People with eczema often have two problems: a defective skin barrier that dries out easily and is more open to invasion from allergens and germs than normal; and an overly sensitive immune system.
That means treatment needs to be twofold:
- Repair the damaged skin
- Avoid exposure to allergens and irritants
Sounds simple, but anyone who deals with eczema knows that it is anything but easy. Stopping the itch is key, as the itch-scratch cycle feeds upon itself.
For patients with difficult-to- manage eczema, one treatment option is wet wrap therapy.
After doing a soak-and-seal warm bath and applying medication, the patient’s eczema-damaged skin is wrapped in a layer of wet cloths, topped often by dry clothes – such as pajamas, sweatshirt or tube socks. Plenty of videos demonstrating wet wrap therapy for eczema are available online.
Doctors recommend wet wrap therapy as an intervention for moderate-to-severe cases. Wet wrap therapy can reduce the need for medication, but it should be done only after consulting with a physician.
© 2021 Allergy and Asthma Network
Last updated : 2/6/2023