People with eczema can enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor activities while taking precautions to manage their condition. Here’s a list of activities for both settings:
Indoor Activities
Indoor Swimming: Swimming in a chlorinated pool can be less irritating to the skin than natural bodies of water. After swimming, rinse off thoroughly and apply moisturizer.- Gentle Yoga: Practicing yoga indoors can help reduce stress and improve flexibility. Look for classes that focus on gentle or restorative yoga.
- Cooking or Baking: Spend time in the kitchen preparing your favorite meals and baked goods. Be mindful of any food triggers that may worsen your eczema.
- Art and Craft Projects: Engage in creative activities such as painting, knitting, or crafting. Be cautious with materials that may trigger allergies, and keep your hands clean.
- Indoor Sports: Consider indoor sports like table tennis, badminton, or racquetball. Wear breathable clothing and stay hydrated.
- Museum Visits: Explore art, science, or history museums to learn and be inspired without exposure to outdoor allergens.
- Reading or Writing: Reading books, writing, or journaling can be both relaxing and intellectually stimulating indoor activities.
- Movie Nights: Organize movie nights with friends or family at home or in a cozy indoor setting.
- Gym Workouts: Use indoor gyms or fitness centers for workouts. Choose materials that are comfortable and breathable for exercise clothing.
Outdoor Activities
- Gentle Hiking: Opt for well-maintained hiking trails in your area. Wear breathable clothing and protective gear to prevent irritation from outdoor allergens.
- Biking: Enjoy a leisurely bike ride in parks or on paved trails, taking care to protect your skin from the sun.
- Outdoor Picnics: Have a picnic in a clean, well-maintained park. Use a blanket to sit on and bring foods that don’t trigger your eczema.
- Birdwatching: Take a nature walk or sit quietly in a park to watch and identify local birds.
- Gardening: If you love plants, consider gardening. Wear gloves to protect your hands and long sleeves to shield your arms from contact with soil and plants.
- Outdoor Yoga or Tai Chi: Practice yoga or Tai Chi in a serene outdoor setting, which can be both relaxing and rejuvenating.
- Photography: Capture the beauty of nature with outdoor photography. It allows you to enjoy the outdoors while pursuing a creative hobby.
- Beach Days: Enjoy the beach by staying in the shade, wearing protective clothing, and using hypoallergenic sunscreen.
- Fishing: Engage in fishing as a peaceful outdoor activity. Wear protective clothing and take precautions to avoid contact with allergens.
- Geocaching: Combine outdoor adventure with treasure hunting using a GPS device.
Remember to moisturize before and after engaging in outdoor activities, and have your prescribed medications or creams on hand for any flare-ups. Your specific eczema triggers and comfort levels may vary, so it’s essential to adapt these activities to your individual needs and consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice.
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Helping you since 2001
The Malta Eczema Society was set up in 2001 to help those with eczema and their families. The need for such a group in Malta, as found in other countries, had been felt for a long time. The society aims to help by providing support, information and practical advice via public talks and other activities and to increase awareness about eczema and the problems it may cause.
The Malta Eczema Society has also repeatedly lobbied the Maltese Health Authorities regarding entitlement for free medication for eczema sufferers. Until recently, patients with eczema, unlike those with other chronic conditions, were not eligible for any free medication for their condition no matter how severe and chronic it was because eczema was not included in the Schedule V list of chronic diseases. This was very unfair and discriminatory.
We are pleased to note that in 2021 the Schedule V list was amended to include patients with severe chronic forms of eczema. This was a big step in the right direction. However it is disappointing that new effective medications for severe eczema such as dupilumab and JAK inhibitors, which have been used in other countries for several years, are still not available in Malta. It is hoped that these will now become available here too. The MES will continue to insist that available funds should be utilised according to patients’ needs and that patients should not be discriminated according to which chronic disease they are unlucky enough to have. Eczema sufferers pay taxes like everyone else and should be given the assistance they deserve like other patients.
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Eczema: Tools for school
Mrs Melissa Zarb shared her experience with eczema followed by Dr Michael Boffa, President, Malta Eczema Society and Presentation by Dr Daniel Micallef, Dermatologist.
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