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

Can Wet Wrap Therapy Help Severe Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) Flares?

Can Wet Wrap Therapy Help Severe Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) Flares?
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Updated on March 16, 2026
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If you or your child is having a severe flare of atopic dermatitis — the most common type of eczema — ask your doctor about wet wrap therapy. This short-term treatment can be a safe and fast way to rehydrate skin, relieve intense itching and pain, and make topical medications work better.

Wet wrap therapy involves applying moisturizer and medication to a flare-up, then wrapping the area with warm, damp fabric or gauze, followed by a layer of dry cloth, such as cotton pajamas. You can use cotton gloves, gauze, or socks on the hands and feet, topped with kitchen gloves or plastic wrap.

The wet wraps are typically kept on for several hours to overnight. They act as a barrier, holding in medication and moisture, and protecting skin from excessive scratching. Scratching can lead to more itchiness, called the itch-scratch cycle.

Most people can do wet wrap therapy on their own at home, but dermatologists and allergists can apply wet wraps in an office or hospital when necessary. Always talk to your dermatologist before starting wet wrap therapy.

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Wet Wrap Therapy Basics

Melissa Piliang, MD, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, recommends wet wraps for people with moderate to severe eczema who are experiencing extreme itchiness or pain. “The warm, wet wraps can be very soothing to the irritated, inflamed skin,” she says, adding that the therapy is especially helpful for flares that are widespread, such as those covering a large area on an arm or leg.

Wet wrap therapy is best used with topical corticosteroids, for up to two weeks at a time, Dr. Piliang says. Using wet wraps for too long or too often can lead to infection.

Don’t start wet wrap therapy if you see signs of an infection, such as a yellowish crust or blisters filled with pus, especially if they occur on top of eczema, sores, or reddish, swollen bumps on the skin, or with fever or flu-like symptoms. The treatment may worsen an infection. And if you spot these symptoms after you start wet wrap therapy, stop using it and call your doctor; infections need prompt treatment, as they can turn into a life-threatening immune reaction called sepsis.

Wet Wrap Therapy Can Be an Eczema Treatment Option for Children

A study of children with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis found that wet wrap therapy reduced symptoms by an average of 71 percent, and participants maintained improved skin in the month following treatment.

“The typical candidate for wet wrap therapy is a young child with a severe eczema flare, especially if they’ve already been using topical steroids or topical calcineurin inhibitors,” says Breanne Mordorski, MD, a dermatologist at Northwell Health in New York City.

“For these patients, wet wraps are a good second-line option when traditional topical treatments fail [on their own],” Dr. Mordorski says.

She says that wet wraps can also be helpful for children during a severe eczema flare-up when there are delays in accessing systemic medications, such as a biologic.

If you are administering wet wrap therapy to your child, doctors recommend soaking your child in the bathtub, washing them with fragrance-free soap, rinsing them off, and then gently patting them dry. You should then apply any topical medications prescribed or recommended by your child’s doctor, followed by a thick layer of fragrance-free ointment or moisturizer, such as Vaseline, Aquaphor, or CeraVe.

After that, fill a basin with warm water, soak a pair of 100 percent cotton footed pajamas or pajamas with long sleeves and long pants and then wring them out. These go on the child as a first layer, underneath dry pajamas.

If the child’s legs or arms are exposed, you can layer on wet and dry socks, gauze, or tubular cotton bandages.

Wet Wrap Therapy for Babies Can Be Helpful, if Done With Care

Atopic dermatitis can start early, appearing in babies as young as 2 to 3 months. Wet wraps are a good option for babies with a severe eczema flare, says Jenny Montejo, MD, a pediatric allergist and immunologist at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota.

The treatment can reduce itching, oozing, and irritation, she says, leading to less crying and better sleep.

Dr. Montejo says that wet wrap therapy should be used for babies and other young children only under the direction of a medical provider.

Wet Wrap Therapy Might Be Harder for Some Adults and Older Children

Adults and older children with larger bodies — and more surface area — may not fare as well with wrap treatment, Mordorski says, especially when it’s applied at home or in a doctor’s office. But they may do well in the hospital when admitted for a severe flare.

“The application is cumbersome and less practical, and older patients are less likely to follow through in the outpatient setting,” she explains. “In the hospital, where there’s more assistance, wet wraps become more feasible for a broader range of patients.”

For older people with severe atopic dermatitis, Mordorski says wet wraps can be used as a stopgap to manage a severe flare-up during the wait for longer-term systemic eczema therapy to take effect.

If you or your child is ill during a severe flare — with a fever, chills, a loss of appetite, low energy, or another issue — you should call the doctor right away to help determine whether to go to a hospital for monitoring or alternative treatment. These symptoms indicate a complication, such as an infection.

Pros and Cons of Wet Wrap Therapy

Wet wrap therapy has many upsides: It may prevent scratching as it calms and repairs painful, inflamed skin. Plus, unlike some other treatments, there are few side effects.

One downside is that wet wraps are messy and time consuming, and children may not cooperate.

And although wet wrap therapy is generally safe, there are a few risks to consider. Wet wraps can increase the absorption of topical steroids, which can also increase their potency. If this is a concern, discuss it with your doctor.

Wet wraps can also trap moisture, causing inflamed hair follicles, which can lead to blistered skin and infection. In rare cases, and especially when wet wraps are used too long or incorrectly, there is a risk of serious infection, Mordorski says.

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.

The Takeaway

  • Wet wrap therapy is a short-term therapy, typically used for severe atopic dermatitis (eczema) flares in children and adults, to lessen itching and pain, and allow skin to heal.
  • It involves applying topical medication and moisturizer after bathing, followed by wet cotton clothing or bandages, then a dry layer of clothing.
  • While it can be an effective way to treat eczema, it may not be well tolerated; it can also increase the absorption and potency of topical medications like steroids, and it may increase the risk of certain infections.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Wet Wrap Therapy. National Eczema Association. March 14, 2025.
  2. Nelson S. The Complex Science Behind Itch in Atopic Dermatitis. National Eczema Association. July 30, 2021.
  3. Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema): Diagnosis & Treatment. Mayo Clinic. May 15, 2024.
  4. Chaudhary F et al. Exploring the Complexities of Atopic Dermatitis: Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches. Journal of Biotechnology and Biomedicine. July 17, 2024.
  5. Ludmann P. Eczema Types: Atopic Dermatitis Symptoms. American Academy of Dermatology Association. October 10, 2023.
  6. Atopic Dermatitis: Treatment and Prevention. University of Central Florida Health.
  7. Stein S et al. How to Treat & Control Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) Rashes in Children. American Academy of Pediatrics. May 14, 2025.
  8. Eczema in Children. National Eczema Association.
  9. Eczema - Using Wet Wraps. Children’s Health Queensland. October 2023.
  10. Calabrese G et al. Topical and Conventional Systemic Treatments in Atopic Dermatitis: Have They Gone Out of Fashion? Dermatology Practical & Conceptual. January 2022.
  11. Eczema. Cleveland Clinic. October 25, 2022.
  12. Understanding Weeping Eczema: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options. Indiana University School of Medicine. October 22, 2024.
  13. Topical Steroids and Risk. National Eczema Association.
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