Wet Wrap Therapy for Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis): What to Know

Posted by AweSamo March 17, 2026
Can Wet Wrap Therapy Help Severe Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) Flares?

Some Doctors Aren’t Fans of Wet Wrap Therapy

Not all dermatologists recommend wet wraps. A. Yasmine Kirkorian, MD, the chief of dermatology at Children’s National Hospital and an associate professor of dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC, believes there are better alternatives.

“In theory, wet wraps can be very effective, but in practice, they can be cumbersome and difficult for families to use effectively,” says Dr. Kirkorian. She says that someone with a severe flare can get similar results with the simpler technique called soak and smear, or soak and seal, which involves applying medication and then moisturizer to damp skin before sliding on dry cotton pajamas.

Kirkorian says the availability of FDA-approved systemic medications for the treatment of refractory (treatment-resistant) atopic dermatitis in children may override the need for wet wrap therapy in these cases.

“Any child with severe atopic dermatitis — extensive body surface area involved, not responding to first-line treatments, waking up nightly from itching, sustaining skin infections, missing school for eczema, going to the ER or being hospitalized for eczema — should be evaluated by a board-certified dermatologist or pediatric dermatologist,” Kirkorian says.

Talk to your doctor about products and the best techniques for using wet wrap therapy. Do not use topical steroids without consulting your physician.

You can make wraps yourself or purchase special clothing and accessories for babies up to adults, from sleep suits and caps to sleeves, gloves, and moisturizers, at websites such as Soothems and The Eczema Company.

If you’re on TikTok or Instagram, Sheilagh Maguiness, MD, a pediatric dermatologist and professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, offers lots of advice on products for wet wrap therapy, as well as techniques.

Your doctor will tell you if wet wrap therapy is right for you or your child, how and when to do it, and how to look for signs of skin infection.

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