Many people with eczema notice that their symptoms sometimes worsen. These disease flares are often triggered by certain environmental situations, which may be a touch different for all people with eczema. By learning about your eczema triggers, you'll be ready to avoid them. this might help prevent flares of the disease.

What is Eczema?

Eczema is that the common name for a skin condition formally referred to as atopic eczema. it's a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin that causes overly dry skin and itchy, red, and scaly sites on the body.

Some people with atopic eczema even have rhinitis and asthma. People with atopic eczema tend to possess a system that overreacts to certain substances, resulting in symptoms.

It’s thought that the symptoms of atopic eczema are caused by a mixture of environmental and genetic factors. many of us with eczema have a mutation during a gene that helps the skin maintain a healthy barrier with the external environment.

Because of this, the system could also be exposed to substances within the outer environment that it wouldn’t normally encounter. this will cause a number of the inflammatory problems of the disease.

What Are Disease Flares?

The immune problems causing atopic eczema aren’t completely understood. But it’s known that various environmental conditions (both internal and external), may worsen the skin’s inflammation. this will cause something called a “disease flare,” during which symptoms worsen temporarily. for instance, a neighborhood of skin that had been previously without symptoms might become red and itchy.

By avoiding triggers, one could also be ready to reduce skin inflammation and thus reduce symptoms.

However, it’s important to understand that eczema is caused by a posh combination of factors: you're likely to still sometimes have symptoms albeit you address all of your potential triggers. However severe your disease is, knowing and reducing your triggers may help improve it.

Common Eczema Triggers

Different sorts of situations can trigger disease flares in someone with eczema. This might end in worsening symptoms, either very quickly or within a couple of days.

Some of these may apply to you, and but others might not. The disease shows up a touch differently in everyone. Some people won't notice any specific triggers that make their disease worse.

There are many various potential categories of eczema triggers. a number of these are described below.

Skin Irritants and get in touch with Allergens

You may find that different substances found in both natural and artificial products seem to trigger your disease flares. These might include a number of the following:


  • Certain sorts of clothing, like wool or polyester
  • Personal cleaning products (like shampoos, shower gels, bubble baths, baby wipes)
  • Other care products (like lotions)
  • Household cleaning products
  • Metals (most often nickel)
  • Perfume-based products
  • Antibacterial ointments
  • Certain disinfectants
  • Preservatives like formaldehyde
  • Latex and adhesive bandages

In some cases, these substances function general skin irritants, which could worsen eczema symptoms broadly. In other cases, you would possibly notice a rash directly where the annoying substance touched. This might occur from a selected sort of immune response within the body. you would possibly hear these called “contact allergens” and therefore the resulting rash called “allergic dermatitis” or “contact dermatitis.”

Allergic dermatitis is extremely common in people with atopic eczema. Some people with atopic eczema sometimes get eczema from dermatitis also. Both dermatitis and atopic eczema as sorts of eczema.

Inhaled Allergens

Inhaling certain substances within the external environment can trigger allergies and worsen symptoms of atopic eczema. a number of the foremost common triggers of this sort include:


  • Dust mites
  • Seasonal pollen from trees and grasses
  • Pet dander from cats or dogs
  • Mold
  • Cockroaches

Some people may additionally have their disease triggered by other inhaled substances, like secondhand cigarette smoke.

Climate

Some people notice their eczema flares up during temperature extremes. for instance, within the winter, there's less moisture within the air. this will increase skin dryness, which can increase eczema symptoms.

On the opposite hand, some people also notice that extremely popular temperature trigger their symptoms. Sweating itself can also worsen symptoms. Some people might even notice negative effects once they take long, hot showers or baths.

Specific Foods

Some people have reactions to specific foods that appear to worsen their eczema symptoms. Sometimes this is often associated with a real allergy to the food. Other times, people notice that eating the food seems to trigger their symptoms, albeit they do not have what would be considered a real allergy.

Some of the foremost common food triggers that folks describe are:


  • Cow’s milk
  • Eggs
  • Soy
  • Wheat
  • Peanuts
  • Other nuts
  • Fish
  • Shellfish

However, these aren't the sole foods which will potentially trigger symptoms. It’s also important to recollect that different people may have different food sensitivities. you'll have zero, one, or multiple food triggers. Food triggers for eczema could also be more common in young children than in older children or adults.

Infection

Sometimes people with eczema can have their symptoms worsened by an infection. Conversely, an individual with eczema could be more likely to urge certain skin infections due to their disease. Some infections which may worsen skin symptoms include:


  • Staphylococcus aureus (staph)
  • Yeast infections
  • Molluscum virus
  • Herpes Simplex (the explanation for fever blisters and cold sores)

Hormones

Some women notice that their disease tends to flare at certain times in their cycle. One study found that almost half all women with eczema notice worsened symptoms premenstrually.

Sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone could be causing this, through their effects on the system. Some women also notice worsened symptoms during pregnancy.

Stress

Psychological stress may worsen eczema symptoms in some situations. you would possibly be more likely to note a flare during particularly stressful periods of your life. Factors like poor or reduced sleep can also play a task.

Dry Skin

In one sense, dry skin could be better considered a symbol of eczema and than a trigger. People with eczema are susceptible to dry skin, even once they aren’t having any major symptoms.

However, keeping the skin hydrated with moisturizers and emollients is one of the foremost important belongings you can do to assist prevent a disease flare. this may help keep more water inside your skin, which can leave it less susceptible to becoming painful, itchy, and red.

How To Identify Possible Triggers

Unfortunately, people with atopic eczema have somewhat different triggers, and identifying them can take a short time. Some people can’t identify any particular triggers, even after they investigate.

Often, the simplest thanks to identify a trigger is by removing it and seeing if that helps reduce your symptoms. for instance, you would possibly do that by changing your detergent or making changes within the clothes you wear. Learning about the foremost common sorts of triggers for eczema can offer you some clues about what belongings you might attempt to remove.

It’s important to understand that your response to a trigger or removing a trigger won't occur directly. which will sometimes make it challenging to spot potential triggers.

Allergy Testing

Allergy testing could also be ready to assist you identify triggers of eczema symptoms, like specific foods or other substances. Unfortunately, the method of allergy testing is complex, and clinicians don’t all agree about the simplest tests to use or whether or not they are really helpful.

These tests also are difficult to interpret. simply because a test shows that you simply could be slightly sensitive to a substance, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it's triggering your symptoms. it's going to be helpful to figure with a board-certified allergy specialist to urge tested and add up your results.


  • Skin Prick Test: The skin prick test is one among the foremost common wont to assess food allergies, which can act as eczema triggers. This involves placing a little amount of allergen on the skin and giving a little, non-painful scratch to the skin. A positive response shows an elevated red spot.
  • IgE Test: Another test that's sometimes used may be a specific IgE test. this is often a biopsy wont to check surely antibodies within the blood. a selected sort of test wont to check IgE is understood as radioallergosorbent testing (RAST).
  • Food Challenge Test: Sometimes these tests are followed up by food challenge tests. you would possibly need this if one among your results showed that an allergy could be partly triggering your eczema. during this scenario, the affected person avoids the suspected trigger for a period of your time, then takes it under the supervision of a healthcare professional.


Reducing Exposure to Potential Triggers

There are a variety of the way to scale back your exposure to potential triggers. they are not difficult, but do take a touch of careful attention and planning.

Cleaning and private Care Products

Experiment with using different laundry detergents, cleaning products, etc., to ascertain if which will help. Some people with eczema are sensitive to substances found in these products. Take a glance at conventional products, but also so-called “natural” products because these are often disease triggers also. Avoiding a suspected substance for a period of your time can offer you a thought of whether it'd be triggering your symptoms.

Start by staying far away from scented products. you would possibly want to experiment with products labeled “hypoallergenic,” which can be less likely to trigger symptoms.

Generally, fewer ingredients are an honest sign. Some people also experiment with homemade products, or simple bicarbonate of soda and vinegar rinses.

In general, once you've got identified a triggering substance, you’ll know to avoid it within the future.

Clothing

Since some people with eczema experience triggers from certain fabrics, you would possibly want to seem at your wardrobe. Some people with eczema find they are doing better with fabrics like silks and smooth cotton. But you'll get to experiment to seek out what works for you.

Climate

Be aware of the potential for disease flaring from both overly dry and overly humid air.

In the summer:


  • Try to keep your skin clean, cool, and dry.
  • Wash away sweat, salt water, or chlorinated water. Reapply moisturizer and sunblock (if needed)
  • Be aware that substances like sunblock and mosquito repellents may contain irritants. you'll get to experiment to seek out products that don’t irritate your skin. Hypoallergenic products are an honest place to start.

In the winter:


  • Remember to use your emollients and moisturizers
  • Consider using an air humidifier to assist keep the air moist.


Airborne Allergens

In some cases, you'll be ready to reduce your exposure to inhaled allergens, which could potentially reduce your symptoms. Some general belongings you could which may reduce your exposure include:


  • Using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter
  • Using high-quality filters for your furnace and air conditioning and changing them regularly
  • Cleaning your home regularly (to help reduce exposure to dust mites)
  • Using dust-mite covers made for pillows and mattresses
  • Washing any pets a minimum of weekly
  • Using insecticidal bait to scale back cockroach exposure
  • Reducing secondhand smoke exposure or other inhaled irritants

Some people also could be ready to lessen their response to such allergens through immunotherapy or allergy shots.

Food Sensitivities

If you discover that a particular food tends to trigger your eczema, it's going to be worthwhile to avoid it for a short time. you'll be ready to reintroduce it at a later time with no problems.

However, know that identifying such triggers is often very difficult, as symptoms won't show up for days, and a change in your symptoms won't be associated with your diet. Also, take care to not limit your diet too extremely.

Eliminating an item from your diet is unlikely to be helpful unless you have already got substantial evidence that a selected food triggers your symptoms.

Making a food and symptom diary may be a great way to trace your symptoms over time. Then you'll see if any patterns emerge.

General Self Care

By using general self-care, you'll minimize the consequences of your eczema triggers. For example:


  • See your doctor directly if you've got any signs of a lively infection (like warm skin or pus).
  • Consistently use your preventative measures (such as emollients and lotions) and any prescription treatments, if needed, even when your disease isn’t actively triggered.
  • Take steps to manage the strain in your life (e.g., pursue enjoyable activities, take time to be social, meditate, seek counseling).

Considering Evidence

Tons are still not understood why some situations seem to trigger symptoms in some people with eczema. As you explore this subject, know that the research into eczema triggers is somewhat limited.

Part of the matter is that it is often difficult to style studies that assess how common these potential triggers are. It’s also hard to carefully assess the simplest interventions, partly because not most are sensitive to an equivalent things. That’s why you would possibly hear or read different information about this subject from different sources.

However, many of us report that exposure to at least one of those triggers seems to flare their disease. In other words, there's what scientists call “anecdotal evidence.” for a few of those triggers, we still don’t have thorough scientific evidence confirming this and explaining why. it's still often worth exploring whether these triggers may need an impression on you.

It is often a long-term challenge to spot eczema triggers. It is often frustrating to form changes and not see improvements right away. However, with some persistence, identifying and managing your triggers may assist you to attenuate the disease’s impact on your life.