Eczema itch can be described as bone-deep, as it is not a surface kind of itch. An itch fest would make my son tear up, in both senses of the word – tear up in his eyes, and tear up his skin. If we could relief eczema itching for these warriors, it would at least take away some of their suffering. In this article, we look at the best reusable ice pack reviews, for different parts of the body.
To understand why eczema itches so bad, and learn other natural remedies for eczema itch, hop over to this article: 6 best eczema treatments to get relief from itch. This linked research discusses itch in a lot more detail.
How does ice help to relief eczema itching
Ice works miracles to relief eczema itching, because the cold sensation numbs the itch. This helps to break the itch-scratch cycle, which would otherwise cause open wounds, easily leading to infections, more inflammation, more itch, and more scratching.
The effects of cold are instantaneous. And that is what eczema warriors need – to get into a habit of reaching for the ice once they feel the itch rising through their skin. As long as they do not get into the itch-scratch cycle, old wounds close and heal faster, new ones do not form, and the skin is given a chance to become stronger.
Just Ice
For my two eczema warriors, when they start to scratch at home, I’d just wet a handkerchief and wring it out, then place two ice cubes inside, twist the edges of the handkerchief and hold them together so the ice melts through the thin layer of cloth and does its job of cooling and calming the itch.
This leaves the skin slightly wet, and that’s great because the cooling is prolonged as the cold water evaporates off the skin. The thing about this method is that it needs constant attention, either from me or from my kids themselves, right up until all the ice has melted, or we decided it’s enough.
At home, it doesn’t really matter how messy we get. But I can’t say the same for being out and about. Firstly, we do not have instant access to ice cubes. Secondly, dripping wet hands and neck may not be such a beautiful sight.
So it takes just a bit of planning and consideration, like what I will be showing you below, to get ready our gears for itch busters, which we can bring along when we go outdoors in the sweltering heat and expect to sweat and itch a lot.
The best reusable ice pack reviews
Ice packs are great because we can bring them out. They don’t create a wet mess like how ice cubes do. Just pop them in the freezer the night before, and you’re ready to go the next day. Here, we do the best reusable ice pack reviews, for parts of the body that are prone to eczema, namely the neck, elbows, and knees, to help you zoom in on the best products in terms of functionality, durability, and value for money.
Many of the latest designs can be fitted and moulded to various parts of the body, and held in place, so your hands are actually free to carry on with whatever you were doing. This is fantastic because it totally takes your mind off the itch, just go find something enjoyable to do, while the ice pack soothes your itch.
For the neck – Torex Mojility Hot and Cold Therapy Flat Pack
This ice pack is made of a gel-like substance, encased in premium medical grade materials which are durable and flexible. Whether chilled or heated, it stays soft so it can mould easily to various parts of your body. It fits nicely to the neck for maximum contact and cooling effect. Its large area also means it is suitable for shoulders, back, stomach, and legs as well.
It is made in the US, all materials used are latex-free and non-toxic. It comes with a zip-lock bag, and provides up to 30 minutes of cold therapy at a time, if placed in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
If it feels too cold for you, simply shorten the duration of application.
If bringing the ice pack out, you should keep it in a thermal insulated cooler bag, to help retain its coldness.
Before returning the ice pack into the freezer, you should wipe off all condensation, to prevent ice forming around it, and to protect its durability. It can be left in the freezer until the next use.
Every product has it cons, so let me point them out: some people may find the gel too liquid, but to me this is a plus, as it remains mouldable even when just removed from the freezer after a long time inside. It can get condensation, but I’d say just wipe it off.
Lastly, due to its smooth texture, the outer material can tend to slip, depending on which part of the body you place it, as well as your resting position when using this ice pack. I’d say this is a minor issue for a premium medical grade material, compared to products that leak, or have manufacturing issues on the cover materials, or cannot even be placed comfortably on the intended body part, due to it not being mouldable.
I have only reviewed one brand here, because I only want to find the best products for you. I find Torex much superior compared to other products in the market, in its functionality, as well as being great value for money.
For the knees and elbows – Torex compression sleeve
Same brand and same medical grade design as above, so the pointers for usage, as well as pros and cons, are similar too. These reusable ice packs are catered for limbs, with varying sizes:
This roll-on compression sleeve is made for calf, knee and thigh, fitting a circumference of between 10″ to 15″. It rolls on to completely cover the limb, so that you can stay hands free.
For elbow and arm, choose this roll-on sleeve that fits a limb circumference of between 4″ to 10″.
Deal with the itch naturally
Cool the itch through natural means, and it’s half the battle won. Eczema itch is such a monster. When it gets intense and persistent, it can rob your life. It consumes your every waking (and even sleeping) moment.
But never suppress the itch with pharmaceuticals, especially steroids. These may seem like magical cures, but they simply sweep the dust under the carpet. Underneath is a simmering pot of toxic stuff, waiting to explode and erupt into massive flares.
I hope you find these best reusable ice pack reviews useful in helping you relief eczema itching. If you have any other great ice packs to share, do drop a comment below!
I didn’t know that steroids doesn’t really help the problem of eczema and only really compounds it in the long run. Does painkillers in general help the problem or would you still rather go with ice packs?
How often should one place ice packs on affected area of skin that have eczema?
Hi Jessie,
Yup steroids mess around with our hormones, people have suffered withdrawal symptoms from it, after their skin relied too much on it. You can read more about it in my other post.
I guess painkillers are fine, but I would say, if ice packs can do the trick, then that would be the safer option in the long run.
We use ice packs only when the itch sets in, so it’s on a need basis. About 10 to 20 minutes each time would help to calm it down immensely, and give good enough distraction to last until the itch fest goes away.
This is very useful if you suffer from eczema. The itching can become unbearable. I am so glad you’ve given a real solution that literally anybody can use that won’t be harmful. This is really great for kids too. And over time, I guess it works out to be a really cheap solution because you can just keep reusing the ice packs. Most people would think of creams and medication to help them stop the itching.
Hi Jenny,
Yes, the solutions to our health issues can be all natural and simple, without resorting to pharmaceuticals, which are not what nature intended for our bodies.
I did not know that ice can reduce or eliminate eczema itching. Your article help me so much, right now and you have no idea.
One of my little girls had eczema for about 3 months behind her legs, so I treated and treated her all this time with Aveno cream for itch. Some days the eczema went away and make me think that was the cure, but next day she would itch again and making it almost bleed. I know I waited too long, but 2 weeks ago, I took her to the doctors because it was start to get bigger and bigger. The doctor prescribed a cream name Triamcinolone Acetonidade 0,1% – 80 gm, twice a day and after 4 days all the eczema disappeared.
I never imagine that ice cube or a ice pack could stop the itching and consequently make the eczema go away; because what makes it worse is the itching, you do agree with me?
I do have a great ice packs to share: it look like a ice cube when is frozen. They are separated by a strong clear plastic so when they melt you can see the water inside of each small square and like you say, is mess free. Is pretty good.
Thank you so much for such a good information. From now on my life will be easier and the kids suffer less.
Cheers to your success,
Telma
Hi Telma,
Thank you for dropping by.
Do note that Triamcinolone is a steroid cream, you may want to read my other post about how steroids are actually very bad, especially for kids, because they mess with our hormones.
Ice packs relief the itch, and can stop the itch-scratch cycle, but you still need to figure out what is triggering the itch in the first place, it could be some environmental allergen, but it could equally likely be in internal issue, like leaky gut, or weak elimination organs, or some food allergy, or even vaccine-induced.
Hope your little girl finds some relief soon.
Thank you, Joo, you open my eye about the steroid and the cause of eczema, I will check both.
Have an excellent day.
Cheers,
Telma
Hi Telma,
You have a great day too!
Cheers!
Hello There,
I have a friend that has eczema .She itches really bad sometimes.
I will show her your site i am sure she will be interested
Thank you for sharing
have a great day
Laurie:)
Hi Laurie,
I certainly hope the information here can help your friend get some relief from her itch.
Reading this Post about the best reusable ice packs makes me wonder whether there is too much reliance on ice packs versus other remedies. Is it because other remedies are harmful or have some side effects? Perhaps do you have more statistics about the detriments and side effects of other remedies?
Hi KBean,
Thank you for dropping by. Yes, I have written about other remedies, you may want to check them out:
– remedies for itch
– remedies for infected eczema
Also written in length about the harmful effects of using steroid creams for eczema rashes and itch, which is most commonly prescribed by doctors and derms.
– harmful effects of steroids.
Hope these help.
I’ve watch my niece suffer with eczema flare ups for many, many years, and she has yet to out grow it. It has definitely gotten better but I think she uses a combination of solutions from watching what she eats, limiting exposure to chemicals, and using supplements. There never seems to be a pattern to her flare ups. I do recall ice as being one of her instant relievers; using ice the old fashioned, messy way. Wow, these gel ice packs that contour to your body part and keep hands free seem to be a great feature that wasn’t around eons ago, or at least we weren’t exposed to them. I see that you can slip on knee or elbow but can the packs be strapped to stomach area?
Hi Claudette,
I believe the one that goes around the neck is also suited for large areas like back, and stomach.
It’s great that your niece is getting better, with greater attention to diet and supplements. Hope she heals completely soon!
Hi Joo,Your site is very interesting to me because two doctors diagnosed the condition behind each of my ears as eczema. I had the problem for years and the itch was unbearable. Steroid worked for 3-4 days max but never solved the problem. Finally, a friend in Brazil told me of a simple treatment: In the morning and at night squeeze fresh lemon juice on the affected areas and cover with lots of table salt. I did it for about a month, and to my surprise and gratification, the eczema disappeared completely and in the eight years since, has never returned. Please feel free to pass this information to others if you feel it might be useful.
Hi Richard,
Wow I’m amazed!! Thank you, thank you for letting us in on this information. I love anything natural. Will be trying it out, and writing about it if it works for us!