7 Crucial Skincare Dos and Don'ts for Eczema, Psoriasis & Rosacea

Steps you can take to prevent and treat eczema (as well as Atopic Dermatitis, Psoriasis and Rosacea):

1) Should you use anti-bacterial cleansers on your children?

Overuse of anti-bacterial sanitizers and cleansers kills the good bacteria on your skin. For children this hinders the development of their natural immunity. Washing with non-antibacterial soap is better as it removes dirt and germs by mechanical action, not chemical action, which does not as severely hamper the development a natural immune response.

Furthermore, one of the common ingredients used in anti-bacterial cleansers is Triclosan. This is considered a dangerous toxin and banned in Europe, but still found in commercial anti-bacterial soaps in Singapore.

2) Should you avoid harsh anti-microbial products such as Dettol?

Dettol and other disinfectants are meant to clean the floor and for only occasional use topically for cuts and wounds - NOT for constant use to treat eczema! It is much too harsh for constant contact with skin and will cause more irritation.

3) Should you use avoid regularl and frequent steroid use?

Once you develop steroidal dependency, stopping usually leads to eczema flare ups coming back far worse, leading to a vicious cycle of increased steroid dependency that can cause serious long term health problems. Steroids are only meant to reduce and suppress inflammation/infection and should only be use occasionally, not regularly. Avoid constant, long term use of steroids as much as possible, because one of the known side effects is the thinning of the skin. What that means is that your skin becomes less and less able to fight bacteria due to its disappearing protective dermis!

4) What about liquid soap, shampoo and body wash?

Many commercially available liquid soaps, shampoos and body washes contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) or Cocamidopropyl Betaine(CMPB). These are all proven skin irritants. Unfortunately 99% of shampoos and body/hand washes use these harsh chemicals as the primary ingredients because they are cheap detergents and foam well. It can be helpful to avoid them if your skin is sensitive, dry or oily to help your skin better regulate oil production.

5) Is natural soap better than cleansers marketed as gentle?

Commercial cleanses such as Cetaphil and QV contain parabens, which are banned for use on young children in almost 30 countries.

Parabens are synthetic preservatives commonly used to extend the shelf life of lotions, shampoos, and makeup. The European Union has banned or strictly limited several types of parabens due to growing evidence that they act as endocrine disruptors, raising valid concerns among parents and conscious consumers about long-term risks to reproductive health and childhood development.

Denmark took this caution a step further by becoming the first country to completely ban certain parabens (like propylparaben and butylparaben) in skincare products for children under three, aiming to protect vulnerable, developing hormone systems. These regulatory changes have raised valid concerns among parents and conscious consumers about long-term health risks, prompting many families to turn away from traditional chemical formulas and switch to clean, natural skincare alternatives to protect their loved ones.

However The Soap Haven's natural soap does not contain any SLS, parabens or harsh chemicals. Commercial companies which churn out thousands of bottles a day would never manufacture such soap because it takes at least 2-3 weeks to cure each batch of natural soap. And the ingredients they use are cheap mass produced chemicals. They do not use the high quality natural ingredients we use to make their cleansers, as it will not be profitable for them!

6) Should you avoid anything with fragrance?

In the commercial markets, anything with the word “fragrance” is a way to hide the ingredients used. This means a product with fragrance as an ingredient can contain many different types of chemicals that can be irritants or potentially harmful to the body. When a list of ingredients is not disclosed individually, a manufacturer lists it as “fragrance”. Fragrance in skincare products is a common irritant and trigger for eczema flare ups.

7) Should you use an all natural moisturise or balm that contains no parabens or harmful chemicals?
With damaged skin or the epidermal layers gone, the skin's protection is also reduced. Moisturisers/balms keep the skin protected. However as most commercial moisturisers/lotions out there contain tons of chemicals like phthalates and even petroleum by-products, which act as sealants on your skin that clog your pores and prevent your skin from breathing. What most commercial companies do is extract the glycerin (natural moisturiser) from the soap during the soap/cleanser making process and then manufacture and package it as a moisturiser/lotion for you!

The Soap Haven moisturising cream and body balms are natural and keep moisture locked in and without clogging your pores to keep your skin breathable and healthy!