Best Cleansers for Eczema
Cleansers, facial gels, and body washes play an important role in treating eczema and atopic dermatitis because they have a strong effect on the skin barrier.
Cleansers for eczema should protect and repair the skin barrier with fatty acids and soothe and calm the skin with anti-inflammatory ingredients.
They should not contain harsh cleansers that damage the skin barrier.
In this blog post, I share the same information about how to properly cleanse eczema-prone skin with my dermatology patients.
Knowing your Baumann skin type is the best way to find the right facial care products. If you haven’t taken the skin care quiz yet, you should.
Soaps, Cleansers, and Detergents for Eczema
A good cleanser for eczema should protect and repair the skin barrier, reduce harmful bacteria, and leave soothing lipids on the skin.
The right cleanser for people with eczema can help prevent skin dryness, irritation, inflammation, and hyperpigmentation.
There are many types of cleansers for eczema, and I will discuss them all in this blog post.
I suffer from eczema myself, so I share my years of experience treating eczema and treating people with eczema.
Eczema-specific Face Cleansers
Cream-based Cleansers for Eczema
The best face cleansers for eczema are cream-based ones that deposit lipids (fatty acids) on the skin. These cleansers often contain oils to give them a creamy texture.
Here are some of the best cream cleansers that are safe for eczema-prone, allergic skin and protect the skin’s moisture barrier:
Meder Beauty Nrj-Net Energizing Cleansing Mask – Stabilizes your microbiome while protecting the skin barrier. Vegan.
CeraVe Hydrating Cream Foaming Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin – The best affordable face and body cleanser for eczema.
VMV HYPOALLERGENICS Red Better Deep Soothing Cleansing Cream – The ideal face cleanser for allergy sufferers with eczema, free of formaldehyde, fragrance, and allergenic preservatives.
Great for babies with atopic skin.
Zerafit Soothing Calming Cleanser is barrier compatible and leaves soothing lipids on the skin.
Neurodermatitis Gel Cleanser
Personally, I prefer using cream-based cleansers for my facial atopic dermatitis.
However, if you prefer a gel-like consistency, here are some cleansers with minimal or skin-friendly surfactants that can be used to treat atopic dermatitis:
Fragrance-free Cleansers for Eczema
Many people with atopic skin are allergic to fragrances. Fragrances such as limonene are sometimes not listed as fragrances on labels because they are referred to as “fragrance blends” or preservatives. These fragrance-free cleansers are safe for eczema-prone skin:
Anti-eczema Body Wash
This body wash for eczema was developed by dermatologists who recognized that many people with eczema develop skin infections. The sodium hypochlorite ingredient has antimicrobial properties that kill skin bacteria but is still gentle enough to be used on atopic skin.
Best Natural Soaps for Eczema
Despite my efforts, I was not able to find a natural soap for eczema that was worth recommending. The problem is that many of the herbal ingredients in natural and organic products can cause skin allergies. Most soaps can irritate eczema-prone skin. If you’re looking for a natural alternative, consider using a cleansing oil.
There are many causes of eczema, but one I often see in my patients is using a soap or cleanser that isn’t appropriate for Bowman’s skin type. The best soap for eczema is no soap! Many soaps can further damage the skin barrier and make eczema worse. Instead of using soap, choose a soap-free eczema cleanser that contains soothing fatty acids and calming ingredients.
Best Cleansing Oils for Eczema
Best Cleansing Oils for Eczema
Cleansing oils can also be used to treat eczema and are very effective when used as part of a double cleansing routine because they remove dirt and impurities without drying out the skin. Cleansing oils are more effective than soaps for cleansing eczema because they are rich in soothing fatty acids.
Look for oils like argan, glycine soya, grapeseed, almond, safflower, and coconut. They all provide a lot of moisture and offer unique benefits to the skin:
Argan oil soothes the skin and heals infections and wounds.
Glycine soya protects the skin from damage and promotes the growth of healthy skin cells.
Grapeseed oil improves skin elasticity.
Almond oil is a well-known remedy for treating dry skin and reducing scars.
Safflower oil prevents dandruff.
Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
What are lipids and why are they in dermatologist recommended cleansing products for eczema:
Lipids are the natural fats of the skin. Names for different types of fats. The relevant lipids of the skin barrier are fatty acids, ceramides, and cholesterol.
A balanced ratio of these lipids is essential for the treatment of eczema.
Fatty acids help maintain the skin barrier.
Fatty acids retain moisture while protecting against allergens, irritants, and bacteria.
Unsaturated fatty acids have a soothing effect on the skin, while saturated fatty acids provide moisture.
I suffer from eczema, so I became very interested in studying the skin barrier and finding the best skin care products for atopic dermatitis.
To manage my eczema, I use one of the following face cleansers to prevent eczema flare-ups:
Cera Ve Hydrating Cleanser
La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo Milky Cleanser
PCA Skin Daily Cleansing Oil
Zerafite Cleanser
Why is choosing the right cleanser so important for eczema?
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a skin condition caused by a damaged skin barrier, which causes redness, itching, and inflammation of the skin.
When you have eczema, your skin barrier is damaged and cannot properly retain moisture. This is often due to genetic or environmental factors, such as B.
Using the wrong body wash or face cleanser. Ingredients in soaps and detergents can remove important fatty acids from the skin, causing dry and inflamed skin.
Once inflammation begins, it activates many different inflammatory pathways and is difficult to stop. In darker skin, inflammation can lead to pigmented spots and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Can I use essential oils for eczema?
I do not recommend using essential oils for eczema because they only contain the scent of the oil and not the essential moisturizing fatty acids. Essential oils do not contain fatty acids.
Essential oils often trigger allergic reactions in skin conditions with a compromised skin barrier, such as eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis.
Therefore, if you want a natural cleanser for eczema, I recommend using natural oils such as argan oil or safflower oil. However, avoid essential oils altogether.
Some specific essential oils are beneficial for treating eczema because they contain fatty acids such as linoleic acid that have barrier functions.
Rose oil is considered anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in certain concentrations. It won’t cure your eczema alone, as it can interact with cholesterol and ceramide-containing moisturizers.
What cleansing products should you avoid if you have eczema?
Aside from essential oils, I don’t recommend using foaming cleansing products that create a lot of foam.
Foaming cleansers can remove important fats in your skin that protect the skin barrier and moisturize the skin.
I also recommend not using soaps or heavily scented soaps, as they can dehydrate the skin and further irritate it.
Also avoid mechanical exfoliants, such as facial scrubs, as they can irritate the skin.
What detergent should I use to wash my clothes if I have eczema?
The best detergents for sensitive skin, such as eczema, are Tide Free or All Free, as well as other unscented detergents. All heavily scented detergents should be avoided.
While organic laundry detergents may seem like the best option, their ingredients may actually trigger eczema. Therefore, we recommend that you use organic detergents with caution.
Conclusion
Choosing the right cleanser for eczema is easy if you follow our dermatologists’ advice and avoid foaming.
Creamy cleansers are the go-to for eczema because they are gentle, moisturizing, and protect the important lipids of the skin barrier.
Always combine an eczema cleanser with a moisturizer to repair the barrier.
We’ll help you find the best face and body cleanser for eczema for your skin type!