5 ways to deal with eczema flare-ups, according to Suu Balm’s founders

If you have or know of someone who battles with eczema, you will know that eczema is more than just a skin condition. It can be devastating to one’s mental health and lifestyle.

Just jump on Google and you’ll see some commonly asked questions about the skin condition, such as, “What are the main causes of eczema?” Or “Is there a cure for eczema?”

Unfortunately, the global dermatology industry does not have a concrete answer to these burning questions.

However, Dr John O’Shea and Jason Humphries, founders of Good Pharma Dermatology (you might know them as the guys behind the household moisturiser brand, Suu Balm), do have some tips on what causes your eczema to flare up and how to better your symptoms.

Could the recent bout of hot and cold, dry and humid weather in Singapore possibly trigger eczema flare-ups in eczema patients?

JO and JH: It has been known for a long time that eczema can be triggered by environmental conditions. However, the mechanism by which this happens is not fully understood.

People in Singapore with eczema often report that the hot and humid weather affects their skin.

However, when you go to countries with different climates such as the dry climates of Europe and North Asia you will find that people with eczema in those countries also find the climate conditions that rigger their eczema.

All of these people, interestingly, find that their eczema improves when they move to a different climate.

One thing we know for sure in Singapore is that sweat irritates eczema and sensitive skin types. Therefore, exposure to the heat and humidity, which makes you sweat easily, can often trigger a skin reaction.

How should I deal with the itch of eczema in humid conditions where conventional eczema steroid creams may not be the most comfortable solution?

JO and JH: Interestingly steroid creams are not the best way to deal with an itch in the short term; menthol creams (so long as menthol is used in the right dose, like in Suu Balm) are very fast-acting (they work in less than 5 minutes after applying) and very effective at stopping the itch, and they can be incorporated into light creams for easy application in this hot and humid environment.

Dr Tey, senior consultant dermatologist at the National Skin Centre here in Singapore had this in mind when he formulated Suu Balm ($49.90 from Watsons) – he knew the cream needed to be light and easy to apply if people were going to use it in this climate.

So you’re right, texture is very important in our climate!

What are somer common triggers of eczema that Singaporeans should be aware of?

JO and JH: A few key considerations are:

• Using harsh cleansers or body washes when bathing. These are products that contain ingredients such as SLS, parabens, or that contain harsh anti-bacterial ingredients; Suu Balm washes are designed specifically to be gentle on the skin.
• Not moisturising often enough. If you have eczema prone or sensitive skin you need to moisturize several times every day in order to keep your skin protected. That said, having a moisturiser that has a lightweight and pleasant texture is especially important in Singapore’s weather – you wouldn’t want to be left feeling sticky all day long. Suu Balm moisturisers are cooling and lightweight, perfect for the relief anyone needs.
• Scratching. Of course, when we itch, we are tempted to scratch. However, scratching is very damaging to the skin and can in fact break the skin barrier leading to inflammation and flare-ups and even infection. Suu Balm cream will help you not to scratch that itch!
• Diet, stress, environmental stressors – these are all factors that might trigger eczema too

What they should do instead:

• Using optimal ingredients: skin-identical ceramides are ideal for repairing the structural defects in the skin barrier of people with eczema and chronic dry skin, as they are precisely the same shape and make-up as the blocks that are missing from the skin; again, you will find these in Suu Balm creams
• Keeping the skin surface slightly acidic; soaps and some other cleansers are alkaline, and creams are too, sometimes; however, for the skin barrier to work best, and for it to have the right type of bacteria growing on its surface, it should be kept slightly acidic (pH of 5.5 to 6.5 typically); Suu Balm products are all in this pH range

Can genetics and the environment cause eczema?

JO: This is a very common question and problem – in fact, I have a friend who last year developed eczema for the first time in his 40s, and not surprisingly he was also wondering what caused this to appear!

While the exact cause for an individual’s eczema is often not known, what we know is that in general eczema is caused by a combination of genetics and the environment we live in. Eczema tends to run in families, so if either of your parents had it, you are also likely to have it.

But it may not show up in every person who carries the genes, because it also depends on the environment, and other factors that are, as yet, not fully understood.

Environmental triggers may be dust, pollution, infection, stress, foods, pet dander, etc. – there are many, and for different people, they may be different.

The pattern of eczema is that it comes and goes – when it appears, we call that a “flare-up” – managing eczema is all about trying to reduce the severity and frequency of flare-ups. The important thing to know is that the skin is vulnerable even between flare-ups, so you need to follow a good skincare routine at all times.

Are steriod creams a suitable alternative?

JO and JH: Steroids have a role to play in managing eczema, but they need to be treated with care and used only under expert supervision.

Long term use can lead to side effects and withdrawal symptoms, which can be very severe. Clearly, this is something to be avoided! But to say they are all bad would also be untrue.

Meanwhile, there are other prescription creams, tablets and injections that doctors can prescribe to help people with more severe cases of eczema.

Suu Balm was developed by Dr Tey to do two things:

1. To help relieve itch fast, using the cooling power of menthol; and
2. To help people moisturise more frequently, using the best ingredients available and also a light texture appropriate for Singapore’s climate.

So yes, Suu Balm has a big role to play in helping people manage their eczema!

When it comes to moisturising, there is a simple rule for people with eczema – the more the better. This is true during flare-ups when you should be moisturising 5 or more times a day, and between flare-ups, when you should be regularly moisturising the whole body.

On the moisturising side, Suu Balm contains skin-identical ceramides, which are the exact same structure and shape as those that are in your skin, but which are depleted in eczema-prone and very dry skin; in fact, our recently upgraded Rapid Itch Relief Moisturiser contains 5 different types of skin-identical ceramides to restore skin barrier function (and reduce skin dryness).

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As I mentioned, Suu Balm also stops itch; this is important not only for one’s quality of life and mental health, but also for skin health – scratching damages the skin, worsening the eczema, and also making the itch worse – the so-called “itch-scratch cycle”.

The menthol in Suu Balm stops itch within a few minutes of application, and so you replace scratching with a new habit – applying Suu Balm.

The neat trick here is that because the menthol is in a moisturising base, every time you apply to stop itch, well you also moisturise one more time, without even thinking about it!

This article was first published on Singapore Women’s Weekly.