Eczema is a skin disease characterized by inflammation, itching, redness, cracking, dryness, and sometime lesions.
In mild flare ups, eczema is irritating at best and during severe flare ups, it can be both extremely itchy and painful. Complications can arise that are potentially life threatening, so care to prevent and lesson flare up is very important to you. The first thing you can do to care for your eczema and reduce flare up is to learn your own triggers.
Every eczema patient is different, so what may trigger one persons flare up will not necessarily cause yours. Through a little detective work, you can learn your particular triggers so that you may avoid them. These eczema triggers come in a variety of forms. Some of the more common triggers include: allergens, irritants, extreme temperatures, humidity levels, and stress.
Food allergens may be the culprits, so keeping a food/symptom diary is a good idea. Although any food can be a culprit, more common food allergens are milk, sugar, and wheat, keep in mind that almost all of the bread you buy if made with wheat flour. White bread is simply bleached wheat flour.
Allergens may also be any airborne allergens that you are sensitive to, since Atopic Dermatitis patients are usually prone to or have family who is prone to hay fever and/or asthma, allergens play a large part in the eczema patient set of triggers as a general rule.
The most common allergen triggers are pollen, dog dander, cat hair, and dust. With cat hair, it is actually usually the saliva of the cat that people are allergic to, but the cat licks the fur, spreading the proteins in the saliva to the fur, making people think that the fur is the culprit.
Like food allergies, a diary can be kept, listing potential suspect contact and symptom manifestation. It may help you to have an allergy test done, but allergy shots may actually worsen the eczema, rather than help your body become accustomed to the allergies (which is how the shots work in patients who do not have atopic dermatitis).
Allergy testing should be done as a way to determine what things you should avoid. If you determine that allergens are triggering your eczema, you may need to begin a prescription antihistamine.
Irritants include all kinds of man made chemicals. The most common eczema triggers are laundry chemicals with fragrance and/or dyes, soaps, and household cleaning chemicals. Switching to fragrance and dye free laundry agents and mild soap may help. When using household cleaning supplies, wear protective gloves and clean for only short periods at a time.
Latex (or rubber) glove may also be an irritant, so a cotton glove worn under the latex glove may help you. Clothing that scratches skin or holds in excess heat can also be an irritant. Cotton clothing is best for eczema sufferers.
Extreme temperatures affect eczema in different ways. The winter cold is drier than warmer months, so between the cold and the lack of normal humidity levels, your eczema usually gives you more trouble. Moisturizing is very important in this time, since you cannot change environmental conditions.
Humidifiers may or may not help, the subject is controversial. Likewise, extreme heat and humidity affects eczema in its own way, usually by making you perspire, which acts as an irritant. Whether perspiring from outside temperatures or from exercise, bathe as soon as you can and apply a good cream or petroleum jelly based moisturizer to wet skin. Keeping the skin clean and moisturized will help keep irritation from heat to a minimum.
Stress levels are often found to be factors. During times of high stress, patients often report eczema flare ups. Learning to recognize and control your stress level can be considerably helpful with both your eczema and your day to day life. Having a good support network is a number one rule in stress reduction, visiting with a psychologist will benefit you as well.
The counselor will be able to teach you to recognize stress triggers and learn relaxation techniques to help you remain closer to a peaceful state during stress. Often people with severe eczema will be depressed, so your counselor may suggest an anti depressant to help through rough times.
Studies have shown definite links between AD patients and the inability to adequately express their inner turmoil, meaning that the stress builds without release. Counselors relaxation techniques and stress management tips can drastically improve this for you. Researchers are still trying to determine the link between stress levels and immune reaction in the skin.
Louise Forrest
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/what-is-triggering-your-eczema-113466.html
Does anyone have eczema, and if you do, how do you deal with it?
I have eczema. It started when I was like one yrs old. When I say "how do you deal with it", I mean, do you use medicine as in cream or antibiotic for your skin or do you take allergy medications in case anything causing your allergies are triggering your eczema (like me)?
Do people tease you about scabs and stuff all over your body or in one certain visible place? I have it all over my body. I scratch so hard and for such a long period of time that I have about eight places that look like burns and have turned into permanent scars. They come back every year or 4 years or so to make my life painful (mentally and physically!).
It would be great to hear about someone else’s view of how to deal with eczema.
If you dont know what eczema is, please do not answer this question.
The skin creams and medicines I use are often steroids but not the bad kind that harms your inner organs. Elocon, a special steriod cream that I am using currently takes away rashes and decreases the swollenness and open soreness of scabs in about a day! It’s miracle medicine.
I recomend it to anyone who has serious rashes or eczema problems. It stings just a bit especially if the rash is pure red or open sore, but it’s worth the pain once it’s gone.
I occasionally had it but it went away quickly. However my father had it at times and dealt with it with sterioid cream. Good luck.
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I deal with it also I went to a dermatologist who told me to use Eurcin and/or Cetaphil, they help sum what but I still get dry itchy patches of skin I just keep lots of lotion on me and with me at all times.
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well I have it but not crazy severe it comes and goes in the summer and winter i basically put antibiotic and try to keep it moist (as in moist i mean not dry skin) so yeah hope that help alittle (doubt it lol)
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I’ve had Eczema all my life, too. When it is really acting up I use an Eczema Cream. I have it all year round but it usually gets really bad in the summer. Usually I get it in places I can hide well like my back, stomach, arms, legs. I have some scars from scratching so hard but they are in places I can hide. The cream sucks to have on during the day so I usually wear it only at night to help with the itching. I know what your going thru and I feel for you. It is nice to know that other people have it as seriously (if not more) than me.
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My daughter has eczema. I keep her skin well moisturized with gentle lotions – eucerin works well.
I also try to make sure she drinks plenty of liquids.
Oatmeal baths work well when the eczema gets bad. It soothes the itch and seems to help her skin heal.
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http://www.eczematruth.com
I have had bad eczema too. I use pawpaw cream it helps a lot but it does take the pigment out of your skin so if you are very tanned it can look a little odd.
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I have atopic dermatits,the clinical name for eczema and have had it for over 40 years so I have a lot of experience dealing with it.I’ve had it since childhood and had the really bad scabbing on the back of my neck.I went to a private school where everyone knew each other, and a lot of us went to the same dermatologist,so I was lucky that there was no teasing.Just let a person know that you have a disease that makes your skin very sensitive and that should stop the teasing.
Over the years I have tried different medications and the best so far has been the hydrocortisone cream,which my dermatologist used to make with moisturizers. It’s now available over the counter;it’s Cortaid with moisturizers.When I had a very bad flare up on my hands that lasted four years,I used Lidex;it didn’t make things get better any faster.I also tried steroids;it has several drawbacks,the major one being a few days after you stop taking it,the rash comes back!And you are left with the side effects,pimples,and bleeding disorders(it thins the blood so if you have surgery or dental work you have to tell the doctor because you will bleed more than usual).The newer medications,Protopic and Elidel are under a cloud of suspicion;they are being studied for possibly increasing the risk of skin cancer.I tried Protopic,but luckily didn’t like it because it burned and told my doctor and went back to the cortisone.I also use an antihistamine everyday,because I have allergies,as well.You should know that eczema patients are also more likely to develop asthma(I got asthmatic bronchitis and was on antibiotics for a month but luckily didn’t develop full-scale asthma).
Diet has absolutely nothing to do with eczema(that’s been medically proven) but it doesn’t hurt to eat a healthy diet.And drink lots of water!
Eczema means you have hyper-sensitive skin.It also means that your skin can get very dry if you arenot careful.That’s why we are not suppossed to use soap,soap is drying.We use Cetaphil cleansers.Cetaphil comes in lotion or bar cleanser form.The bar form is good for the shower and bath.The lotion form is really good because you can use it with or without water,an enemy of eczema because it dries the skin out.You also need Cetaphil cream moisturizing lotion to appy to the body every day…especially to the hands everytime you clean them.
For the bath,Aveeno makes a Colloidal oatmeal bathpowder that’s good for the itchy feeling.They also have a bath/shower oil,good for that first layer of moisture…followed by the Cetaphil cream.
Shampoos that are good for this condition are the tar-based Neutragena T-Gel and Denorex,and the non-tar-based Nizoral.You can use any moisturizing conditioner for your hair.
Things you need to avoid are:lanolin,scented products,retinols,AHA and sugar acids(unless your Dr. prescribes them),Vaseline and other greasy ointments,lotions and creams that contain benzocaine or antihistamines.You need to use laundry detergents that are unscented as well as unscented fabric softener.
Avoid doing wetwork if you can;I had a doctor’s excuse not to do dishes or any wet work.If you are not able to get out of doing some cleaning,you need to wear two kinds of gloves:cotton liners,available at the beauty section of the pharmacy and rubber gloves.
Dermatologists recommend that you wear soft fabrics that allow the perspiration to evaporate off of the skin;so,cottons,silks,any soft fabric that has moisture-wicking capabilities.If you wear wool,you can’t wear it nest to your skin;the wool has to be lined,or you wear pantliners(available at Nordstrom),tee-shirts,camisoles underneath.
To get rid of the scarring,you’ll need to do a few things.You can use Skin Ceuticals Phyto+ Botanical Gel fo Hyperpigmentation available at http://www.skinstore.com.It‘s one thing that I use and it doesn’t irritate my skin.Another really good thing to use is Kinerase,but it is very expensive($117 for a two-month supply).It also works,but the Skin Ceuticals is just as good and costs half as much.You’ll also need to use a complete UVA/UVB sunblock.Neutragena makes a good one. You can also ask your dermatologist about prescriptions for the scars.I also wear a hat to protect the skin against further hyperpigmentation.The fading takes months…as does getting over some of the eczema episodes.Patience is the most important thing with eczema.But it’s also the hardest.
You’ll need to keep your nails short and clean.You know that scratching is forbidden;that’s to keep you from tearing the skin and getting an infection…more problems!
I had to educate myself about eczema because it became clear that I wasn’t ever going to outgrow it.I highly recommend that you start getting books on the skin by doctors.I’ll list some in the sources section.These books and the booklet will help you tailor a program especially for your skin.
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Your Skin:From Acne to Zits by Jerome Z. Litt, M.D.
Your Skin:A Dermatologist’s Guide to a Lifetime of Beauty and Health by Frederic Haberman,M.D. and Denise Fortino
Eczema Free for Life by Adnan Nasir,M.D. and Patricia Burgess
Beautiful Skin of Color: A Comprehensive Guide for Asian,Olive and Dark Skin by Doctors Jeanine Downie and Fran Cook-Bolden(This book is really good for all skins).
The National Eczema Association has a printable booklet on-line.Just ignore the adds for Protopic and Elidel.
I have heard people sing the praises of emu cream or something else just called The Blue Stuff of The Blue Cream. Don’t need it myself. Sorry you have to deal with it.
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Yes,
I have it very badly, but after years of going to the doctor etc..I found online help! The Raw Diet is the cure! We have too many toxins in our system! Also take aloe vera gel, drink it and put it on eczema- do a cleanse too! The toxins need out…hope this helps, I see results already! God Bless You.
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My doc gives me Valisone (betamethasome) cream and it cures it in about 3 days.Usually between my fingers,itchy,raw,weeping
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My daughter has eczema. The best lotion I have found is called Renew lotion. It is made with allantoin and tea trea oil. They also have a Renew bath oil. We had tried Eucerin, cetaphil, etc. and nothing worked until I was introduced to Renew. It keeps her dry skin very well lubed as her doctor says. When she has a bad flare up, we also put on a topical ointment called melagel or straight tea tree oil. In addition, she takes Zyrtec daily as an antihistamine. You can only buy these products through Melaleuca, Inc. They are a consumer direct marketing company. I happen to be a marketing agent. I am not not posting to gain business, but their products have completely channged my daughter’s life. You can read more about the products at http://www.melaleuca.com or email me directly for more information.
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I feel your pain.
My daughter started have eczema since she was a baby. her doctor kept telling us that she would grow out of it. She is now 6, and it’s getting better, but it’s not under control. It started with just her wrist. When she was in daycare, she would itch and itch till she bled. So the daycare would put white gauze around her wrist so she would stop. That didn’t stop her, she would just rip it off. My husband was in the military, and we were stationed in Germany, it got 100 x’s worse. We think it was either the water or something "in the air".
It was so bad in Germany, we had to be medically re-assigned someplace in the united states. The doctors could not find anything that she was reacting to!!!!
We just moved, but in our last house, it had a water softner, and let me tell you what, that made a HUGE difference with her skin. It didn’t stop the itching as much, but it did help the condition of her skin.
We have tried edial, protopic, aquahor, and just about everything under the sun!!
She has some confidence issues because of this. She is shy and has a hard time warming up to people because she thinks they are looking at her skin.
I must say, I tried using arbonne products and I’ve seen improvement. Especially the "Skin Conditioning Oil". That has made those dark patches go away and her skin looked normal again. I use the Arbonne body wash, body lotion and the skin oil. I see a HUGE difference using those products. They don’t have perfumes or dyes. Here is the link for the oil: http://www.arbonne.com/products/not-so-basic/skin/specialty/oil.asp
" scratch so hard and for such a long period of time that I have about eight places that look like burns and have turned into permanent scars" — I can send you samples of the products. I think the skin oil will really help with that. email me at angelarey@myarbonne.com or you can go to my website and sign the guest book http://www.gleamingskin.myarbonne.com
I look foward to the day where my daughter will stop the itch.
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i have it really really bad on my arms, legs and hands. i used to have it on my lips. i used steroid cremes but they make my skin darker and stretch the skin. i use ucerin creme now and its good, but doesn’t help for bad flare ups. I’ve had eczema since elementary school and in the summer i never wear short sleeves or shorts. My friends don’t mind my skin but other people think it’s nasty. I know that the sun isn’t good for it and i went to an allergist and found out i was allergic to dust mites in the bed, maybe u should try that.my mom had eczema and grew out of it but i don’y know if i will, i hope so.i hope yours gets better.
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