Dry skin or Eczema?

It goes without saying that atopic dermatitis, aka eczema, isn't fun in any form and can make you feel like hiding out, throwing some serious shade on your confidence— but, when a skin condition characterized by red, itchy, flakey plaques appears on your face, of all places, it makes it all the more frustrating and impossible to ignore 🤬. Much like acne, having eczema on the face is painful. On top of that, we've been conditioned to believe skin imperfections are something we should have to hide and feel ashamed of (FYI: not true). Nevertheless, anyone battling facial eczema knows first-hand how uncomfortable and emotionally exhausting it can be. Good news, though: You're not alone, and there are solutions, as well as ways to keep it under control. One of the hardest aspects of facial eczema is figuring out whether you actually have eczema. Your dry or irritated skin could be the result of a bad reaction to a product you're using, harsh weather, stress, internal Inflammation from foods, or other common factors that can impact skin health. It can be difficult to distinguish the two as skin affected by eczema is dry and irritated generally, dry skin is not irritated and itchy to the level of eczema and will readily respond to moisturizers, gentle skin care, and bringing humidity back to the environment. Unlike the mild flaking, dullness, and tightness associated with dry skin, facial eczema generally involves intense itchiness, cracked skin, and even bleeding. All this to say: If you're still stumped, go see your dermatologist to find out for sure. eczema actually refers to a group of conditions that cause the skin to become red, itchy, scaly, and inflamed. there are several types, too. it’s best to use mild skincare products when dealing with eczema, no exfoliants to Rebuild the lipid barrier. Depending on the severity, a prescribed topical cortisone can help clear it up. I always recommend keeping a journal of flare ups and what possible foods/irritants/stress could have been the culprit. Once you nail that down, you can recognize the triggers that cause it, and then eliminate the problem to avoid the issues all together! 👌🏼