DRY, ATOPIC ECZEMA-PRONE SKIN?
DON’T SCRATCH!

3 min read

If your child has dry skin and an itchy eczema rash, the biggest temptation is to scratch the lesions, resulting in an itch-scratch cycle. Here are some top tips you can read together to help your child understand that scratching is skin’s worst enemy and to empower them with tools to avoid the urge to scratch. You can tackle this problem from different angles. First, have your child carry an instant itch-relieving product in their pocket at all times. This will act as a beneficial scratch substitute. Second, find ways of diverting your child’s attention from that all-too-annoying itch. You can use distraction techniques to keep their hands busy with activities like play, doodling, or crafting, or even think about teaching them Mindfulness to stop those intrusive thoughts about scratching.

{{link.label}}

DRY ITCHY ATOPIC ECZEMA,
I JUST WANT TO SCRATCH IT!

ITCHING IS ONE OF THE MAIN SYMPTOMS OF ATOPIC ECZEMA

If you have dry skin and atopic eczema, you have probably been told not to scratch. But atopic eczema can be so itchy and the more people tell you not to scratch, the more you want to, right? When you scratch, it takes away the itch - for a while at least.
So why is everyone always telling you to stop scratching?

SCRATCHING DRY ITCHY ATOPIC ECZEMA,
A QUICK FIX THAT BACKFIRES

Atopic eczema can go away if you don’t scratch

The truth is, scratching dry, itchy skin actually makes things worse. When you scratch, your fingernails hurt your skin and it gets all inflamed (red and angry). And guess what? This makes your skin even itchier. So the more you scratch, the itchier you get and the worse your eczema becomes… And you get stuck in an itch-scratch trap!

TIPS TO STOP SCRATCHING!

Atopic eczema is a dry skin condition that can be managed with a few simple tips

You’ve got to do something about that itchy atopic eczema rash – it’s hard to resist the urge to scratch! So what can you do instead?

Whenever you feel the urge to scratch, you need a magic solution to zap the itch straight away. Luckily, an anti-itching magic wand exists! It’s yourStick. Swirling it around on the itchy spot takes away the itch, but without hurting your skin like nails do. It’s a quick fix without all the problems that scratching causes. You’ll feel better in 2 seconds flat, we promise.
When dry skin itches, it’s often hard to think about anything else. And the more you think about it, the more it goes round and round your head in circles, and you can’t get it out of your mind! That’s why you have to find ways of distracting yourself. Hands love having something to do, so do something else with yours! Play a game with your friends, catch up on some crafting or grab your pens and draw, colour or simply doodle. Get your hands busy, focus on something else and you’ll soon forget about the itch! Download our fun colouring sheets HERE.
If your dry skin itches, one final smart tip to avoid the itch-scratch trap is called Mindfulness. Have you heard of it? Ask your parent or teacher to help you look into it, or download an app. It’s all about stopping those annoying thoughts in your head that say “scratch! scratch! scratch!” and learning to clear your mind… So you can think about something far more enjoyable than that annoying itch!
Remember to keep looking after your skin even when your skin doesn’t feel so itchy. Put on your atopic-prone skin cream after every shower or bath to keep your skin nice and moist. Why? That way, you’re making it all the harder for rashes to come back too often and annoy you!

THE ONE THING YOU NEED TO REMEMBER?
DON’T SCRATCH DRY SKIN

So don’t forget, although it might feel good to start with, scratching is one of your dry, atopic eczema-prone skin’s worst enemies. The more you scratch, the itchier you become! Your Stick is your magic wand – so reach for it and zap that itch on the spot! Finally, look for other ways to keep your hands busy and your mind occupied with other more enjoyable activities. You’ll be sure to kick the itch-scratch habit in no time!