Moisturisers
Moisturisers (Emollients) and are an essential daily treatment for atopic eczema. They are not the same as cosmetic moisturisers. Emollients should be used as often and as generously as possible on all areas of skin, even when the atopic eczema has cleared.
Emollients can be used on their own, or with other treatments, but should always be used more often and in larger amounts than other treatments. They can be used for moisturising, washing and bathing. Your child should be prescribed leave-on emollients in large quantities (at least 250 g per week).
Your healthcare professional should offer a choice of unperfumed emollients (this could be several emollients, or one for all purposes).
If your child doesn't like a particular emollient or it irritates the skin, you should be offered a different one. Your healthcare professional should check at least once a year that the emollients your child is using are still suitable.
Your healthcare professional should show you and your child how to apply emollients, including how to smooth them on rather than rub them in (see video below).
If any other treatment is being put on the skin at the same time of day, it doesn't matter which is applied first. You should leave at least a few minutes between applying each treatment.
Emollients should be used instead of soaps, bubble baths and shower gels, and instead of shampoo in children under 1 year old. If your child uses shampoo, it should be unperfumed, ideally labelled as being suitable for people with atopic eczema, and not used in the bath.
Adapted from:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Allergies/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Take a look at the videos below which cover different aspects of eczema moisturisers:
