Wet Dressings (also known as wet wraps, wet bandages or eczema wraps) are a helpful way to treat stubborn eczema. If you or your child’s eczema is very itchy and affecting your sleep you should consider wet wraps for eczema or a wet wrap suit. Your doctor or nurse can provide you with tailored advice about when to use eczema wraps. As a guide, eczema wraps can be an effective option when:
- You or your child are itching and scratching throughout the night (causing bleeding onto your bedsheets)
- Despite using treatment creams and moisturisers the eczema does not clear
Starting wet dressings for eczema early can reduce the amount of treatment/steroid creams you need to treat you or your child's itchy skin. Remember to consult your doctor/health care professional to make sure wet bandages for eczema are suitable for you and your family.
How does Wet Dressing for Eczema or a Wet Wrap Suit help?
COOL
Wet dressings COOL the skin - by the water evaporating off the wet wrap (just like when sweat helps cool us down)
IMPROVES
Wet wraps keep our skin pores open longer - this IMPROVES the eczema creams to absorb better
CALM
Wet Wrap Suits help settle the itch - as wet wraps are soft and cool.
PROTECT
Wet Dressings provide a barrier or shield (from those sharp nails/claws!)
REHYDRATES
Wet Dressing for eczema helps put moisture back into the skin and REHYDRATES
REJUVENATED
By reducing the itch, eczema wraps allow a better night sleep and feel REJUVENATED
What is the clinical science behind Wet Dressing for Eczema?
- Wet Dressings restore skin barrier function by trapping moisture into the stratum corneum leading to decreased transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Increased lamellar body secretion and recovery of damaged intercellular lipid laminar structure
- Gradient moisture evaporation from wet wraps lead to cooling and vasoconstriction which reduces pruritus or itch
- Wet bandages have anti-inflammatory effects through reducing inflammatory mediators such as serum chemokines and E-selectin
- Eczema wraps enhance uptake of topical medications due to the moist environment
- Wet dressings provide a mechanical barrier to scratching, preventing the itch-scratch cycle and reducing further damage to the skin barrier
- Removal of scale, crust and exudate on removal of eczema wet bandages enhancing the healing process
Which Fabric is best for an Eczema Wet Wrap Suit?
When it comes to Wet Dressing for Eczema it is important to use a material that is up to the job.
Cotton is commonly recommended for eczema. However when used as a wet wrap the cotton fibres tend to extend and contract causing abrasive rubbing on skin. Wet bandages with cotton tend to get warped and misshapen making it tedious to get on and more likely to irritate the skin.
Tubifast or Viscose Rayon is also used as wet bandages for eczema. Viscose is a semi-synthetic fibre and has good water retention. When used for wet wraps it is smoother than cotton but still is rough and can cause discomfort or irritation on eczema prone sensitive skin. It is also of high cost and is not durable. Viscose fibres lose strength easily and tear when wet in wet dressings. They do not last in the wash long. Tubifast also unfortunately provides a great environment for microorganisms and other nasty bugs to grow.
Although soft, silk does not have great absorbency for wet dressing for eczema. Moisture or water will wick away, making it dry quickly. Thus silk would not allow for improving moisturisation when used as wet wraps for eczema.
Tencel is easier to wear with greater comfort and cooling. Tencel is durable and will last many wet wraps and machine washes. Tencel is breathable and is soft as a wet wrap suit. Also Tencel does not promote harmful bacteria and bugs to grow. It also allows for greater movement so your little ones can still explore and play in their wet dressings!