Everyday skincare for eczema

About this guide

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is common in Singapore — around 13% of people have it at some point, and it’s more common in children (about 1 in 5) than in adults. It’s a chronic skin condition that can’t be cured, but with a consistent daily routine and the right treatment during flares, most people get their skin well controlled and stay that way.

This is the first of three short guides we give our eczema patients:

1. Everyday skincare for eczema (you are here) — the daily routine that keeps most flares at bay
2. Managing an eczema flare — what to do when the itching and inflammation come back
3. Children with eczema — and when to call us — age-specific tips and the red-flag signs that need a clinic visit

Everyday skincare is the foundation for all of them. When we see patients whose eczema is hard to control, the single most common finding is under-moisturising. The routine below is the single biggest lever you have.

A note about eczema

Eczema is a long-term skin condition where the skin’s barrier doesn’t hold water well and becomes over-reactive to irritants and allergens. The two hallmarks are dry skin (in about 73% of patients) and itch (in about 94%). It typically flares and settles over time rather than staying constant.

Part of why eczema skin is “leaky” comes down to the skin’s structural proteins. One of the most important is called filaggrin — it helps skin cells stick together, holds moisture in the outer layer of the skin, and helps keep the pH right to defend against irritants and bacteria. Many people with eczema carry a gene variant that produces less filaggrin, which is one reason the skin barrier is more reactive, why eczema tends to run in families, and why daily moisturising is a structural necessity rather than just a comfort measure.

Eczema can look slightly different in Asian skin. It is often drier and more scaly than the images typically shown online, and chronic scratching can cause thickening of the skin (lichenification). Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is another common feature in Asian skin — patches of skin affected by eczema can leave darker brown or grey marks that persist for weeks to months after the flare settles. Darker skin tones may also show active inflammation as violet, grey, or brown rather than the bright red you might see in textbook images. The hyperpigmentation is not permanent in most cases, but it is one of the reasons to control flares early rather than letting untreated eczema run its course.

You can’t cure eczema, but you can control it. The goal is flare-free skin most of the time, with good tools ready for when flares happen.

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise

If you only remember one thing from this guide, remember this: moisturiser is the single most important part of eczema care — more important than any cream, lotion, or medicine your doctor prescribes for a flare.

• Apply liberally, at least twice a day — even on days your skin looks clear.
• Keep going during remissions. Moisturising only when your skin is bad is one of the most common reasons flares come back.
• Use much more than you think you need. A general rule of thumb is roughly 500g per week for an adult, 250g per week for a child, and 125g per week for an infant as a minimum. These figures aren’t tied to any specific formulation — lotions tend to spread thinly so you may go through more; creams and especially oil-based ointments are more occlusive and you may use less. The honest point is: most people use a small fraction of this, and most of the “my moisturiser isn’t working” conversations at the clinic come back to under-application rather than the wrong product.
• Apply moisturiser within a few minutes of getting out of the shower, while your skin is still slightly damp. This traps water in the skin and is much more effective than applying later.

Choosing the right moisturiser

The right moisturiser matters. Look for:

• Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. Fragrance is one of the most common skin-irritant culprits.
• Ceramide-containing formulations are our usual first choice. Ceramides are natural components of healthy skin, and moisturisers that include them help rebuild the barrier that eczema has compromised.
• For skin that is very dry, cracked, or where you have small cuts, an oil-based ointment works better than a lotion or cream, because it is more occlusive and seals water in.
• Avoid urea-containing moisturisers during a flare. Urea is a good humectant for maintenance in non-inflamed dry skin, but on cracked or inflamed skin it can sting. Keep it for calm skin if you use it at all.

If you use multiple products, apply them in order of consistency: gels first, then lotions, then creams, then ointments.

The best moisturiser is the one you’ll actually use every day. Cost and how it feels on your skin both matter — it’s worth trying two or three formulations to find one you don’t mind using twice a day for the rest of your life.

Soak and seal — the bathing routine

How you shower matters almost as much as the moisturiser.

1. Keep showers lukewarm, not hot. Hot water strips the skin’s natural oils and worsens dryness.
2. Keep showers short — 5 to 10 minutes is plenty.
3. Pat dry with a soft towel — don’t rub. Rubbing is a form of scratching and damages already-fragile skin.
4. Apply moisturiser within a few minutes of pat-drying, while the skin is still slightly damp. This is sometimes called “soak and seal” — the damp skin is what you’re sealing moisture into.

Wash with a fragrance-free, non-soap cleanser. Traditional bar soap is alkaline (pH around 9–10) and strips the skin’s natural oils, which is the opposite of what eczema-prone skin needs. Non-soap cleansers — sometimes called syndet bars or cleansers in dermatology (“syndet” is short for synthetic detergent, meaning they use gentler surfactants formulated closer to the skin’s natural pH of about 5.5) — are a kinder alternative. Products you’ll find in most local pharmacies include:

• Liquid / wash formats: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, QV Gentle Wash, Aveeno Skin Relief
• Bar formats: Cetaphil Cleansing & Moisturising Syndet Bar, Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar (a syndet despite its “beauty bar” marketing name), CeraVe Hydrating Cleansing Bar, Sebamed Cleansing Bar

If you’re already using one of these and your skin is comfortable with it, there’s no need to switch. If you’re not sure what you’re using, bring the bottle or bar to a consultation and we’ll take a look.

What to wear, and how to wash it

• Cotton is kindest to eczema skin. Avoid wool (often itchy) and synthetic fabrics that trap heat and sweat.
• Wash clothes in a fragrance-free detergent.
• Skip fabric softener. Softeners contain fragrances and residues that are a common irritant in eczema-prone skin.
• If your child has sensitive skin, this applies to bed linen too — especially pillowcases and sheets.

Common triggers worth thinking about

The triggers most commonly identified in our patients in Singapore:

Environment:

• Extreme hot, cold, or very dry weather (including prolonged aircon)
• House dust mites
• Pet dander
• Air pollutants, including haze
• Insect bites

Everyday life:

• Stress
• Smoking (including passive smoking for children)
• Rough or synthetic fabrics
• Chemical irritants (household cleaners, some personal care products)
• Other skin infections
• General illness — a cold or fever can set off a flare

Complete avoidance isn’t realistic for most of these, but minimising exposure where you can is worth the effort.

Food allergies are a more common eczema trigger in children than in adults, though in some adults whose eczema remains active despite a consistent daily routine and appropriate treatment, a specific food can occasionally contribute. In either case, please raise it at a consultation rather than starting an elimination diet on your own — poorly-planned eliminations can cause nutritional problems, especially in children. For more on food allergies and children, see Children with eczema — and when to call us.

Small things that make the routine stick

Daily twice-a-day moisturising is simple but easy to skip. A few tricks that help:

• Keep a tube of moisturiser at your bedside, in your bag, and by the basin. Friction is the enemy of consistency.
• Apply after hand-washing as well — every hand-wash strips moisture.
• If you use a specific moisturiser you like, buy two at a time so you never run out and default to “whatever’s in the cupboard.”
• Make it part of an existing routine — after your shower, before bed — rather than a new habit to remember.

When to read the other two guides

• If your skin has become red, very itchy, or inflamed — see Managing an eczema flare. Everyday skincare continues during a flare; it doesn’t replace flare treatment.
• If you’re caring for a child or baby with eczema, or you want the red-flag list for when to come to the clinic quickly — see Children with eczema — and when to call us.

Get in touch

Joo Chiat — 172 Joo Chiat Road, #01-01, Singapore 427443 · Tel 6920 1952

Punggol — 658 Punggol East, #01-04, Singapore 820658 · Tel 6312 4589

Email — admin@ktmc.sg

References

• Agency for Care Effectiveness (ACE). Mild and moderate atopic dermatitis (eczema) — a journey from flare to care. ACE Clinical Guideline, Ministry of Health, Singapore. February 2026. ace-hta.gov.sg
• Drislane C, Irvine AD. The role of filaggrin in atopic dermatitis and allergic disease. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2020;124(1):36-43. PubMed

This information is for general education only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Eczema management varies with severity, age, and individual factors — please speak with our team about what’s right for you. v1.0 · April 2026 · Review due April 2028.