A Dermatologist Rates 7 Viral TikTok Eczema Hacks

If you’ve ever fallen down a TikTok rabbit hole looking for eczema relief, you’re not alone. The platform is full of creative solutions, from beef tallow balms to allergy testing, and each video seems to promise a miracle cure, usually with before-and-after photos to prove it. But in a space where wellness trends can go viral overnight, it can be hard to know which tips are legit, which are harmless but overhyped, and which might actually make your flare-ups worse.

Eczema affects more than 31 million Americans, and when you’re itchy, inflamed, and desperate for relief, you’re willing to try just about anything. But not all hacks are created equal, and some might not be doing as much as social media makes them seem.

That’s why I called board-certified dermatologist Corey Hartman, MD, to get his expert take. When I asked him to weigh in on TikTok’s most popular eczema hacks, he didn’t hold back, calling one of them “the silliest” of the bunch and insisting that the basics matter more than anything else. “I think people want to skip the easy stuff, which is a good, solid, consistent skin-care regimen, and start doing all this other stuff,” he says. “Just put on the damn moisturizer!”

So, which hacks are actually worth trying, and which should you scroll past? Below, Dr. Hartman breaks down the top TikTok hacks for eczema and rates them as Worth the Hype, Take It Or Leave It, or Hard Pass.

Experts Featured in This Article

Corey L. Hartman, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Center in Birmingham, AL.

Hack 1: Moisturizing Right After the Shower

This is the cornerstone of eczema care, and Dr. Hartman says it’s the first thing he recommends his patients do. He explains that eczema is fundamentally a skin-barrier condition: “It’s almost like the mortar between the bricks isn’t quite there, so the water escapes. Because of that lack of a barrier to keep the hydration in, everything about eczema really has to do with restoring that skin barrier.”

Bathing hydrates the skin, but that water can quickly evaporate unless you trap it in. “After you bathe or shower, you want to take advantage of that hydration and lock it in with a good moisturizer,” he says. “You get more hydration out of taking a bath or a shower than you do by drinking eight glasses of water.” The trick is all about timing: moisturizer should go on within three minutes of toweling off, while skin is still damp.

Dr. Hartman suggests keeping a moisturizer in the bathroom so there’s no excuse to skip it. The key, he emphasizes, is having “a good, solid, consistent skin-care regimen,” not just moisturizing once in a while.

Rating: Worth the Hype

Hack 2: Beef Tallow Balm

Beef tallow might have a nostalgic, back-to-basics vibe on TikTok, but Dr. Hartman says it’s one trend eczema sufferers should avoid. “Animal fat can be comedogenic; it can clog pores, it can cause folliculitis and acne,” he warns.

That risk is especially high for people with compromised skin barriers, because clogged pores can lead to painful bumps or even infection. “There are so many other active ingredients and better products that you can use safely that will not cause you to have problems,” Dr. Hartman says. “We don’t need to wallow into the waters of animal fat to moisturize our skin.”

If you want a thick, occlusive moisturizer, he recommends petrolatum-based products (like plain Vaseline) or rich barrier creams that are non-comedogenic — basically anything but beef tallow.

Rating: Hard Pass

Hack 3: Cutting Out Sugar

Many TikTok creators swear by cutting out sugar as a way to clear up eczema flare-ups, but Dr. Hartman says the science isn’t there yet. “I think sugar is the devil. It’s way more prevalent in our society than in other societies that are healthier,” he says. “Anytime I can tell people not to take in as much sugar, I think it’s helpful.”

Still, he clarifies that the link between sugar and eczema is flimsy: “If I were going to have a conversation about skin and inflammation and sugar, it would be more in the acne realm, not really eczema. It’s not connected to your eczema, babe.” So, by all means, cut sugar for your overall health — just don’t expect it to be a cure-all for your skin.

Rating: Take It or Leave It

Hack 4: Colloidal Oatmeal Products

Influencers have been marketing colloidal oatmeal as the new “clean girl” ingredient, found in TikTok-famous products like the Eczema Honey Original Skin-Soothing Cream ($30), but Dr. Hartman points out that dermatologists have been recommending it for decades, and for good reason. “Colloidal oatmeal has been in Aveeno for decades, but yes, it’s anti-inflammatory,” he says.

He’s actually published research on the ingredient’s effectiveness: “I have written papers with [Aveeno] that show that, in the absence of access to dermatology care for low-income areas, if you can get to some Aveeno, you can get the same level of improvement on your eczema as you can with steroid creams.”

This is why he loves recommending oatmeal-based products, like Aveeno’s Eczema Therapy Rescue Relief Treatment Gel Cream ($18) and Gold Bond’s Eczema Relief Hand and Body Lotion ($16). They are affordable, widely available, and clinically proven to reduce itching and inflammation, which is a rare combination in the world of over-the-counter skincare. TikTok might hype it like it’s a discovery, but this is one of those cases where the hype matches the science.

Rating: Worth the Hype

Hack 5: Graham’s C+ Cream

Graham’s C+ Cream ($17) is a product that has been making the rounds on TikTok, with users claiming its mix of Manuka honey and botanicals cured their eczema. Dr. Hartman doesn’t dismiss it outright, but he is careful to temper expectations. “There’s nothing magic about any of these products. All these active ingredients are things that have been in products forever,” he explains.

He notes that Manuka honey does have real anti-inflammatory properties — “there are definitely some properties there that are beneficial,” he says — and that ceramides in the formula help strengthen the skin barrier. But he emphasizes that you can get those same benefits from tried-and-true drugstore brands: “There are other products out there that are more accessible, more affordable, and just as effective, like CeraVe or Aveeno.”

So if Graham’s works for you, great, but don’t feel like you need to spend extra money to get the results.

Rating: Take It or Leave It

Hack 6: Allergy Testing

Allergy testing recommendation videos and comments are definitely present on TikTok, with users claiming they “cured” their eczema by discovering food triggers. Dr. Hartman calls this one “the silliest” of the bunch. “Allergy testing or prick testing is done by allergists, and that will give you information on things that you’re taking into your body — foods, medications — and it has more to do with asthma and breathing,” he explains.

Eczema, on the other hand, is a skin-barrier issue. “You might find things you coincidentally should avoid, but you can avoid all those things and still have eczema,” he says. In his dermatology office, they “would never test every eczema patient” unless there were breathing problems or signs of allergic contact dermatitis.

He also points out that these tests can be expensive and aren’t always covered by insurance.

Rating: Hard Pass

Hack 7: Fragrance-Free Everything

Fragrance-free products have long been the gold standard for sensitive skin, but Dr. Hartman thinks the fear of fragrance may be a little overblown. “Every now and then, there’s a boogeyman: first it was petroleum, then it was fragrance,” he says. “The pendulum has kind of swung back, and most of us realize that all fragrance isn’t necessarily the devil.”

He stresses that the priority should still be keeping the skin barrier healthy. “If you are properly keeping your skin barrier intact, fragrance isn’t as big of a deal,” he says. “If you can avoid it, do it, but it’s not the main issue for most eczema patients.”

Rating: Take It or Leave It

The Bottom Line

Eczema care doesn’t have to be complicated. Dr. Hartman says that the basics, like repairing the skin barrier and moisturizing consistently, will take you further than most TikTok trends ever could. “If you can’t access prescription steroid creams, I would stick with oatmeal and do it within three minutes of getting out of the shower,” he says. “Keep it simple, stupid.”

Olivia Tauber is a freelance writer based in New York, pursuing her Master’s in Journalism at NYU. She’s the contributing assistant beauty editor at PopSugar and contributor to New York Magazine’s The Cut, Interview, Bustle, SELF, and HuffPost. Her career began in corporate publicity at Showtime, followed by production for “The Pivot,” an Emmy-nominated series.