5 Eczema Treatments That Will Calm Your Angry, Itchy Skin

By Maressa Brown | Health and Beauty Editor at Self

Grappling with eczema—an inflammatory skin condition that can cause relentless itchiness, extreme dryness, angry rashes, scaly patches, and even blisters—can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. Even if you purge your medicine cabinets of the zillions of perfumed lotion samples you’ve accumulated over the years, you might still find yourself scratching insatiably. The struggle sucks, but you’re not alone. More than 31 million people in the US have eczema—and many of them find ways to care for their skin and get relief, just as you will too.

While the causes of eczema can vary from person to person, people prone to developing it tend to have a weak skin barrier that allows bad stuff to creep into the body (a.k.a. allergens, bacteria, and viruses) while good things exit (a.k.a. moisture).1 At the same time, people with eczema often have overactive immune systems that can spur skin to freak out simply in the presence of an allergen, even without actual contact, Amy Freeman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Millburn, New Jersey, tells SELF. Your environment (like frigid or swampy weather) can also set off symptoms, according to the National Eczema Association.

As you probably already know, the urge to dig your nails into your skin can really screw with your quality of life, Dr. Freeman says. “It can be very uncomfortable and lead to sleepless nights,” she explains. “It could also affect work and school.”

While avoiding your personal triggers can help prevent flare-ups, you should see a dermatologist if your skin is persistently stressing you out. Here are five eczema treatment options worth talking to them about.

1. Over-the-counter moisturizers

Whether you’re dealing with a mildly annoying or straight-up painful case of eczema, you need to moisturize, Dr. Freeman explains. Your skin is in constant jeopardy of drying out. “By moisturizing, you’re adding back hydration [and] protecting the skin barrier so you won’t be as susceptible to outside pollutants and allergens,” she says, adding that these substances will just make irritation worse if your skin is freaking out.

Your dermatologist can offer recs about the best eczema cream for your symptoms, but there are helpful ingredients to scan for in a potential product, including those meant to hydrate by pulling water into the skin (humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin), restore and calm angry flare-ups (like ceramides and colloidal oatmeal), and protect the skin by locking in moisture (occlusives like petrolatum).

Dr. Freeman favors Vanicream and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream as solid picks, while Ramya Garlapati, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Glendale, California likes Cetaphil’s Eczema Restoraderm Flare-Up Relief Cream, which contains colloidal oatmeal. (You can also find oatmeal in Aveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing Cream.)

Just be sure that the product you’re using (whatever it may be) doesn’t contain fragrances or essential oils, as those ingredients can sometimes trigger flare-ups, according to the National Eczema Association. (Your doctor may also advise an in-office skin patch test to help identify your unique ingredient triggers.)

Dr. Freeman suggests applying your moisturizer after showering while your skin is still damp—ideally within three minutes of hopping out—to help stop all that hydration from escaping. “Partially dry off and apply a liberal amount all over the whole body, every day, preferably twice a day,” she advises.

2. Prescription-strength creams

Sometimes OTC moisturizer won’t cut it, says Dr. Freeman. That’s when a prescription-strength corticosteroid cream—which helps to suppress the inflammatory cells that cause your skin to bug out—might help in the short term. Just be sure to use these exactly how your doctor prescribes them, and to raise a flag if symptoms seem to get worse.

Sometimes, though, a steroid cream might not do the trick, or your eczema pops up in a particularly sensitive spot, like your groin, eyelids, or face. Steroid creams can also cause skin thinning when used excessively, so your doc should go over that possible risk with you if your eczema hits an already-vulnerable area. If you have these concerns, your doctor might recommend a different class of anti-inflammatory ointments or creams that aren’t as potent and therefore can be used longer-term, Divya Shokeen, MD, a Glendale, California–based dermatologist, tells SELF. Here are the three most common:

Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs): They help to prevent your immune system from switching on in the presence of a trigger.

• Topical PDE4 inhibitors: These also suppress an overactive immune system.2

• JAK inhibitors: This treatment stops your body from sending out inflammation signals.

These options can be more expensive than steroid creams, explains Dr. Freeman,3 “but they’re well tolerated.”

3. Oral medications

If you’re itching all over or if creams just aren’t cutting it, an oral medication might be the way to go, says Dr. Shokeen. Typically you have two types to choose from: oral steroids (which can calm your immune system and tame inflammation to give immediate relief during flare-ups) and nonsteroidal immunosuppressant oral medications (which keep the immune system from continuously flipping out over the long haul, explains Dr. Garlapati).

Unless it’s totally unavoidable, many doctors generally try to avoid prescribing oral steroids because of their (sometimes) uncomfortable side effects if they’re used long-term. Still, steroids might be a fast-acting solution to consider if you’re in the throes of a hellish flare-up. But you’ll probably still need to see a doctor regularly for lab work when you’re on them, just to make sure you’re responding well to the medication.4

Nonsteroidal immunosuppressant oral medications aren’t always free of side effects, though. Some people who take them report having upset stomachs, headaches, and fatigue, among others. (Basically, it’s super crucial to take these, like any other prescription treatment for eczema, under the close supervision of a derm.)

4. Phototherapy

According to Dr. Shokeen, phototherapy (a.k.a. ultraviolet (UV) light therapy) is an ideal treatment when your skin can’t really handle—or isn’t responding to—topical creams or oral medications.5 During a treatment session, you—or the specific body parts affected by eczema—are exposed to filtered wavelengths of UV light for a few minutes, which can help calm down immune system cells that are causing inflammation. Though you typically need steady treatment for a month or two before seeing results, it can be really positive, she says. “The most common risk is sunburn or reddening of the skin,” Dr. Freeman explains. (It’s important to note that phototherapy is done in a dermatologist’s office and never a tanning bed!)

5. Biologics

Biologics—injectable medications that calm the immune system and reduce inflammation—are considered a last-ditch treatment for eczema when other remedies haven’t worked, according to all the dermatologists SELF spoke with. But if you’re really suffering, they can sometimes be a game-changer for your skin: “Biologics have been a life-changing treatment for patients with stubborn eczema that’s chronic and relapsing,”6 explains Dr. Freeman. “They keep the immune system from overreacting, which lowers inflammation and decreases the symptoms of eczema.”

In general, you wouldn’t try this method unless topical treatments weren’t a fit, notes Dr. Garlapati. Biologics tend to come with some side effects, require regular injections (either at home or at a doctor’s office), and can be pricey, says Dr. Shokeen, which “may be a concern for individuals with limited time or resources.”

No matter which route you take, Dr. Shokeen says it’s crucial to speak up when your eczema treatment feels like it’s doing too little (or maybe too much, as far as side effects go). Dealing with itchy, irritated skin that you’ve had trouble soothing isn’t easy. But if a particular medication isn’t working, rest assured there’s something else (and something else beyond that) to try. You and your dermatologist will get there eventually—and your endless scratching won’t be so endless after all.