Tag: Urge

What Happens After Eczema Treatment

You might think after undergoing eczema treatment that it will never happen again. Well, it does and these are called flare ups. You have to remember that eczema itself cannot be cured but there are ways to prevent it from coming back.

If you happen to suffer from facial eczema, you can prevent it by washing your face regularly with a nondrying facial cleanser or facial moisturizer. Just be sure that it reads noncomedogenic or oil-free. When you go out, make sure you are only using hypoallergenic makeup and sunscreens.

Eczema does not happen only in the face so you should know how to protect your skin. The best way to do this is to avoid substances that stress your skin and some of these include drying soaps, detergents, fragranced lotions and certain household cleaners. You may have to switch to another brand but at least you are sure that you will not experience any flare ups.

They say that keeping your skin moist is good but did you know that water is not the answer? This is because too much water can dry out your skin. If you need to take bath, make sure it is warm and not too hot. If you have to do the dishes, wear gloves to protect your hands which will be immersed in water for a long period of time. When you are done taking a bath or washing the dishes, pat your skin dry with a coarse towel.

But is water really that bad? The answer is no. Studies have shown that water does not cause flare ups. It is the water that evaporates which you have to worry about.

The clothes you wear may also cause flare-ups and a good example of this is wool. To prevent that, you have change your wardrobe with clothes made of cotton.

You will also need to moisturize your skin. The best ones to use are fragrance-free moisturizers like petroleum jelly which prevents the skin from becoming irritated and cracked.

We told you earlier that eczema cannot be cured. This means it is still there waiting to appear again so resist the urge to scratch the itch. Doing so will make it more difficult for the skin to heal and if there is a break in the skin, bacteria can get in causing an infection.

As much as possible, keep you body cool because sudden changes in the temperature, sweating or becoming overheated causes flare-ups.

If you were given medication by your dermatologist, continue taking them as directed.

The last thing to do after eczema treatment is to relax because stress is another trigger factor associated with eczema.

Seeing a doctor and then applying cream, lotion or treatment does not mean that eczema will not happen again because it does come back. It is only by practicing proper post eczema treatment that you will be able to hold it at bay given that there is no cure for this skin condition.

The good news is that if you are successful in keeping eczema at bay, whatever happened to you will usually clear up before the age of 25 so no one will know that this ever happened. So until then, think smart and get help so can make the most of post eczema treatment.

Wet Wrap Therapy Can Be Used As Eczema Treatment

When ointments, creams and medications are not effective as forms of eczema treatment, perhaps it is time you consider wet wrap therapy. This kind of therapy is able to provide immense relief and at the same time moisturize the sooth and itchy skin. But what is wet wrap therapy?

Wet wrap therapy is all about wrapping wet bandages around the sore skin. It is a mixture of warm water and a special moisturizer and before you wrap yourself up, you have to soak yourself first in a bath with emollient oil so the skin will soon become moist. In cases when the eczema is severe, you can apply anti-itching cream first.

This type of therapy can be used on any part of the body including the face. To make it effective, the wet bandages should be wrapped over dry ones.

The advantage of wet wrap therapy is that it can rehydrate the damaged skin, make you sleep better, reduce the itching you feel and decrease the redness on your skin. This also prevents secondary infection because sometimes, you have the urge to scratch the affected area and without protection, you are sure to make things worse.

Such benefits have been proven in various studies. One study shows that 74% of children who underwent wet wrap therapy reduced their itching habits after just a week. Another study shows that children were able to sleep better because with the help of the moisturizer, they didnt feel the need to scratch.

The only negative thing about wet wrap therapy is the preparation time. Children are not able to sit still for a long period of time making it difficult for whoever is wrapping them with the bandage. Another challenge is adjusting to the sensation of a wet bandage around their body which is quite understandable given that this is not something we are not accustomed to. In the end, you get used to it.

Luckily, for those who are impatient, an alternative will be to moisten your pajamas or whatever clothing you are using. Keep in mind that the temperature in the room must not be too cold because you are already feel cold due to the wet bandages.

Unlike light therapy that is used to treat eczema, this type of treatment is only done for a week or two. During that time, you have to keep the skin hydrated throughout the day with the help of a moisturizer. To make sure that the treatment is effective, you also have to stay away from allergens or other irritants that may cause eczema flare-ups.

Wet wrap therapy is not only used for mild eczema but also for severe atopic dermatitis. In fact, the advantages of this form of therapy are the same. Although doctors recommend it, there are those who are skeptic because of certain risks such as increased cutaneous infections and folliculitis.

Wet wrap therapy is just one of the many forms of eczema treatment now available. If ointments, creams or medication dont work, ask your doctor about it. Just like the other treatments, this can be done at home with the help of a family member as long as they are properly taught how to wrap the bandage around you and take it off.

How to Help an Alcoholic Stop Drinking

If the person that you live with wants to stop drinking, you have to help as well. When an alcoholic wants to stop, you have to give up a few things that you may enjoy. The person will need your support when they are trying to stop the drinking and change. This is not easy for the person to do and you have to be the strong one again. You have to offer encouragement and not offer judgment. Judging the alcoholic that is asking for help is not going to work. You have to offer compassion and support. They are not just doing this for themselves. They are doing it for you as well.

Talk with them about what they are doing. This should be done when they are not drinking. You can calmly explain how the drinking is affecting the family. You can tell them how it has affected your children and your own feelings. In most cases, the alcoholic does not even realize what he or she has done to the family. They never take the time to see how their drinking affects anyone. All they know is that they were doing what they wanted to do.

Make sure that the person knows that you will stand by them through this time. This is probably one of the hardest things to do, but if you care about this person, you have to stand by them and offer any support that you can. If they join AA and continue to attend meetings, the 12-step program could bring up some bad memories that you do not want to hear, but you must listen and forgive or at least try. This is the hardest part of the 12-step program. It can bring back some horrible memories that could be very upsetting.

Offer to stop drinking in front of them if you drink. This is important until the alcoholic feels comfortable with what they are accomplishing. If the person is trying to refrain from drinking and attending meetings, you do not want to be drinking in front of him or her. You have to make some changes as well. You cannot sit and drink even a few cocktails in front of them because the urge to drink for them will be strong until they learn how to control those urges. They may have an urge and slip, but you could offer help there as well.

Offer to be with them whenever they feel a need to drink. If they feel the urge to drink coming, you can be there for the person. Make the thoughts and urges go away by offering to go for a walk or to take a ride. If you have never had an addiction, you cannot for a minute understand how the person feels inside. It is hard to control the urge if the person has been drinking for so long. Do something or go to a diner for a few coffees and just talk.

When the person wants to drink, think of something else the two of you could do instead. This is the best thing you could do for someone that wants to quit drinking, but is have problems with it. You have to be strong and offer to listen or just sit and hold their hand. You have to be supportive and do whatever you can to make sure that they have another option to drinking. It is not easy to overcome an addiction, but with your support and the help of a group or treatment, they can succeed.

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Stop Smoking: A Friends Reminder

Smoking may lead to an addiction; one thing that is very difficult to keep away from your system. Quitting smoking is a very hard process; thus, if your friend is on the process of doing so he will need all your support to do it. Be supportive and encourage him to defeat his urge to smoke. Be there with him as he tries to stop smoking.

Proper Encouragement

As a friend, your encouragement is your best contribution to your friend’s rehabilitation. Remember, with the right words said at the right time, you are able to push your friend to reach his goal. But, how can you really give encouragement without sounding too much of a nagger?

Encouragement follows after a person finally decides to quit smoking. Once he has the determination to quit, you step in to give him words of encouragement so that he will not lose his focus. This is the time when you have to let your friend feel that you are with him throughout this process and that you will stay beside him until he finally reaches his goal. Sometimes, words are not necessary anymore your acts alone may be enough as encouragement.

You also have to remind yourself of the difficulty of the process that your friend is going through. This reminder will let you understand your friend more, and the better you understand his situation, the more helpful you can be. There may be times when your friend may not stop himself from puffing another stick, but you should not use this against him. Instead of criticizing his mistakes, try to remind him of his progress and steer him away from the said errors. You should not dwell on his mistakes, but on how he was able to correct such afterwards.

And though after quitting, addictive substances such as nicotine and tobacco still remain present within the system of someone who has recently stopped smoking. This is what causes relapse. Thus, the process still continues even after a long time, and you should continue to encourage for as long as your friends battle with smoking continues.

Process of Quitting

People have their own ways of quitting. Some say that it is better to quit all at once; however, there are still others who believe that it should be done slowly but surely. Slowly quitting would mean that nicotine exposure would be decreased moderately by consuming lesser cigarettes each day.

Really, it does not matter how one chooses to proceed with quitting. Whatever method he chooses, you should always be ready to give him the encouragement he needs. To do so, here are some things that may help you give confidence to your friend who needs to stop smoking:

1. When you talk about progress, stay positive and inspiring by pointing out the instances when he has really surpassed a trial.
2. Talk about his slip ups but refrain from dwelling on the matter.
3. You should support whatever quitting technique he may have chosen.
4. Help him avoid situations which may trigger his desire for smoking again.
5. Continue to be a friend!

You do not need to be licensed counselor to give good encouragement. All you need to be is to be loyal and one who cares for a friend. Just stay with them, back them up and make them feel that they are not alone in their attempt to stop smoking.