My advice can’t be one sized fits all since this hereditary disease doesn’t have the same symptoms person to person or with different sex. I’m male so some of this probably won’t apply. Actually from what Dermatologists have told me, it’s much less common that women have symptoms at all, usually skips them. Then again, they also told me I’d grow out of it and that it was a youth disease that faded in adulthood. Never did for me.

I find water itself is a skin irritant especially if it’s hot. Cold showers are ideal but it’s unpleasant so I compromise with luke warm showers to avoid opening skin pores as much as reasonably possible… Pat dry, no rubbing skin with a towel. Want to keep what little natural oil we make in place. I’m of the opinion that people with our condition shouldn’t shower as often as is socially pressured. Certainly not daily. I do every three days. Of course, spot clean where you sweat or excrete more often. No romantic partner of mine has ever complained, quite the opposite in fact. Obviously take nuance into account. Working a dirty/sweaty job changes things. Where you live changes things. It does for me, I’ll get into that when it comes to lotion/cream.

For laundry, no fabric softener. No scented detergents. Maybe try to wear less moisture wicking fabrics during winter…keep in mind I live in an arid frigid climate during the winter, but hot humid in the summer.

So onto the daily skin care routine then.

Year round I swear by Ammonium Lactate Lotion 12% especially for the tender/thinner skin on our faces/heads/ears. Personally I get a lot of skin flaking in my eyebrows and glabella (the stretch of skin between the eyebrows) and this lotion will do a good job of dissolving dead skin flakes and also keep my face from drying out all day while also letting skin breathe enough not to cause profuse facial sweating or any discomfort. It does sting a little or used to when I was a child at least. I don’t feel it anymore unless I accidentally get it in my eyes or something.

I apply in the morning and again in the evening. Have to after any bathing too of course.

Currently I use this brand, but I buy whatever is cheap with enough Ammonium Lactate in it. The prices change quite often. Sometimes they get unreasonable, so no brand loyalty: https://media.piefed.social/posts/HA/0Y/HA0YPXJeVhRqHzA.jpg

For my feet I use an Electronic Foot File and then use Vaseline before putting my socks on. Every morning.

For full body, it depends on the season here. Winter I use: https://dierbe.ca/collections/eczema-care/products/super-dry-patch-body-butter

Super Dry Patch Body Butter is intense. It’s far too much moisture capture for summer heat/humidity. You can’t use it on your face, you’ll rain sweat. This one is for cold and dry air in the winter months of Edmonton, Canada for example. Lasts all day though when it’s appropriate. Very very good at what it does.

For the summer months I use 20% Urea lotion, this brand currently: https://media.piefed.social/posts/Mk/yJ/MkyJ0UOAaExGaEV.jpg with the same caveat regarding price fluctuation. This one burns when putting it on, much stronger acid of course. Again, lasts all day and is comfortable to wear.

I don’t have a solution for “strawberry skin” patches on the back of my arms or calves. Basically, a bunch of body hair that can’t quite break through the skin and leaves tiny red bumps on some hair follicles. I just live with it.

One WARNING is regarding the use of Ammonium Lactate lotion. It’s the opposite of sunscreen and you’ll absorb more UV radiation in direct sunlight. Please keep that in mind.

I’m more prone to a scalp outbreak in spring/fall temperature swings. I keep my hair very short in those months sometimes, and I use Ammonium Lactate lotion on my scalp only if I’m having problems. Otherwise I’d be spending 15 minutes scraping my damned head every morning knocking all the flakes out. Doesn’t happen every year, but if it happens I buzz cut myself and use the lotion on my scalp until I’m good again.

Hopefully some of this helps!