can cause eczema to flare up again:

• New routine
• Change of seasons
• New allergens 
• Dust
• New Detergent
• New fabrics in clothes or sheets

When Eczema Flares Again

Eczema comes back. No matter how clear the skin gets when you find something that works stick with it. Ours came back for 2 major reasons:

• our skincare routine was non-existent 
• our water filter was no longer being used 

Don’t be discouraged by the fact eczema can’t be cured because it can be managed. We all have moments, but we keep going. 

I will be sharing with you a long list of small changes that make a big impact on eczema, but here is a sneak peek of a tip that I haven’t shared with you yet and that’s water filters.  

Use a Water Filter

We have a lot of fluoride in our water system. We don’t drink our tap water for that reason, but often we forget how damaging it is to the skin. Even skin that is not eczema-prone will suffer from dryness and itching if you have excessive fluoride or hard water. If you don’t have tons of money to change to a new water system there are small changes you can make. 

1. Bath Ball Faucet Filter

I didn’t know these type of filters existed until recently. This is the one I use, but you may find one that has better replacements. These cost nearly the same as the original filter to replace. Although the price is a problem the filter works wonderfully I saw a change in his dry skin immediately.

2. Water Softener Shower Head

Most filters will do the trick this one was easy to install and I can take it with me when we move again.

These have made a huge difference in our skin. Just don’t be like me and remember to replace them. Like I said before I don’t like that a filter is the same price as the original, but I’ve created a whole list of filters that you can get from Target or Amazon so that you can make a decision that works for you. 

How to Treat a Sudden Eczema Flare-up

Now if you find scars on the back of the knees take a few steps to heal them quickly. To treat a sudden eczema flare-up start at the beginning with the simple steps. Once you do that you try new treatments to reset.

1. Wash the area

2. Moisturize with a cream

3. Seal with an oil or Aquaphor

This is very similar to my moisturizing routine but targeted to one area. I do steps 2 and 3 as many times as my toddler will allow me throughout the day. I usually can do this in the morning, before a nap, and always before bed. 

If the eczema is severe it’s a perfect time to experiment with wet wraps because behind the knees is an easy place to wrap. If there are lots of open wounds you may want to consider a Neosporin or cut treatment if you wet wrap. 

How Long Does it Take an Eczema Flare-up to Clear

I hate to tell you what you already know, but the timing is different for everyone.

If you haven’t determined what causes your eczema to flare yet then treatment will only help temporarily. You will need more research to get to the root cause. If your issues are external (contact with certain material) it could take a week for one flare-up to go away. However, if your issues are internal (food allergies) then it will only clear just long enough for another flare-up to begin.

Clearing it Up

While there are several ways to treat a flare-up there is always one place to start and that is on the surface. If you haven’t begun your journey finding the root cause stick to what you know works. Keeping up with your routine will help keep your eczema from flaring up again. 

Then you can add new steps like the water filters I mentioned. Don’t feel discouraged if it takes a while for your eczema to clear or if you don’t have a routine yet. I’ll help you find one. 

Let me know in the comments below what your routine is and how you found it.