I HAVE suffered with mild eczema since being a child, and it goes through flare-ups and periods of calm.

Many things can affect eczema such as allergens, poor diet, stress, eating junk food or food with too many additives, not enough sleep certain washing powders or skin care products.

It is important that you get to grips with knowing what you are allergic to and what causes you to flare up. This goes for people suffering from dermatitis too.

I find that pollen can cause eczema around my eyes, I also found that red wine and tea can make my eczema worse and I am unable to wear self-tan. Lack of sleep can also contribute to my flair ups.

Many people find that stress can cause eczema or psoriasis flair ups. For some people during lockdown a slower pace of life may have eased symptoms whilst for others stress or working environments may have increased reactions.

Other triggers can be household irritants, pets, certain clothing. Emotional stress can cause nasty flair ups, massage and relaxation can help.

I have found that using Propolis based cream and taking the tablets orally did help to ease the symptoms of eczema.

Propolis is a resin that is found in the hives of bees. It is thought to have many properties and is known to be anti-fungal, antibacterial and healing.

There are many bee products on the market, research and buy a good quality cream and try the capsules too. Beware and do not take if you are allergic to bees.

Many of you may have suddenly developed dermatitis on your hands or red and sensitive skin with so much hand washing.

Use a very gentle hand wash that has moisturisers in, and I would advise that you find a suitable hand cream that you apply after every hand wash.

My mother’s hands were beginning to suffer with the constant hand washing and started to get red, sore patches on her hands.

I encouraged her to use the LipQ Liquorice Balm on them and her skin has been soothed and has now healed. I think if you can avoid steroid cream long term then you can avoid having the negative side effects from them.

I have ordered a cream from a range of products called Nursem to try, they have had good reviews and are developed with regular hand washing in mind.

Nursem have promised to give a months’ worth of free Nursem to a nurse or midwife – a great way to support our amazing nurses as well as looking after our hands. I will write a review soon.

Top tips

Join the National Eczema society. There are many different types of eczema, the society can give you a lot of guidance and support.

Know your triggers. As with most skin conditions if you know what causes a flair up then you will know what to avoid. Avoid swimming in chlorinated pools, often chemicals can cause havoc for eczema sufferers.

Moisturise immediately after bathing or showering. Use a hand cream following every hand wash. Keep your skin cool and well moisturised.

Experiment using Propolis products. If you are going to try the tablets, it can take quite a few months before they work. Unless they don’t agree with you, stick with them.

Avoid soap on the areas. Always seek medical help and try and see an expert in that area.

Keep a food diary and look for patterns to see if certain foods or drinks cause flair ups. Use gentle washing detergents to wash clothing.

Find face and body products that suit your skin. There are lots of products available. With eczema it can be a little bit of trial and error. There is so much advice online, so take your time to research your type of eczema.

Avoid sulphates, parabens, and fragrances. Maintain a healthy and balanced diet, sometimes taking supplements may help. Avoid refined sugars and go easy on the dairy.

My experience

After years of struggling to stabilise my eczema, through really getting to know what my skin likes and avoiding triggers my skin is so much stronger.

On my face I can now have radio frequency and non-surgical face lifts and even micro needling and dermaplaning. I could never have been able to have such treatments had I not worked out how to calm my skin.

In turn the treatments have made my skin strong and I believe I have less flare ups and less need for medical intervention.

I found that steroids had thinned my skin and in the end my body began to reject them. Dr Yell, a private dermatologist when I needed medical intervention, was excellent and I have recommended her to many people.