@article {Hon:July 2005:0307-6938:351, author = "Hon, K. L. E.", author = "Leung, T. F.", author = "Wong, Y.", author = "So, H. K.", author = "Li, A. M.", author = "Fok, T. F.", title = "A survey of bathing and showering practices in children with atopic eczema", journal = "Clinical & Experimental Dermatology", volume = "30", year = "July 2005", abstract = "Summary

We evaluated the emollient use and bathing habits of children with atopic eczema (AE) managed at the paediatric dermatology clinic of a university teaching hospital, using children with noneczematous skin diseases as controls. Disease severity of AE in the preceding 12 months was evaluated by the Nottingham Eczema Severity Score. Three-quarters of patients with or without eczema preferred showering to bathing. Patients with AE were more likely to use bath oils than soap and to use emollients after a bath/shower. Review cases, however, were more likely to take a shower and for a longer time (10–30 min) than first-visit eczema patients. These habits did not vary with season or disease severity. Emulsifying ointment was the most commonly used agent for the bath/shower. Most patients applied emollient immediately after a bath/shower. However there were still significant proportions of AE patients who used soap (40% of first-visit vs. 27% of review cases) and who did not apply emollients after a bath/shower (25% of first-visit vs. 23% of review cases). It is important to determine whether this problem is due to inadequate patient education or whether other factors lead to poor compliance.", pages = "351-354(4)", url = "http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/ced/2005/00000030/00000004/art00009" doi = "doi:10.1111/j.1365-2230.2005.01748.x" }