What Could Be Causing My Eczema To Flair Up

If you've ever experienced eczema you know how frustrating it can be. We deal with inflammation as a result of our overactive immune system responses when it comes to our skin. Those of us who experience eczema tend to have at least one of the following: A family history of eczema, allergies or hay fever, food allergies, extremely dry skin, or have come into contact with an allergic substance.

But when you're trying to figure out what's actually triggered your eczema it can sometimes be very obvious (like the new product you've just tried for the first time) or you may never actually find the cause. Fortunately there are things you can do to reduce your exposure or risk. Because yes, there are a whole lot of things that can trigger or make eczema worse, so arming yourself with a bit of knowledge can be a life saver.

One thing that many people don't tend to think of is environmental allergens, they can play a surprisingly big roll for some people with eczema. Everything from pollution, wood and cigarette smoke, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, insect bites, skin contact with certain plants, trees or grasses and even prolonged exposure to salt water. Then there are climate factors. Things like a change in season, extreme heat or cold, dry, humid, or prolonged damp weather.  

Fabrics like wool, polyester, and latex can trigger eczema and when you add friction, sweat and dry skin (which can be a trigger all on their own) it can combine to make things even more uncomfortable.

Household products, cleaning and personal care items such as soaps, detergents, shampoo, body wash, perfume, dyes, disinfectants, chlorine and even metals like cobalt, nickel, and copper can be triggers. 

Foods (anything and everything from fruits and vegetables to meats) can be another culprit whether their ingested or just come into contact with skin. 

And here comes the big one, chemicals. They can be incredibly problematic especially when it comes to eczema as well as other allergies, sensitivities and health issues.  I've list some of these below: 

formaldehyde, lanolin, fragrance, paraben, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), salicylates, urea, methyl methacrylate, amidoamine, bacitracin, benzalkonium chloride, benzophenones,  cinnamates, diazolidinyl urea, cocamidopropyl betaine, colophony (tree resin), , dibenzoylmethanes, hydantoin, epoxy resin, thioglycolate, imidazolidinyl, methyl methacrylate, black rubber, propylene glycol quaternium 15 methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, methyldibromo glutaronitrile,

tosylamide and formaldehyde resin, myroxylon pereirae, neomycin sulfate, octocrylene, paraphenylenediamine potassium dichromate, and tixocortol pivalate. 

According to nationaleczema.org "Research shows that some people with eczema have a mutation of the gene responsible for creating filaggrin. Filaggrin is a protein that helps our bodies maintain a healthy protective barrier on the outermost layer of our skin."  Without enough of this protein our bodies simply can't maintain a strong enough skin barrier against things like allergens and bacteria. Because of this dry itchy skin, skin infections, blisters, bumps, spots etc. can occur.

 Maintaining that protective skin barrier is super important and a good sensitive skin moisturizer should be one of the first things in your eczema arsenal to help protect your skin. A close second would be avoiding any known or possible irritants, and taking a closer look at the products you use everyday.

I've included a few tips below that I hope you'll find helpful when dealing with eczema.

- Reduce bathing and showering times and avoid hot water. Never rub irritated skin but gently pat it dry.  Add your moisturizer while skin is still damp. 

- Look for products with fewer ingredients and especially made for sensitive skin.

- Some specialty creams like calendula or other eczema itch relief creams can prove very helpful.

- Additional allergy medication may be needed to help relieve itching especially at night.

- Wear soft lose fitting clothing like cotton, bamboo, and silk without irritating seams or tags.   

- Stick to a low inflammatory food diet as much as possible (think berries, leafy greens, tomatoes). 

- Avoid high inflammatory foods (like sugar, dairy, processed foods).

- Practise stress management (as it can also be a trigger for eczema flare ups).

For more eczema resources you can check out:

Canada - The Eczema Society of Canada  eczemahelp.ca

US - National Eczema Association nationaleczema.org

UK - National Eczema Society eczema.org

Sources:

webmd.com,  nationaleczema.org,  www.nhs.uk/conditions/atopic-eczema