How to Treat Acne When You Have Eczema
Finding the right treatment to successfully rid of acne when you have combination skin is hard enough, but try adding eczema into the mix and acne treatment can become especially difficult. Eczema is a very common skin condition for which there is no clear cut cause. Eczema presents as red, itchy and scaly patches of skin, especially on the areas that have very thin skin, such as eyelids, armpits and inner elbows. Though the exact cause of eczema is unknown, it usually occurs as a response to an allergen that your skin has come in contact with. Eczema can also be triggered by stress, extreme heat, fragrance or cold.
Here’s the tricky thing about treating acne when you have eczema. Acne occurs when there is an over-production of sebum, while people who suffer from eczema often do not produce enough sebum. So keeping the skin at a perfect balance of oil is key when treating both skin afflictions. The best way to do this is by using a non-drying, gentle cleanser such as Cetaphil and a light hydrating moisturizer, such as CeraVe that will not make you breakout.
Just as with acne, anyone suffering from eczema can benefit from seeing a dermatologist. While some over-the-counter treatments might give a temporary fix to acne and eczema, having a dermatologist guide you with a proper regimen and prescription medications is very important. To avoid further irritation or more breakouts, it’s imperative to use your eczema medication only on the areas with eczema and the acne medications on the areas only with acne.
