While eczema can strike at any age, it is most commonly seen in children, particularly newborns. More than three-quarters of a million people in the United States are diagnosed with at least one type of eczema each year. The disorder can be itchy and dry and cause redness. Unfortunately, these symptoms may last for days, weeks, or even months.
Eczema is triggered by allergies, and many people get affected when they have their first allergy episode. There are some causes of eczema that are common to all types of eczema, such as some seasonal irritants that people tend to ingest, dust mites or bacteria that can live on them, or a reaction to the medication. For those who suffer from eczema who have never been allergic to things that might cause allergic reactions, it’s hard to understand why eczema flares up.
But, even if you were exposed to an irritant and don’t have an allergy, a common cause of eczema is simply that you are exposed to it at all. Even though your eczema didn’t cause the irritation, if you come into contact with it again, you could get it again, because it triggers your immune system to release a chemical called histamine.
You see, there are many factors that can trigger eczema. The weather is one of the biggest factors. If you live in a hot, humid climate, where mild temperatures cause your skin to perspire, or if your skin gets exposed to pollution, then you are at higher risk for developing eczema.
But, there are other factors that affect your skin such as food, which are common irritants, personal hygiene products, and laundry detergent, dust, and chemicals that you are exposed to. Since so many things can irritate your skin, it’s important to take special care when preparing and eating foods, wearing clothing, and using laundry detergent. You should follow the recommended guidelines for washing and only use mild, fragrance-free soaps, and cotton clothing.
One of the biggest reasons that people develop eczema is from the personal hygiene that they do, especially when they use soap and water to wash their hands. Many times, soap and water, in addition to personal cleaning products, can cause an allergic reaction. So, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after you’ve done anything that would have caused you to come into contact with the products that caused the reaction.
When you have eczema, you might notice that you don’t have the symptoms until several days after the first symptoms appeared. It’s because the eczema is so advanced, it’s covering most of your body. Even after the skin gets affected, you might not be aware of it. It’s most common during the spring and summer months, as we all sweat is more when we’re active.
It can appear in different places of the body, including your scalp, mouth, eyes, groin, and genital areas. The signs and symptoms of eczema may include, red, scaly, and thickened skin, itching, burning, and inflammation. This inflammation can sometimes be felt with the touch, especially when your hands come into contact with irritants.
Even though you might not realize it, eczema is a long-term condition that can develop over time. The cause, unfortunately, is still unknown. However, since there is no known cure, the best thing to do is to control the symptoms and to lessen the impact of eczema flare-ups.
In order to reduce the effects of eczema, there are several things that you can do, like making sure you always have a well-hydrated body, using natural oils and moisturizers to reduce the pain and irritation. When you get symptoms, you need to know that it is an eczema outbreak and not a symptom of something else. It is more important to identify the cause than to treat the symptoms that come with it.
There are several treatments that you can try, including creams, ointments, lotions, oral medications, topical treatments, but you will want to choose one that works for you, depending on the severity of your symptoms and your level of frustration with it. In order to stop eczema from coming back, you must address the cause of your eczema symptoms.
