Another great post from itchylittleworld.com – Natural remedies for eczema to soothe your itchy little world..
By Laura Dolgy (bio below)
Eczema on the hands is a pain to deal with, especially since we use our hands for almost everything! If you or your little one is suffering from intense itching and dry skin on their/your hands, then you’ll want to check out this week’s post that discusses everything you need to know about mittens and gloves for eczema to protect and heal the hands!
Please keep in mind that although these treatments can relieve eczema, we are in no way medical professionals. If you’re experiencing severe eczema symptoms like fever or an infection, it is best to seek medical advice immediately.
Why Wear Gloves for Eczema?
With eczema on hands, your dry, sensitive skin is constantly being exposed to drying soap, chemicals, you name it! So, the first step to healing your hands is to protect them as often as you can, night and day. We recommend wearing gloves to protect the skin from the elements, your daily tasks and from scratching. Protection from these irritants will help your skin begin to heal and when combined with a good moisturizer, you’ll really see results much faster. For best results during a flare up, apply a good moisturizer (this one is our favorite!) and then cover with the gloves overnight. Remove the gloves in the morning, apply moisturizer again and wear the gloves overtop during the day. You should start to see healing at the end of the first 24-48 hours. Wearing gloves also means you can forgo using soap, which can be so drying. So, skip the soap, wear your gloves and give your hands the relief they deserve!
When shopping for gloves for eczema, we recommend you look for the following qualities:
- Thin, breathable, natural material. The last thing you need is for sweat to further aggravate your eczema. Bamboo and cotton are great fabrics for gloves, as is TENCL fabric. Read more: Why Natural Fibers Are Essential for Eczema Clothing.
- Stretchy fabric. Your gloves will last longer and maintain a nice fitted shape if they contain elastaine or latex. But if you have a latex allergy, beware of all stretchy fabric and look for latex-free elastaine.
The following are some great gloves for eczema to protect and heal your hands.
Eczema Gloves for Kids and Toddlers
These gloves are extremely soft and made from bamboo and Lycra, which means they are lightweight, cooling and stretchy. Not only can they help prevent children from scratching their eczema or psoriasis, but they can also double up as a dry or wet wrap garment by applying a natural eczema treatment (read all about wet/dry wrapping below!). The gloves are also tailored fit and don’t stretch like typical cotton gloves.
Aside from eczema, these gloves are also perfect for children who suffer from allergic contact dermatitis and dermatomyositis.
Eczema Gloves for Adults
If you’re still suffering from eczema on the hands, then you’ll want to check out these gloves for eczema that are great at preventing scratching, but also provide protection for contact dermatitis, psoriasis and much more.
Similar to the children gloves mentioned above, they are made from bamboo and stretchy latex, which means they are also lightweight, cooling and won’t stretch out.
Why Eczema Mittens?
If your little one cannot stop scratching due to eczema on hands, then it might be worth checking out eczema mittens as well.
Eczema mittens are mostly used as a protective layer for children who cannot stop scratching their irritated, itchy skin. By protecting the irritated skin, their eczema has a chance to properly heal and infection can be avoided.
When shopping for eczema mittens, we recommend you look for the following qualities:
- Thin, breathable natural material. Like with gloves, avoid sweat and keep to natural fibers that are gentle and cooling like cotton and bamboo.
- Openable mittens. With babies and children, it’s very important not to keep their hands covered for long periods of time during the day so they can develop their fine motor skills. To combat this issue, some mittens can be worn all day and night and folded open for play and folded closed when the child is itchy or for sleep.
- Closure system. If you have a little Houdini that just loves to remove their mittens, look for a Velcro or tie closure or another way to keep the mittens on to the skin can heal.
Here are some great options for eczema mittens for babies to children:
ScratchMeNot Mittens
These mittens are probably one of the top tools in properly treating hand eczema, especially for little ones. They are usually worn over clothing or as long sleeves under clothing and cannot fall off or be removed by your child. By leaving the mittens in place, your little one will not be able to scratch their skin to the point of infection.
These ScratchMeNot Original Flip Mitten Sleeves offer an outer silk mitten layer, which provides comfort and less friction against your little one’s skin. The bamboo material also provides a cooling sensation, which makes it perfect for use in both warm and cool weather. The ScratchMeNot Cotton Flip Mittens are also a great mitten for little ones who are sensitive to materials such as lycra and latex.
These mittens are also extremely beneficial for any child that is suffering from chicken pox, poison ivy, post-surgery stitches and more.
Goumi Mitts
For little, little ones these mitts will stay-put, protect and prevent scratching. The bamboo and organic cotton blend allows for a breathable, cooling system and also blocks 99.7% of UVA/UVB light. The mittens are also naturally antimicrobial and include a two-part closure system with both velcro and elastic.
Other Ways to Heal Hand Eczema
Although both eczema gloves and mittens can help heal hand eczema, there are several other key ways you can control hand eczema. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Limit Soap Exposure
- Avoid Contact Irritants/Allergies
- Try an Elimination Diet
- Wet and Dry Wrap the Skin
To get more detailed help for your hands, check out: 5 “Handy” Ways to Keep Hand Eczema Under Control
Although treating the eczema on your hands with the suggestions above can offer much relief, it’s always important to know which underlying issue is causing the flare-up. By knowing what causes your eczema, you can be better prepared and eventually heal your hand eczema all together!
Have you found success with any mittens or gloves for eczema? Let us know in the comments below!
Bio: Laura is a contributor and content developer for It’s An Itchy Little World. She is in no way a medical professional. Her comments, suggestions, and reflections are not intended to replace any medical advice. Always seek the help of a medical professional before undertaking any diet or lifestyle changes. Please see It’s An Itchy Little World’s disclaimer for information about affiliate links and more.
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