22 Products That Help People With Chronic Illness Manage Skin Irritations
Editor's Note
Any medical information included is based on a personal experience. For questions or concerns regarding health, please consult a doctor or medical professional.
We hope the products below, all recommended by our Mighty community members, help you or a loved one in your health journeys. Just so you know, The Mighty may collect a share of sales from the Amazon links on this page.
For many in our chronic illness community, skin irritations are a symptom of their illness or even a side effect of their medication. Some may experience dry, itchy skin, while others may break out in rashes or hives. The location and manifestation of skin issues vary widely, but all can be frustrating, uncomfortable and even painful to live with day to day.
If you are struggling with skin irritations, we recommend you first talk with your doctor about possible treatments or medications that would be most beneficial for you and your specific symptoms. Many in our Mighty chronic illness community have also found various lotions, washes and other non-prescription products to be helpful in managing their conditions. To help others who are struggling to find relief, they shared the products they use and recommend for managing or coping with skin irritations. (Be sure to check the label for any ingredients you may be allergic or sensitive to, and talk with your doctor about which products would be best for you and your skin.)
Here are our community’s recommendations.
1. Solarcaine
“Solarcaine First Aid Lotion [featured above],” recommended Mary-Anne McDermott. “It has just 0.5 percent lidocaine. It’s just enough to help me with with the itchiness from hives or when I have a reaction to the sun because of my medications, that results in pinpoint rash that burns like sunburn. It’s the only thing that I’ve found that works.”
“Solarcaine aloe gel,” said Melanie Cyr. “Lidocaine helps to stop the itching and the aloe soothes the skin. Not just for sunburns!”
“Solarcaine spray or cream,” suggested Beata Bardi.
Buy the lotion above for $15.95 from Amazon.
2. The Seaweed Bath Co.
“Seaweed Bath Company’s hydrating bath soaks!” wrote Sarah Langer. “It calms itching, rashes, tender skin and eczema for me. I follow it up with Badger Balm’s Beauty Balm, which repairs my skin quickly and is so soothing.”
Buy the seaweed bath soak above for $3.99 from The Seaweed Bath Co.
3. LUSH
Melanie Cyr said, “Lush solid shampoo are easy to use, clean very well and are great for your skin.”
“Dream Cream from Lush for dry eczema. Or Gold Bond when I’m itchy all over. Works wonders!” Rai Smith told us.
“Lush Dream Cream [featured above], it’s soothing as it contains chamomile and it’s great on sensitive skin. I’ve used it for everything from cooling hives, moisturizing dry skin (and before I put on makeup) to helping my tattoo to heal when it was a couple of days old (important: not good on fresh tattoos!). The smell isn’t too overpowering but just enough to have a calming effect. It’s all natural, vegan and cruelty-free – LUSH will even recycle the empty pot for you when it’s done and if you give them enough you get a free fresh face mask. I don’t work for them or anything, but this is a holy grail product for me and I’ve been using it daily for over a year,” explained Bambi Gilbert.
Buy the cream above for $29.95 from LUSH.
4. JASON Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner
Tina Gutowski Pushinsky wrote, “Tea tree oil shampoo, such as JASON’s, helped heal the pustular psoriasis on my head. Salicylic acid face/body wash and glycerin soap helps elsewhere for me.”
Buy the shampoo and conditioner above for $18.99 from Amazon.
5. CeraVe
Stephen Fratello told us, “CeraVe anti-itch cream [featured above] helps a lot and also Vanicream [with] zinc oxide. [For me] nothing works as good as good ol’ fashioned steroids, though.”
“I’m allergic to mineral oil and glycerin, so I have to be extra cautious,” said Karen Machey. “I love CeraVe cleanser and lotion.”
Buy the lotion above for $9.69 from Amazon.
6. Purepotions
“Purepotions Skin Salvation Intensive Ointment is fab for bites, hives, rashes and eczema and is all natural,” advised Alice Emerald. “So much better than steroid creams from my GP.”
Buy the ointment above for $25.23 from Amazon.
7. Aquaphor
April Richards told us, “Aquaphor is what my whole family uses, whether it’s eczema or dry skin from dehydration. If my kids see each other scratching themselves they tell them to get the Aquaphor.”
“Aquaphor healing ointment,” recommended Kelly Persinger.
Buy the ointment above for $13.69 from Amazon.
8. Coconut Oil
“Coconut oil!” said Tina Hipp. “Cold pressed and unrefined. I have Sjogrens’s and the dry skin is a nightmare. I like having a non-chemical option that helps.”
“Dry brushing your skin, coconut oil and Dr. Teal’s epsom salt bubble bath with coconut oil. For your face, make a scrub with coconut oil and baking soda, then wash your face after so the oil doesn’t clog your pores,” recommended Rebecca Juhl.
“I moisturize with coconut oil every night and anytime after I shower,” said Angela Dinsmore. “I put it straight onto the wet skin and let it dry. Really helps seal in moisture, and keeping my skin moisturized helps prevent problems from getting worse. I also only do short cool/warm showers. Before I go to sleep, I also apply an overnight moisture mask, Freeman’s Feeling Beautiful Hydrating Honeydew and Chamomile Overnight Cream Mask, to my hands and problem spots. And I use Alba Botanicals Very Emollient Body Lotion Coconut Rescue when I wake up and on my hands during the day. My skin seems healthier and stronger since I got into these habits. Just habitually moisturizing makes a big difference. I have hEDS, Sjogren’s, dysautonomia and mast cell activation syndrome.”
Buy the coconut oil above for $10.25 from Amazon.
9. Keller Works’ Elliott’s Body Butter
“There’s a natural lotion that I found from Keller Works. The owner’s son has eczema and she made this natural butter for him. I love it. It’s the Elliott’s body butter. Oh and completely natural!” recommended Meara Simpson.
Buy the body butter above for $12 from Keller Works.
10. Aveeno
“Aveeno baby ezcema lotion [featured above], Anti-Monkey Butt powder and mild soap if it is a minor outbreak,” wrote Michelle Renee Harris.
“Aveeno baby lotion with lavender,” said Briea J. Beausoleil. “Softens my skin and keeps it deeply moisturized but has the relaxing smell of lavender and camomile.”
Savana Soares told us, “I always use Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer, it helps so much when my face breaks out in patches of hives and itchiness.”
“Aveeno oatmeal products,” added Samantha Renae Weaver. “They have soap, bath soaks and lotion that I know of. It calms the burning and stinging of my hives!”
Buy the moisturizing cream above for $8.99 from Amazon.
11. Ice Packs
“I always keep ice packs in the fridge for when I get red, swollen, itchy rashes that radiate heat. The ice packs reduce the amount of time to recover from these rashes,” explained Ash Leigh.
Buy the cold gel pack above for $11.29 from Amazon.
12. Johnson’s Baby Wash
“Baby wash,” said Monica Jumper. “I use it when my skin is being super sensitive. It works as shampoo, face wash, body wash and even shaving cream!”
“Johnson’s organic baby wash has been a life-changing product for my extremely dry and sensitive skin,” added Sarah Barnard.
Buy the baby wash above for $7.99 from Amazon.
13. Noxzema Facial Cleanser
“Noxzema facial cleanser,” said Melanie Cyr. “Quick, easy and clean without overdrying my skin.”
Buy the cleansing cream above for $14.99 from Amazon.
14. Maui Moisture
“Diabetic lotion. It’s literally the best for dry skin and eczema. For hives I use Benadryl cream and/or Benadryl… My scalp has been fine since I started using Maui Moisture, since it’s gluten-free and vegan,” explained Christa Riter.
Buy the shampoo above for $5.56 from Amazon.
15. Melaleuca’s Renew Lotion
“My legs get extremely itchy, and Renew lotion from Melaleuca is the only thing I’ve found that helps. It’s amazing!” Chelsea Smith told us.
Buy the lotion above from Melaleuca. (You must become a member to purchase Melaleuca products.)
16. Gold Bond Anti-Itch Lotion
“Gold Bond Anti-Itch Lotion!” wrote Rachel Johnson. “I have shingles right now and I’d die without it!”
“Gold Bond Ultimate Healing lotion,” added Ruth Holm.
Buy the anti-itch lotion above for $13.45 from Amazon.
17. Zim’s Max Freeze Roll-On
“Zim’s Max Freeze roll-on,” said Shannon Wright. “Stronger than Biofreeze. Cheaper than Biofreeze. OMG it is a lifesaver.”
Buy the pain relief gel above for $8.99 from Amazon.
18. dōTERRA Essential Oils
Amanda Radosti told us, “I use oils, dōTERRA essential oils. Lavender is a natural antihistamine.”
Justine Reddish recommended, “dōTERRA lavender oil.”
Buy the lavender essential oil above for $28 from doTERRA.
19. Origins
“Origins overnight rescue deep moisture mask,” recommended Kristin Marie Kaskeski. “Not sure what about it helps but it calms my skin down, cools it down every time.”
Buy the overnight mask above for $27 from Origins.
20. Sarna Anti-Itch Lotion
“Sarna lotion,” recommended Christi Saunders Fortson. “Great for the itch and irritation.”
Buy the anti-itch lotion above for $10.32 from Amazon.
21. The Honest Company
“The Honest Company’s diaper cream!” said Sarena Ezzell. “It helps soothe the burning that my lupus sores cause and it decreases some of the redness and inflammation.”
Buy the diaper rash cream above for $9.79 from Amazon.
22. Cetaphil
“This stuff has been a lifesaver,” said Sasha Baker. “I was diagnosed with eczema and an allergy to oatmeal (which is in a lot of eczema relief lotions) and this is the one thing that’s helped incredibly! I recommend it to everyone I know.”
Buy the facial cleanser above for $18.99 from Amazon.
Paige is passionate about helping people with chronic health issues share their stories and connect with one another.
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