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Eczema at Secondary School

This page focuses on advice and resources for young people navigating secondary school . It includes information on how eczema can impact young people at school, and tips for managing eczema and getting support at school. 

We also have a list of helpful website links and downloadable or printable sheets with extra information. 

Navigating Secondary School

Moving from primary to secondary school or starting a new school year can sometimes affect your eczema. There are lots of changes happening at once like meeting new people, new buildings, new routines, and lots of new teachers. It’s completely normal to feel nervous about this.  

Some young people with eczema also worry about how other pupils might react to their skin, how they’ll manage their eczema during the school day, and whether triggers at school might make their eczema flare-up.  

Secondary school might also mean that you are taking more responsibility of managing your eczema and applying your creams during the day. 

The National Eczema Society have a useful guide for navigating eczema as a young person. 

Eczema can impact school life in lots of different ways. Everyone’s experience is different, but here are some common challenges young people talk about: 

Poor sleep:  

Eczema can be especially itchy, hot, and uncomfortable at night, which can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. This might make you feel tired, grumpy, or struggle to wake up on time. Tiredness can also make concentrating and learning harder. 

Triggers at school: 

Some things at school can make eczema flare up. These triggers are different for everyone, but common ones include: 

  • Sitting near radiators or heaters 
  • Getting hot and sweaty during PE 
  • Pollen 
  • Dust 
  • Synthetic fabrics (including some school uniforms) 
  • Using school hand soap 

Managing eczema during the school day:  

You might need to apply your creams at school, especially if you are having a flare-up. Creams can also make your hands slippery, which can affect handwriting, art, science practicals, or using equipment. During flare-ups, writing or taking part in PE or swimming might be harder. 

Absences and appointments:  

Applying creams or attending GP or hospital appointments might mean coming in late some days or taking time out of school. Missing bits of school can be stressful, especially if you’re worried about catching up. 

Having eczema at school can bring challenges, but there are lots of things teachers can do to help and support you.  

When teachers understand how eczema affects your day‑to‑day life, they can make small adjustments that reduce stress, make flare-ups easier to manage, and help you get the most out of lessons. 

Speaking up about what you need at school can feel scary, but you don’t have to do it alone. Try talking to a teacher or member of staff you trust and remember you can ask your parents/carers or even a friend to help you explain what would make school easier for you.  

Here are some things school could do to help you: 

  • Let you carry creams or keep them in a place you can easily get access to.
  • Give you access to a private, clean space to apply creams.
  • Allow flexibility with uniform, especially if certain fabrics irritate your skin (e.g., allowing you to wear long sleeves, leggings, or softer fabrics).
  • Offer extra time for written work, let you use a laptop, or get someone else to take notes for you if your hands are painful.
  • Be understanding about lateness or absences during flare-ups or for medical appointments.
  • Provide support with catching up or doing work at home if you miss lessons because of eczema.
  • Help adjust PE or practical activities on days your skin is painful.
  • Make sure your seat in classrooms isn’t near triggers like radiators or open windows.
  • Give you an Eczema Champion – a trusted teacher who can check in with you about your eczema and offer support when you need it. They can also let you know an alternative teacher you can contact in case the Eczema Champion is away.
  • Keep a copy of your healthcare plan so they know how to support you.

Looking after your skin during the school day can really help keep your eczema under control. Here are some simple ways to manage your treatments at school: 

1 Use moisturisers every day 

Moisturisers (also called emollients) help keep control of your eczema. You can find out more about moisturisers here.   

Most people with eczema need to use them every day. You might need to re-apply them while you are at school, especially if your skin is dry or your eczema is flared up. 

The Eczema Care Online (ECO) Golden Rules can help you use moisturisers: 

  • Use as much moisturiser as you need to cover the parts of your skin that are affected by eczema. 
  • Use them every day, even when your skin is clear to prevent flare ups. 
  • Apply emollients (moisturising creams) in the direction of hair growth. 
  • Try to keep to a routine to help you remember to apply moisturisers. 

You might find it helps to moisturise at break time, after washing your hands, or after PE. You can use the Top Tips worksheet to help you remember to use moisturisers at school. 

2 Use flare-control treatments when you need them 

Flare-control creams are used to get control of eczema when the skin is flared up (more itchy, dry and sore than normal).  

Flare-control creams are prescribed by a healthcare professional and include topical steroids and TCIs (Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors). 

These are usually used once a day for a short time on the flared areas (often for 5–7 days), exactly as your GP or dermatologist has shown you. 

Follow the treatment plan you have been given by your GP or dermatologist to help look after your skin when you have a flare-up. The Eczema Care Online (ECO) Golden Rules can also help you use flare control creams: 

  • Use a thin layer to cover the area that is flared up. 
  • Use them as soon as there is a flare-up and for two days after eczema is under control. 

There are also things you can do to make it easier to look after your eczema at school. There is some information and tips of the Eczema Care Online website: Studying and work | ECO. 

Here are some tips to help you look after your skin during the school day:  

3 Keep a copy of your healthcare plan and ‘Top Tips’ worksheet  in your school bag. This can help you remember: 

  • When and where to apply emollients/moisturisers  
  • When and where to use flare-control creams. 
  • What triggers there are at school and how to avoid them. 

It can also help you explain your routine to teachers if you need support. 

4 Make sure you have creams to use at school. 

  • Have specific tubs or tubes of creams that live in your school bag, so you don’t forget them. 
  • Ask your GP or dermatologist for some smaller tubs that are easier to carry around or decant your creams into travel‑size containers. 
  • Ask to keep extra creams at school in case you forget yours or they run out (e.g., in your form room, sick bay, PE offices). 
  • Bring your own hand soap in your bag if the school soap triggers your skin. 

5 Speak up if school routines make things harder. 

If you’re struggling to manage your skin during the school day, talk to a teacher you trust or your Eczema Champion, your parents/carers, or healthcare professionals about adjusting your routine to make it easier. 

6 Try using “If‑Then” reminders to help you remember when to apply your creams. 

Sometimes it’s hard to remember when to put on moisturiser at school, especially when you’re busy or thinking about other things.  

A simple trick is to use little reminders you make for yourself. You can write them down on the ‘Top Tips’ worksheet and keep it in your bag, blazer pocket, or pencil case to help you remember.  

For example:  

  • “If it’s morning break, then I’ll put on my creams.” 
  • “If I wash my hands, then I’ll put on my creams.” 
  • “If my skin starts to itch or feel dry, then I’ll go to my quiet space to put cream on.” 
  • “If we have PE, I’ll put my creams on afterwards”. 

These work because they link looking after your skin to things you already do every day, so it becomes easier to remember and they become habits. 

[INSERT VIDEO OF SOME TIPS ON MANAGING ECZEMA AT SCHOOL FROM OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE] 

Eczema doesn’t just affect your skin – it can also impact how you feel about yourself and your everyday life.  

Lots of young people with eczema say they sometimes feel lonely, different, or unsure how to talk about what they’re going through.  

You might feel frustrated about your skin, tired of managing it every day, or self‑conscious about how it looks, especially during a flare-up. 

It can be especially hard if you don’t know anyone else with eczema, or if it feels like other people don’t understand what it’s like. Some young people struggle to talk to friends or family about their feelings, which can make things feel even more isolating. 

Eczema can also affect how you feel about your appearance. Lots of young people worry about how they look at times, and puberty and hormonal changes can make skin feel even more unpredictable.  

You might feel more aware of your skin if your eczema is visible, or worried about people staring or asking questions. This can sometimes affect how confident you feel at school. For example, not wanting to wear shorts or a t-shirt in PE, avoiding activities if your eczema is visible, or not wanting to raise your hand in class in case it draws attention to you.  

School pressures can also feel heavier when you’re managing eczema at the same time. Stress from things like starting a new school, meeting new people, and preparing for exams can make your eczema worse, which can then make you feel more stressed. It can be a frustrating cycle.

The good news is that there are lots of things you can do to look after your wellbeing and feel more in control: 

Be kind to yourself 

Managing eczema is hard work, and nobody gets it perfect every day. Flare-ups aren’t your fault, and even small steps to care for your skin and your wellbeing can make a difference. 

Learn how to deal with anxiety and worries

Eczema Outreach Support’s Wellbeing Resources have lots of ideas for coping with worries, challenging unhelpful thoughts, building confidence, and feeling more positive about how you look: Wellbeing resources for children and young people – Eczema Outreach Support 

Plan how to respond to comments

Thinking ahead about what you might say if someone asks about your eczema can help you feel more in control and confident in social situations. Eczema Outreach Support’s Wellbeing Resources include simple ways to plan responses that feel safe and comfortable for you: Wellbeing resources for children and young people – Eczema Outreach Support 

Talk to someone you trust  

Opening up to a parent/carer, friend, or teacher can help you feel less alone. Some young people also find it helpful to have a regular “worry time” – a short, planned chat each week with a parent/carer to focus on what is worrying them: Wellbeing resources for children and young people – Eczema Outreach Support 

Learn helpful strategies for managing stress

There are lots of things you can do to help reduce stress. Here are some ideas: 

  • Get support from school: stress can make eczema worse, especially during exams. Your school may be able to make small adjustments to help. 
  • Learn what stress feels like for you: Eczema Care Online has lots of ideas for noticing early signs of stress, managing them, and trying simple relaxation exercises: Stress and eczema | ECO. 
  • Make time for rest and fun: Getting enough sleep, spending time on hobbies, being active, and spending time outdoors or with friends and family can all help lower stress levels. 
  • Use peer support: Sharing your experiences, worries, and tips with other people who understand what it’s like to have eczema can be helpful. 
  • Ask for help: if someone teases you or is unkind about your skin, you don’t have to handle it alone. It’s not okay for anyone to tease you about having a condition like eczema. Talk to a teacher you trust or your parents/carers so they can help you.