How I healed my eczema in 2024

My battle with eczema has been a lifelong ordeal; it's come and gone over the years, but the past few years it has been particularly bad. And for me, eczema isn't just a physical condition - it also had a terrible impact on my mental health. I was constantly in pain and discomfort, not sleeping well, anxious that I would have another flare up, suffering with low self-esteem and so much more. But now, as 2024 starts to wind down, I can confidently say my skin is looking the best it has in years. I wanted to share some things I've done to get me to this place!

Allergy testing

I had been asking for allergy patch testing for years, and finally I was able to have my tests done this year - you can read more about NHS allergy tests here but essentially this is where a variety of substances are applied to your skin, left on for a few days, and then removed. The doctor then looks at your skin to see which products you reacted to and how severe your allergy is to those products.

Once I knew what I was allergic to, it became much easier to cut out products that I knew my skin would react to. My main allergy is methylisothiazolinone which thankfully isn't found in many products in the UK, but I'm also allergic to Balsam of Peru - something that isn't widely included in ingredient lists, but if something contains 'fragrance' or 'parfum' then it might have BoP in it... yes, it's complicated! 

Patch testing | my sad little face shows the impact eczema has on mental health

I've cut out anything that fragranced, as much as I can. Shampoo and conditioner wise I use E45 and Vanicream, both of which are fragrance free, and I use non-scented skincare too. When I wear perfume I spray it on my clothes rather than my skin, and while it's been a shame to get rid of all my nice scented bubble baths it's well worth it.

Simplifying my skincare routine

Speaking of skincare, I have pared things right back. I now only use a cleanser, a serum and a moisturiser. The specific products I use are the CeraVe Blemish Control Cleanser, followed by the Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and the All in One Cream from the same range. I also use SPF when leaving the house - I go for the SOS SPF 50 which is expensive but worth it! All are fragrance-free and work really well - I used the SkinSAFE app to check that they're safe for me, which is a really easy way of finding out if products contain something you're allergic to!

Other than that, I rarely use any other skincare. I've taken to not wearing make up very often; I've been getting lash extensions and keeping up with my brow tinting to ensure I always feel put together without having to wear make up. Again, though, I've checked the make up I do use on the SkinSAFE app to ensure it's safe for me. To take it off I use jojoba oil and a microfibre cloth, so my skin isn't being irritated by various cleansers and so on.

Before & after simplifying my skincare routine

If I ever do have a little flare up, which is so rare for me now, I use Protopic - this was prescribed by my dermatologist and I've had the same tube since January as you only need a tiny bit and it works so well. It's proving pretty hard to get hold of here in the UK, but it works a treat.

Going sober for my skin

The biggest lifestyle change for me has been to quit drinking - in the middle of May I decided enough was enough, as I'd noticed my skin would flare up after drinking alcohol. Having worked in pubs for years and growing my friendship group from people I met in the pub, I thought it would be difficult for me. We go to the pub a couple of times a week to see friends, watch the football and so on - and that hasn't stopped, I just opt for a diet coke or a lime and soda instead. Honestly, this has been a real game changer for me and my skin, and I'm so proud of myself for sticking to it. That's not to say I've not had the odd gin here and there if I've been celebrating something, but for the most part I've been sober for 5 months and loving it!

My skin after a night of drinking vs my skin after a sober night in the pub

Other tips & hacks to help eczema

Some other recommendations from me include sleeping on bamboo sheets/pillows (it's so much better for your skin), drinking more water, avoiding heavily fragranced air fresheners in your home, keeping windows open to encourage fresh air and trying to reduce stress as much as possible.

Everybody's skin and everybody's eczema is different so what works for me might not work for you, but I'm so happy with how my skin is looking at the end of 2024 compared to how it looked at the beginning of 2024. Sending lots of love if you're struggling with eczema right now.