**includes Free PDF Downloads below
I wanted to help create a checklist of all the possible triggers and root causes, something I so wish I had several months ago when starting this eczema journey. Checking a box doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found the cause or trigger for your eczema, but it can help you narrow it down and get you on the path to live a healthier and cleaner lifestyle while working towards eliminating your eczema.
- Skin Barrier & Everyday Irritants
Fragrances
☐Switch to a fragrance-free hand soap
☐Switch to fragrance-free dish soap
☐Switch to fragrance-free body wash
☐Switch to fragrance-free laundry detergent
☐Eliminate scented fabric softener and dryer sheets
☐Switch to fragrance-free and nontoxic household cleaning products
☐Remove or limit candles, plug-ins and diffusers
☐Other: _____________
Clothing & Other Fabrics
☐Switch to breathable fabrics such as cotton and bamboo when possible
☐Wash new clothes before using
☐Switch to breathable sheets and bedding
☐Choose high-quality towels such as 100% cotton
☐Pay attention to overheating/sweating
- pro tip- bring a portable fan everywhere you go!
Air Quality
☐Consider adding Air purifiers throughout the house
☐Add Humidity monitors in all rooms
☐Consider a Dehumidifier or Humidifier based on your home’s levels
☐Test for mold present in home/ appliances & remediate
☐Clean HVAC filters regularly
Sun & Skin
☐Switch to a fragrance-free mineral sunscreen
☐Evaluate your eczema skincare routine & switch to fragrance free
☐Avoid alcohol-based products
Water quality
☐Invest in a Water softener
☐Consider Water testing
☐Add Bath/shower filter
☐Look into Reverse osmosis systems if appropriate
☐Limit time in chlorinated pools & moisturize after swimming
- Food & Allergy
Possible Allergens
☐Peanuts
☐Other Nuts
☐Eggs
☐Dairy
☐Other: ______________
☐Discuss Allergy testing with an allergist when appropriate
Food to watch
☐Dairy
☐Gluten
☐Soy
☐Egg
☐Nightshades
☐Oats
☐Added and artificial sugar
☐Caffeine
☐Other: ______________
☐Discuss food intolerance testing with your Physician or Holistic Practitioner
Cleaning up the pantry
☐Eliminate Synthetic food dyes
☐Reduce Added sugar
☐Reduce Highly processed foods
☐Monitor and Limit Caffeine intake
☐Reduce High fructose corn syrup
☐Reduce High histamine foods
☐Increase fiber if necessary
☐Reduce pesticide intake by choosing organic produce or using a produce spray
☐Introduce bone marrow and bone broths
- focus mostly on Whole Foods. Get back to the basics – fruit, veggies, meats. Think of the food pyramid!
- Supplementation
☐Vitamin D
☐Omega-3
☐Zinc
☐Probiotics
☐Prebiotics
☐Fiber
☐Multivitamin
- Note: please always check with your healthcare provider prior to starting any supplements, especially with infants and children. Testing for certain deficiencies may be an appropriate step prior to starting.
- Infection, Skin Microbiome & Overall Health
☐Recent infection/illness
☐Recent or recurrent Antibiotic use
☐Review gut Medications with your healthcare providers or holistic team
☐Pay attention to signs of infections
☐Control Skin Staph
– staph and eczema go hand-in-hand.
– use the eczema & staph routine (see Appendix A)
☐Explore Stress reduction techniques
☐Prioritize sleep quality
- Gut & Digestive Health
☐Pay attention and log digestive symptoms, especially if persistent and recurrent
☐Explore at-home testing options
– Gut Testing
– Parasite Testing
– OAT testing
– Food Map with Yeast
– Other
Tiny Health microbiome testing: use code REF-JASMIN8713 for $40 off
Start small. You don’t need to overhaul your life all at once. Changing things slowly can also help identify which changes make a meaningful impact. Pick 3 things to change this week:
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- _________________________________________________________
- _________________________________________________________
- _________________________________________________________
Don’t Forget the Things That Are Out of Our Control
While there are many things we can change, there are also factors we can’t necessarily control—but they’re still worth tracking.
I highly recommend keeping a daily log. Some reactions or flares may not line up neatly with something that happened that same day, so having a log allows you to look back over the previous several days and look for repeating patterns.
** See Appendix B for the free downloadable daily log that we found useful
-
- Environmental Factors
– Dust & dust mites
– Pet & animal exposure
– Smoke
– Humidity & Hot Weather
– Dry & Cold Weather
– Recent Travel/ New Environments
-
- Health factors
– Medications
– Antibiotic use & other medications
– Stress
– Poor sleep
– Family history of asthma, eczema, allergies
Remember, this journey doesn’t have to happen overnight. Start small, stay consistent, and give yourself time to notice patterns. Eczema can feel incredibly overwhelming, but every change you make and every piece of information you gather brings you one step closer to understanding your or your child’s unique skin. Keep asking questions, keep advocating, and most importantly—don’t lose hope.
Appendix A: ECZEMA & STAPH ROUTINE
As mentioned before, staph and eczema go hand-in-hand. Eczema creates a moist environment that staph loves, and staph fuels the eczema. It’s a vicious cycle.
– For mild spots, use 2-3 times per day
– For moderate to severe areas, use up to 10 times a day
Give new skin regimen approximately 2 weeks before deciding it isn’t working and switch to something new.
Choose 1 from each of the categories below.
**Stop using any products if symptoms worsen, signs of infection or allergic reaction occur.
Step 1
– Rosemary hydrosol
– Tea tree hydrosol (what we used)
– Zinc powder
Step 2:
– Hypochlorous spray (what we used)
– Briotech Gel
Step 3:
– Jojoba oil (what we used)
– Emu oil
– Black seed oil
– Earthly all-purpose salve
Avoid all lotions on spots with suspected staph as they tend to feed bacteria.
*Note: Staph regimen should be continued for 60-90 days after signs of skin improvement