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 gloves for eczemato 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 your 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 TENCEL 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
Remedywear™ Kids Gloves for Eczemaare made with soft, soothing TENCEL and embedded with antimicrobial zinc. They work well dry, but can be worn wet as well. We love these gloves because the fibers used really are beneficial for eczema. Read all about why TENCEL is great for eczema. The fitted cuff is great for keeping these gloves in place during the day or night. We also offer Remedywear Fingerless gloves.
Aside from eczema, both gloves are great 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 bamboogloves 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.
Remedywear also makes gloves for psoriasis and eczema, just like the ones for kids above in TENCEL and zinc fabric. They are the ultimate in comfort and soothing relief. For their fingerless alternative, which is great for tasks that require the use of your fingers, check out these Remedywear Fingerless gloves.
Why Eczema Mittens?
If your little one cannot stop scratching, 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 infants 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 infants to children:
Scratch Sleeves
These Scratch Sleeves with Scratch Mittens are probably one of the top tools in properly treating hand eczema, especially for little ones. Made with100% stretch cotton sleeves and silk mittens, these ScratchSleeves can be used both during the day over regular clothing or at night to prevent scratching while they sleep.
These ScratchSleeves Baby Eczema Pajamas offer cooling comfort while protecting your little one’s skin from relentless scratching. They prevents scratching due to eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and chicken pox and protects from hair-pulling, thumb-sucking, and feeding-tubes. These mittens are also extremely beneficial for any child that is suffering from chicken pox, poison ivy, post-surgery stitches and more.
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.
