5 Common Eczema Triggers — And What to Do About Them

Eczema is a common but sometimes misunderstood skin condition. You might think it’s just a rash that comes and goes, but it’s actually the result of a weak natural skin barrier. A functional skin barrier protects your skin from irritants and infections, but a less functional skin barrier leaves your skin vulnerable to irritation. 

Eczema symptoms come and go, sometimes for no apparent reason. In other cases, they appear in response to triggers. Once you familiarize yourself with the triggers that kickstart your eczema, you can avoid them to your best ability and perhaps reduce the frequency of flare-ups. 

Expert dermatologist Vitaly Blatnoy, MD, and our team can help you come up with strategies to avoid your triggers and manage eczema symptoms like skin inflammation, dryness, and cracking. At Orlando Dermatology Center in Oviedo and Orlando, Florida, you can get personalized treatment for eczema flare-ups. 

Here’s what you need to know: 

1. Allergies

Allergies and eczema go hand-in-hand for many people. If you’re allergic to something that most would consider harmless, your immune system reacts to it, making it harmful to you. This can make your skin more sensitive to the allergen, too. 

Common allergens that might trigger eczema include:

• Dust mites
• Pet dander
• Pollen
• Mold
• Foods, like egg or dairy

Food allergies often make skin symptoms worse for children with eczema, but less common for adults. 

What you can do 

If you have a known allergy, try to avoid the allergen. For example, if you’re allergic to pet dander, spend little time around animals or prepare accordingly by taking an allergy medication. If you’re allergic to a type of food, exclude it from your diet. 

If you’re not sure what you’re allergic to, consider visiting an allergist for allergy testing. They can help you identify the allergen that may cause or worsen your allergy flare-ups.

2. Stress

Stress and other emotional problems, like anxiety and depression, can cause your eczema to flare up more often than it otherwise would. One survey found that stress was the most common trigger for eczema, which isn’t surprising considering stress causes increased inflammation throughout the body. 

What you can do

The key to managing stress-induced eczema is good stress management. Instead of letting your stress build up with no outlet, consider some of your favorite relaxing activities to help you destress. You might try meditation, yoga, or spending quality time with your pets at the end of a long day. 

3. Soaps and detergents

Some soaps and detergents you use to wash dishes, clothes, or your body contain chemicals that irritate your skin. In many cases, ingredients used to add scent or color to a product cause that product to trigger eczema. 

What you can do

Soaps and detergents share one common purpose — cleaning. Eliminating them from your life isn’t a realistic solution. Instead, search for products with phrases like these on the label:

• “Formulated for sensitive skin”
• “Fragrance-free”
• “Dye-free”
• “Hypoallergenic”

You might also try adding a second rinse cycle to your laundry loads. 

4. Dry air or smoke

Dry weather with low humidity can dry out your skin, so it’s no surprise that it can worsen eczema symptoms. If your eczema flares up often but you can’t identify something you’ve touched, the trigger may be the air quality. Dry air, smoke, and pollution can all contribute to skin dryness and itching. 

What you can do

Sometimes you have some control over the air quality in your environment, other times you don’t. In your home, however, you can take steps to address these triggers. 

For dry air, consider buying a humidifier. Humidifiers add moisture to the air and are great for reducing dryness on your skin and in your sinuses. 

For smoke and pollution, consider an air purifier. Air purifiers remove some of the toxins in the air to help you breathe better and enjoy less dry skin. 

5. Fabrics

If it’s not the laundry detergent triggering your eczema, it may be the fabric in your clothes. Wool and synthetic materials are common culprits for triggering skin irritation and dryness, and you might have many items in your closet made of them. 

What you can do

Some fabrics are more eczema-friendly than others. Cotton, bamboo, and silk are particularly gentle on your skin and breathable, so you sweat less underneath them. (Sweat can also aggravate eczema.)

To identify eczema triggers and explore skin-soothing treatments, call Orlando Dermatology Center or request an appointment online today.