A number of over the counter medications for Eczema are readily available today. This means that they can be bought the traditional way of grabbing the things you need from the shelves.

In most cases, OTC eczema treatment products aim to reduce the intensity of itchiness, keep from follow-up flares and improve on skin’s moisture retention capabilities. They are very effective especially in cases of acute eczema. In fact, most doctors prescribe them to help reduce cases of sleeping difficulties. From any complete eczema definition, you will notice that the condition can case all sorts of sleeping problems.

Although these products can be bought over the counter, care should be taken when using them. This is because they can interact with other medical drugs and health conditions.

Creams, ointments, lotions and shampoos are the main forms in which OTC eczema treatment products come in. Here, we will go through most of the things to consider when buying any of these products.

Best lotion, ointment, cream or shampoo for eczema

All these terminologies can get confusing. So what do they involve? First, the difference is in their water to oil contents. Lotions, creams and ointments are related, with each having a different water to oil concentration. Shampoos on the other hand are best used for dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis.

When learning how to treat eczema with topical medications, you will mostly come across four main forms. Creams, ointments, lotions and shampoos. Body wraps too can be included. Creams and ointments are the most common forms. Most of them contain three topical medications. These topical medications include;

Topical steroids

These are weaker forms of steroids compared to anabolic steroids used for body building. They are used for treating many inflammatory conditions. An OTC eczema ointment or cream will carry relatively weak topical steroids such as 1% hydrocortisone.

Antibiotics

These are creams and ointments meant to prevent or control bacterial infections. Some creams or ointments come in combinations of more than one antibiotic. They are very necessary especially in the advent of golden crusts on an eczema rash.  Antibiotics are very helpful with some eczema types such as dyshidrotic eczema causes.

Moisturizers

As the name suggests, these creams and ointments are meant to keep the affected skin from drying. Moisturizers form a protective layer that keeps moisture from leaving the affected areas.

Which is the best eczema cream?

First, it is important that we understand what an eczema cream is. It generally is a cream meant to improve on eczema. Creams are made by mixing equal amounts of oil and water. They come in tubes which can be squeezed to release the content.

Due to their high water content, creams are best used to moisturize damp skin conditions. A good example is weeping eczema blisters.

An eczema cream is better in the following conditions;

• When applying on large skin areas, especially parts to be covered with clothes
• When a strong topical medication is being used. You find ointments allow for full absorption of the active compounds carried in certain topical medications. This is because an ointment has a lower viscosity than a cream.
• When the blisters are producing tear-like fluid droplets

When is an ointment better than eczema cream?

Most topical eczema medications come in creams and ointments as we have already seen. Ointments contain about 80% oil and the rest water. This makes them less viscous and sticky.

Some people get stuck on which is the better option to go with, an over the counter cream or an ointment. Following are the pros of an ointment over an over the counter cream;

• It will have the best results in case of a very dried skin
• Most of the active ingredient carried by an ointment finds its way into the body. Unlike creams, ointments do not wash or flow easily.
• If you are looking for a moisturizer, ointments are the better option
• Creams show a tendency of negative interactions with sensitive skins

What to look for in an eczema cream or ointment

There are very many brands of both eczema creams and ointments. To land on the best, a user ought to know what to look for in the best of them. This is especially because such products come without a prescription.

• Look for a cream or ointment with natural remedies known to fight eczema. Oatmeal is a good example
• A good cream or ointment for eczema ought to be multi-purpose. In that, it can be used on any part of the body, including use on children. However, you can also choose to go for a cream which is specifically made for certain body parts. A good example is a cream to remove eczema on upper lip and such.
• Consider creams containing a hydrating lipid. These are compounds that lock skin moisture from evaporating.
• Go for creams which have been approved by professional dermatologists. You can consider running a separate online search on such endorsements.
• Omega oils are known to rejuvenate the skin and also help in quick skin recovery. Look for creams and ointments containing these oils. They are very effective even on situations such as eczema face treatment.
• A fragrance-free cream or ointment is better when dealing with eczema. For fragrance, you can consider an essential oil such as lavender oil.
• Glycerin is another compound that can help increase the efficiency of a moisturizing cream. It works by forming a protective layer on the skin.
• There are many reviews and buying guides provided online for eczema creams and ointments. Spare some time to go through such reviews.

Which is the best lotion for eczema?

Lotions contain ever lesser amounts of oil than creams. This means that they flow very readily and evaporate the most.

Lotions have been observed to react with sensitive skins, probably due to preservatives. They are not good moisturizer options, especially when very dry skin conditions are involved. Below are tips that can help chose the best lotion for eczema;

• Look for creams free from perfumes
• Go for lotions with a thick jelly texture
• Consider lotions containing glycerin. Glycerin works by locking skin moisture to keep from evaporating
• Look for Shea butter. Shea butter is known to not only boost healing process but also avoid skin irritations
• Lotions containing avocado extracts are also a good choice. This is especially for people with sensitive skins
• Finally, go through reviews provided on best lotion for eczema. Although most of the available reviews will recommend different brands, combining the above provided tips with such reviews may land you on the best lotion that will work for you.

How to choose the best eczema shampoo

As the name suggests, eczema shampoo is used for eczema on scalp, better known as dandruff or seborrheic eczema. It is very common in children.

Best eczema shampoo will not only help get rid of the scaled scalp layers but will also contain the growth of some fungal stains thought to contribute to dandruff. Below are some tips to help choose the best shampoo for eczema.

• No fragrance shampoos are better. They have lower chances of causing reactions with the scalp.
• Look for natural ingredients known to cure eczema. Such include aloe Vera, lavender oil and tea tree oil.
• Eczema shampoo brand with antimicrobial properties is a better choice. Fungal infections are common on the scalp while bacterial infections are common in eczema infections.
• Review its effects on hair. Some shampoos should not be used in dyed hair, some are known to have a gluing effect and such.
• Specifically look for a go ahead to use in babies. Some shampoo brands are specifically instructed not to be used in younger skin.
• Finally, see what reviews for best shampoo to get rid of eczema have to say. Other than dealing with how to treat eczema on scalp, reviews for best shampoos will also focus on other factors such as hair maintenance, moisturizing ability and such.

As you can see, there is much to learn about over the counter products for home remedies for eczema. In fact, the best treatment approach is to develop a treatment therapy. The therapy can include prevention measures, home remedies for eczema, over the counter products and prescription alternatives. A doctor or dermatologist can help come up with such a treatment therapy. As you may already know, eczema is hereditary, meaning that it may keep coming back in the family.