If you’ve ever had it, you know it: the dry, red, unbearably itchy skin condition called eczema. And you’re not alone — 1 in every 10 people in the United States suffer from it. It’s most common among children, but often found in adults, as well.
“Eczema” actually refers to a number of skin conditions, many of which are related to allergy. The most common is atopic dermatitis, or AD, which is often triggered by food or environmental allergens. Contact dermatitis is a reaction to allergens and irritants such as soap, detergent, scratchy clothes or nickel jewelry.
When a patient comes to me with eczema, we first focus on clearing up the skin with a daily bathing and moisturizing routine, which can help strengthen the skin against irritation and infection. Then we develop a plan to prevent exposure to allergens and irritants that are setting off the skin problems.
The six most common triggers for eczema are:
1. Dry skin. The best way to prevent an eczema flare is to keep skin well-moisturized. In fact, recent research suggests that moisturizing a baby’s skin from birth may help prevent eczema from developing. In addition, some people have a genetic condition associated with a skin protein called filaggrin that causes their skin to lose moisture and absorb bacteria more easily than others.
[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health.]
2. Food allergies. Among children under age 2, eczema is most often related to milk or egg allergy — but it can occur with any food. We will not assume an allergy and change a diet without confirmation, however, because these are such important nutrients. Instead, we put together a diagnosis based on physical symptoms, family and medical history, and allergy tests. Blood tests are unreliable when diagnosing eczema, because people with the condition tend to have such overactive immune systems that the tests produce lots of false positive results.
3. Environmental allergies. Children over the age of 2 tend to have eczema related to pollen, mold, pets or dust mites. Since these allergens are difficult to avoid, the most important treatment is aggressive moisturization, along with antihistamines and topical skin corticosteroids, if necessary. Skin testing will help identify specific allergies, so we can target avoidance plans. Some patients do well with immunotherapy (allergy shots or pills), which essentially cure the allergy.
4. Contact allergies. Adult-onset eczema is usually set off by something the person is in contact with on a regular basis. It could be a piece of jewelry, latex or chemicals used in cosmetics, skin products or in the workplace. If necessary, an allergist can do a patch test to identify specific allergens causing the problem.
[See: 8 Surprising Facts About Asthma and Seasonal Allergies.]
5. Skin irritants. While they are not allergens, some soaps, detergents, fragrances and wool or synthetic clothing can significantly irritate sensitive skin. Cigarette smoke can also irritate skin, the same way it irritates lungs and eyes.
6. Heat. Whether because it dries out skin or causes sweating, heat is a common eczema trigger.
No matter what the trigger, the most effective way to fight eczema is to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Bathe in lukewarm water, dry skin gently by patting with a towel and then apply an ointment or cream to seal in the moisture. Reapply if necessary. Prescription ointments, pills and injectable medications may be necessary for severe cases.
[See: How to Survive Ragweed Allergy Season.]
Though it’s extremely difficult to avoid scratching, do the best you can, as broken skin is easily infected, and scratching will start the cycle all over again.
If you think you or your child has eczema, schedule an appointment with your doctor; for a specialist, contact an allergist or dermatologist.
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Identifying Eczema: 6 Common Triggers originally appeared on usnews.com
