We asked our Instagram community how they felt about Valentines Day with 70% of you saying you were in favour of celebrating love. When asked if Eczema gets in the way of your love life, 69% of you said that it gets in the way more than 75% of the time.

With all the dating apps available at our fingertips, selecting your photos and uploading your funny one-liners can be anxiety inducing enough, and that’s all before you factor Eczema into the equation…

If you’re looking for love in 2024, we don’t believe your Eczema should hold you back. Here Eczema clothing, with help from our online community, shares our tips and tricks for dating with itchy skin.

Remember the facts

However isolating it can feel, you are not alone with your Eczema. According to the National Eczema Society, 1 in 10 adults in the UK alone live with Eczema. Whilst a 2022 study showed that 71% of adults self-report as having sensitive skin. That means it is more likely than not that your potential match will have experience of itchy skin themselves or know someone who does.

Remember that everyone has their own battles. What can seem and feel like a flare up to rival Vesuvius to you may be completely unnoticeable to a stranger. Eczema or not, everyone has their own hang ups. Maybe it’s their hair line, maybe it’s their accent or their terrible sense of direction. No one will only see you for your Eczema. And if they do then try to write them off as an anomaly.   

To tell or not to tell?

Whether or not you disclose your Eczema in your profile and or pictures is entirely your choice. If you will feel more comfortable that your potential date is aware of your sensitive skin and know that sharing will help you to relax and be more yourself, then go for it!

However, you do not HAVE to disclose anything. It’s a dating app. Not a criminal record. You do not have to only use pictures showing your Eczema, and it is not catfishing to use pictures when you are having a good skin day. Who knows, you may have a good skin day when you go for your date. 

Where to go?

If you’re planning a dinner date, then choosing somewhere you eat regularly is a good idea if allergies factor into the Eczema equation. If you did want to mention your Eczema in advance, this could be a good way in; “I know a great little place called XXXX, they do an incredible ENTER FAVOURITE MEAL HERE, and also cater to my allergies.” Then when you’re there, you can more easily slide into the topic of your Eczema and how they are linked to your allergies if you so wish.

“Cinema, orrr a darker pub.”

Great suggestions. If you are feeling sensitive about your skin, then why not suggest somewhere you know with good ambient lighting, where you will feel relaxed and at ease. That way, you are eliminating the number of unknowns, and can feel safe in the fact that it is your familiar stomping ground.

So the date’s gone well… now what?

If the date’s gone well and your planning to take things further, it’s worth bearing in mind that not everyone will have your 100% Organic Cotton Bedsheets, Super Soft Pjs and let’s not even get started on the amount of Eczema cream we need to slather on. 

For some, staying at someone else’s place in the early days of dating is just a non-starter. You may feel more comfortable at your own place where you know you’ve got your Eczema essentials at hand and don’t have to face the consequences of falling asleep without taking your make-up off or putting on your hand cream.

"I felt a bit embarrassed when wearing the scratch mitten T in bed, but my boyfriend's first reaction was, wow 😀 this is so soft and calls me now soft paws 😂."

So there you have it... beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Thank you to this anonymous Eczema warrior for sharing their review of our cosy Mitten T. 

If you do think you will be staying the night, then it’s a good idea to have an eczema kit that you can pop in your bag. We like to pack…

• Eczema pants (sexier than they sound), especially if you choose our Julie May Silk underwear
• Eczema Creams. Always useful to have your favourite cream or balm to hand.
• Organic Cotton socks and tights
• 100% Organic Cotton Long Johns (these work well as Pjs, and can double up as a daytime top/bottoms too). 
• A Scratch Mitten T  or super soft 100% organic cotton baselayer that can double as a daytime top or night-time wear.

If your skin is dry, sore and swollen then even the thought of physical contact may be the last thing on your mind. Some with severe Eczema find that it can help sedate the itch and benefit their mood. Neither is wrong. As with all things Eczema it’s really a game of trial and error. Communicate your needs, be gentle with yourself and take your time to trust your partner(s). That’s all you can ask of yourself.

Eczema is not contagious.  

That’s it. No more needs to be said on that point. 

A peek into our DM's...

Our direct messages are always open on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook. As well as helping you with any product queries, they are a space to chat all things Eczema.  @Ekzema_Kids replied to our Instagram call out for tips on dating with Eczema. Read their advice below. 

Good luck to anyone dating with eczema this year. We wish you every success.