Eczema is a form of atopoic dermatitis, a skin condition that can cause mild to severe symptoms of red, itchy bumps, weeping sores, dry, scaly, and cracked skin. One of the earliest symptoms of eczema is the need to scratch. To reduce this discomfort, you can make changes in the soaps you use, both on your skin and on your clothes. Fragrances in lotions and fragrances and cologne can also impact your skin reaction. Finally, high levels of stress can worsen an eczema flare-up.

The best laundry detergents for eczema-prone skin include:

1. Tide Free & Gentle
Tide Free & Gentle is formulated to remove all of the products that stain and damage clothing, but it does it with no dyes or perfumes. Both the National Eczema Association and the National Psoriasis Foundation recognize this version of Tide as an effective way to reduce the risk of a perfume or dye related eczema flare up

2. Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Laundry Detergent
The Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Laundry Detergent gives the shopper more options. You can get this product in powder or liquid. Additionally, you can find it in a dye and perfume free version with or without OxiClean. Finally, this product can be found with a scent added that is hypoallergenic. All of these products are dermatologist tested

3. Dreft
While these products are known in the world of infant skin care, they offer protection for skin of all ages! Consider using the Family Friendly Liquid Detergent as a way both to protect the skin of your entire clan and avoid complicating your laundry process. This product is formulated to work on stains from baby onesies to adult clothing. If odor is a concern, such as when washing workout clothes, be aware that Dreft offers many pre-treatments to release odors from fabric prior to washing

4. Purex Baby Laundry
For those of us on a budget, Purex Baby Laundry products offer a hypoallergenic option at a good price. It should be noted that this product does have a mild scent, but dermatologist tested and hypoallergenic. Testing of this product by consumers has included treatment of coffee and grass stains to good effect, and it is color safe. While this product doesn’t claim to be usable for the whole family, the stain-fighting abilities indicate that it can be used for the whole clan

5. Seventh Generation Free & Clear
If you’re seeking a way to buy more sustainable products and protect your skin, Seventh Generation Free & Clear laundry detergent is an excellent choice. This company is working hard to support sustainable ingredients, such as palm oil. Additionally, this is an enzymatic cleaning product, so stains and odors trapped in fabric will not just be washed away but will actually be dissolved and broken up by the function of the soap. It is completely free of dyes and perfumes, and is hypoallergenic as well

It’s important to note that once your skin is inflamed, more products will bother it. If your eczema is related to seasonal allergies, your laundry soap may exacerbate the condition when the ragweed level is high. The more you can do to lower your reaction risk, including reducing your exposure to perfumes and dyes, the less intense your next flare-up will be. Using a laundry soap that will lower your risk of reaction is a great step along the way to controlling eczema.