Apply your chosen emollient to the affected patch of skin. Don’t rub it too roughly as this could cause further irritation. Pregnancy – the added weight of pregnancy can also increase the pressure on the veins in your lower legs. Eczema can damage this barrier, making the skin unable to retain water, which makes it dry and sensitive. This contributes to chronic dry, itchy skin, which can cause eczema to flare-up or get worse.

Dyshidrotic eczema – also known as pompholyx, dyshidrotic eczema is usually a long-term condition that appears as small itchy blisters on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet. The symptoms typically come and go over a two-to-three-week period.

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Be gentle – gently pat your skin dry after washing and apply the emollient while the skin is still damp. This helps retain moisture. The exact cause of dyshidrotic eczema is unclear. However, it’s common in people who regularly have wet hands (such as hairdressers). It has also been linked to: You may find it useful to apply a generous layer of emollient to your hands just before bedtime, wearing a pair of clean cotton gloves to sleep in to maximise benefit and reduce mess. Which emollient should I choose? The itching sensation caused by eczema can be hard to resist, but you should try to avoid scratching as much as possible. This could end up damaging the skin further, making the condition worse and increasing your risk of infection and scarring. If you need to soothe the itching, try gently rubbing the patch of skin instead of scratching. Keeping your nails short and your skin covered as much as possible can also help to limit any damage caused by accidental scratching. Emollients or topical corticosteroids

Use the correct utensils – avoid putting your hands into pots of emollient cream. Instead, use a utensil to take out the right amount and replace the lid of the tub after use. Alternatively, use a pump dispenser. If your eczema is caused by an irritant, such as the chemicals in soaps, detergents, bubble baths, and shower gels, avoiding those triggers can help reduce the risk of flare ups. Even if your current soaps or toiletries aren’t obviously the cause of your eczema, you might benefit from switching to a fragrance-free, and more moisturising emollient-based soap. Don’t scratch While there’s no cure for eczema, there are ways you can manage and reduce your symptoms to make it easier to continue with your everyday tasks. Avoiding triggersThe Aveeno Intensive Dry Skin Range helps to soothe and relieve dry skin prone to eczema. These include Aveeno Cream, lotion, oil and colloidal and are also suitable for use as a baby cream. Obesity – being overweight can increase the pressure on your lower legs, which is a major cause of varicose veins and, subsequently, varicose eczema. Use plenty – the current recommendation is that an adult should use at least 500g of emollient every week, while children should use 250g. Don’t worry, as you cannot use too much. Like atopic eczema, discoid eczema is caused by extremely dry skin that is prone to react to irritants, such as soaps. However, unlike atopic eczema, it isn’t known to run in families. Smooth, don’t rub – do not rub products in. Instead, gently smooth them onto your skin in the same direction your hair grows.