The Ultimate Guide For Traveling With Eczema 

This is a post I’ve wanted to write for a while, because traveling with eczema is something I’ve struggled with myself, and something that I like to think I’ve become pretty good at making less stressful. 

Anyone who suffers from eczema will know how bad flare ups can get after just a day or two of not looking after your skin properly, so it’s no surprise that it can be hard to keep eczema under control whilst traveling. 

But that’s not to say that having eczema should hold you back from seeing the world and living adventures! Here are some hopefully handy tips to help you make traveling with eczema stress free. Because this is such a personal article, I’d love to know what you think, so feel free to let me know any thoughts or feedback at contact@travellifestylemagazine.com.

And if you think this article could help anyone else, please don’t forget to share!

Making your environment eczema friendly

Visit your doctor or dermatologist before traveling

So you’ve got a trip planned, but you’re not sure how the climate, food, or different environment will affect your eczema. The very first thing you should do, before you’ve even started packing, is visit your doctor or dermatologist!

They’ll be able to remind you what triggers to avoid, give you advice on how to avoid flare ups and what to do if they occur, and they’ll be able to prescribe you the right creams and treatments to take with you.

Always try and book rooms with air conditioning

Being too hot can trigger an eczema flare up, so if you’re traveling somewhere hot, do your best to book accommodation with air conditioning.

This way, you’ll be more comfortable throughout the night and therefore less likely to scratch in your sleep.

If you can’t get AC, make sure you can cool yourself down

Sometimes it might not be possible to book accommodation with air conditioning, if you’re traveling on a budget, or to some far off corner of the earth. But you still need to have a way to cool yourself down, especially if getting hot and sweaty causes your skin to worsen.

You can get creative with cooling down by doing things like putting your bed sheets in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before bed.

Or one travel accessory I always take with me is an ice towel. It’s a lightweight towel that once wet, stays super cold for ages. It might sound a bit weird, and I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure it would work at first, but it’s actually quite useful for keeping cool at night. If you have a flare up in a particular area you can also lay something cool, like an ice towel, over the area to soothe it.

Make sure you have access to a shower or bath

Most accommodation options will have a shower or bath anyway, but just double check before booking.

You don’t need a luxury bathroom at your disposal, if you’re camping or in budget accommodation you’ll have to make do with what you’ve got. But as long as you’ve got access to running water, you’ll be able to wash.

Washing regularly is really important if you want to keep your eczema under control, and having a shower or bath to use whenever you want is going to make traveling with eczema a whole lot easier.

Bring your own pillow cases and/or bed sheets

Detergent can often be a trigger for flare ups, so you might find that when you stay somewhere new, the bed sheets cause you to start itching.

A simple solution to avoid this is to take your own bed sheets and pillow cases. You’ll be able to sleep easy knowing that the bed sheets won’t irritate your skin, and you’ll feel just as comfortable as you do at home.

Know where the nearest medical facility or pharmacy is

If you have a severe eczema flare up, or if you run out of your prescription creams and treatments, you might need to visit a medical facility, or pharmacy.

Even if you don’t think it likely to happen, it’s worth checking what medical facilities there are at your destination, so that you can easily find your way to them if need be.

Make sure you’ve got travel insurance

If you’re traveling with eczema, it’s really important that you make sure you’ve got valid travel insurance. If you do end up visiting a medical facility, the last thing you want is to receive a huge medical bill.

Avoid food that might trigger a flare up

Trying new foods is part of the travel experience, but if you know there are some foods, like dairy for example, that act as eczema triggers, it’s best just to steer clear of them.

Use Google Translate to find out how to ask for dishes without certain foods or ingredients, and this way you’ll still be able to try new things, without the risk of flaring up as a result.

Packing the right stuff

Pack loose cotton clothing

Packing the right clothes can make traveling with eczema so much less stressful. Loose cotton clothing can keep you cool, and won’t irritate your skin.

In fact, sometimes wearing long sleeved or long legged loose cotton clothing can be more soothing for your skin than exposing your skin to the sun.

If you’re traveling somewhere cold, pack plenty of layers

It’s not just hot weather that can irritate your skin and cause flare ups, cold weather can do the same.

So if you’re traveling in the winter months, or to a particularly cold destination, pack plenty of layers so that you can keep warm. And remember to make sure your layers aren’t made from irritable material!

Bring all of your prescription medications

If you have prescription medication to help you manage your eczema, take it with you! Make sure you’ve got enough to last the duration of your trip, and keep the original labels with your name and the medication details on. This way if you run out of anything, you can take the label to a medical facility you may be able to get a top up.

Pack your favourite moisturisers, shampoos and conditioners

If you have moisturisers, shampoos, conditioners or any other products that you’re comfortable with and that you know won’t cause an eczema break out, take them with you!

You can pack liquids in your check in luggage, and whilst it’s going to add a bit of extra weight, it’s worth it. You don’t want to have to find products that are eczema friendly in a new destination, especially not if there’s a language barrier.

Bring travel sized moisturisers for the plane journey

As well as bringing moisturisers and products in your check-in luggage, pack travel sized moisturisers in your carry-on bag.

The air conditioning in planes can really dry your skin out, so keep a moisturiser on you, and keep your skin hydrated!

Find some natural home remedies

If you’re traveling anywhere obscure, you might not be able to find medicines so it’s a good idea to know how you can soothe eczema without medication. There are plenty of natural home remedies you could try that will soothe sore skin, using easy-to-find ingredients.

Pack eczema friendly sunscreen

Sunscreen is something you definitely don’t want to go traveling without, but it’s something that can worsen eczema, especially if it has ‘stinging’ ingredients.

Rather than buying sunscreen at your destination, do research into eczema friendly sunscreen, and try out a couple of different brands. This way, you won’t need to worry about finding the right suncream when you’re out and about on your travels.

Being smart about your daily routine

Wash as regularly as you normally would

It can be tempting to let your normal daily routine slip and skip your morning shower to head straight out on a day trip. But keeping clean and washing regularly is key to keeping your eczema under control.

I don’t know about you, but even skipping one shower can cause me to flare up, especially if it’s hot outside. After a short while traveling, I realised one of the most important things was to shower every day.

Moisturise and apply treatments as much as you would at home

Keep up your moisturising routine, and apply creams each day, or even several times each day, whatever you need (everyone is different).

Try not to forget, as this could lead to a quick decline in your skin’s health. I always moisturise after a shower, so that the two go hand-in-hand.

Drink lots of fluids, especially when flying

You want to keep your skin hydrated and to do that, you need to drink lots of fluids as well as moisturising.

When you’re flying this is particularly important, as the air in planes can really dry your skin out and dehydrate you.