Reasons Hand Eczema Flares Up
Hand eczema flare-ups are beyond annoying. It can cause redness, itching, cracks, blisters, and dryness to the point of peeling and flaking, but thats not all.
During a bad flare-up of hand eczema, fingers can swell and hands can hurt. Without proper treatment, hand eczema can become chronic. A severe case could even make it hard to button your clothes or use a computer.
So, what causes flares? Here are five of the most common triggers and tips for avoiding them.
Trigger 1: Exposure to water
Constantly wetting and drying your hands can break down skins protective barrier, especially when you have sensitive skin that is prone to dryness. Even after hands are dried, theres some water left that evaporates. When it does, it reduces skins natural oils, said Dr. Alissa OBrien, a dermatologist at Waters Edge Dermatology. If the water is piping hot, its even more irritating and drying.
Most Importantly Avoid Scratching
We know, we know . . . Eczema is itchy and you want to scratch. But listen. Even if scratching makes you feel momentarily better, you need to resist the urge to do it! Scratching does nothing to help, and it will even make things worse by exacerbating any damage or redness youre experiencing. In fact, it will only make you feel itchier.
Scratching your eczema creates a vicious cycle of itch, scratch, rash. You feel itchy, you scratch, you get temporary relief, but the rashes only get worse. In other words, scratching does the opposite of what youre looking to achieve.
Pro tip
Instead of scratching, its better to rub or pinch your skin.
Doctors Tips For Managing Eczema Flare
Need to speak to a GP today?
Dealing with eczema can be incredibly difficult and unpredictable. Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that makes your skin red, dry, itchy, cracked and sore.
The condition is more common than you might think, affecting an estimated 1 in every 5 children and up to 3% of adults worldwide.
A flare-up occurs when eczema symptoms worsen, says Dr Rhianna McClymont, Lead GP at Livi. For some people, theres no apparent reason, but individual triggers may include soaps and detergents, cold and dry weather, allergies, or infections.
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Outlook For People With Eczema
Eczema is a chronic disease, so you will likely always have flares. You can help control it by learning to avoid triggers, treating it as your healthcare provider recommends, and keeping your skin well-moisturized.
Eczema can make you more prone to skin damage, infections, or scars. It can also be harder to control if it started when you were very young, other people in your family have it, or it’s severe.
Soothing Eczema Flare Ups
Taking a shower: Soaking in water or showering is rated among the best Eczema therapies provided you do it properly.
Bathe/shower using lukewarm water and for between 5-10 minutes. You also want to avoid harsh soaps and should select a gentle cleanser instead. Still, you may add beneficial ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, or even oatmeal to your bathing water to tackle specific Eczema symptoms.
Finally, dont scrub the affected skin and remember to moisturize immediately after you finish bathing.
Bandaging: If you can, cover the affected spots with bandages. This again helps shield the skin and hinder scratching.
Using Humidifier therapy: A humidifier improves moisture in the air indoors and may be naturally helpful in easing itching and flaking on your skin.
Changing your clothing: Get out of rough, tight, or scratchy clothing and slip into comfy, smooth-textured clothing. The itchiness will soon start fading.
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Prevent Flares Feel Better
Many things could set off an eczema flare. You may not have the same triggers as someone else. It pays to figure out what causes your skin to react.
Dry skin. If your skin gets too dry, it can become rough and itchy. It might even crack. That can let bacteria or allergens inside. Dry skin is a common eczema trigger for many people. Extreme changes in temperature can stress your skin, too.
Tips: Keep your skin moist — especially in winter, when the air can be very dry. Use a humidifier to moisten the air in your bedroom when you sleep. Apply body lotion after you get out of a shower or bath. Soak in a warm bath with small amounts of bath oil, or add colloidal oatmeal to ease eczema itching and moisten your skin. See what’s the best lotion for eczema.
Irritants. Products you use every day may bother your skin. Soap, cleansers, body wash, laundry detergent, lotions, or even some foods you touch can trigger eczema rashes.
Tips: Talk to your doctor to pinpoint what may irritate your skin. They can test how your skin reacts to certain products. Keep track of anything you use that seems to trigger a flare after you touch it. Choose soaps, cleansers, and laundry detergents without added perfumes or dyes. These are common eczema triggers.
Clothing. Fabrics that are rough, too tight, or itchy can trigger eczema. Clothes that are too warm or heavy can make you sweat and cause a flare, too.
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Over 31-million Americans know that the eczema struggle is real, so remember you arent in this solo. Instead of letting eczema take control, relieve those dry, itchy moments head-on with some well-deserved, soothing self-care. Your skin will thank you! Relief does exist, and as your cheerleaders, were here to make sure you find it. Were with you every step of the way, babe.
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What Is An Eczema Flare
Itâs a return of eczema symptoms that typically include a red, itchy skin rash. You may also notice:
- Inflamed reddish brown or gray patches, especially on your hands, feet, chest, neck, and inside the bends of your elbows and knees
- Serious itching that worsens at night
- Dry skin that could get raw or swollen from scratching
- Small raised bumps that might crust or leak fluid
- Skin that thickens and cracks
These symptoms may go away for a while, then flare up again.
You may have chronic, or long-lasting, eczema. Or it might just flare up after you touch something or in certain settings.
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If your childâs illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.
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How To Calm An Eczema Flare Up
Battling a skin condition like eczema can be challenging andfrustratingto say the least. With uncomfortable symptoms and sporadic flare-upsthat commonly show on visible places like face, hands, and feet, its likelythat someone who suffers from eczema also suffers from embarrassment. But itsnothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, eczema is quite common. The National Eczema Association estimates that more than 10% of thegeneral population has this hereditary skin condition. Key to managing it is an understanding ofwhat triggers your flare-ups and knowing how to treat them.
What is Eczema?
Eczema is a general term used to describe a group of chronicskin conditions that cause the skin to become inflamed and itchy. This skindisease usually begins in infancy or childhood but can attack at any time, evenas adults. With intermittent flare-ups and remissions, eczema shows itself withred, dry, thickened, scaly patches or a rash. Extreme symptoms include crackedor swelling skin, discoloration, oozing, and even bleeding. The most commonform of eczema is called atopic dermatitis. While doctors dont know exactly what causeseczema, it was recently categorized as an autoimmune disease, where the bodysimmune system attacks healthy cells.
Among the common eczema triggers are use of soaps andshampoos with irritating ingredients, such as fragrances, stress, certainfabrics, temperature extremes, dry skin and more.
Use Astragalus To Support Natural Immunity
Supporting immune function when you have an autoimmune disease is tricky. Since your immune system is already in overdrive against your own body, you dont exactly want to bolster its energy to continue attacking you with increased fervor.
What you do want to do is modulate the immune system, which means help re-educate it about what it is supposed to be doing: sparing your own body tissues and attacking foreign invaders like viral and bacterial infections.
You can naturally modulate your immune system with certain herbs like astragalus, which activates only specific aspects of the immune system. It provides a balancing effect on the immune system instead of just a stimulating effect like echinacea or goldenseal, herbs which should be avoided in cases of autoimmunity. You can find astragalus supplements online or at your local health food store. Most health practitioners suggest taking them for only a set amount of time , so ask your doctor for the time period that might work best for you.
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Choose A Physical Sunscreen
Bard says choosing a physical sunscreen versus a chemical one is the best option for people with eczema. Some chemical sunscreens can be irritating to sensitive skin, she says. According to Piedmont Healthcare, physical sunscreens are also more moisturizing. Look for the words physical or mineral on the bottle and ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Eczema And Food Sensitivity
There are a few key things that may cause an immune imbalance. The first is food sensitivity. Most of the medical community thinks food isnt related to eczema, but I find thats not true clinically. About 30 percent of eczema cases are connected to diet in some way. Wheat and dairy are the most common culprits, but nuts, soy, dairy and eggs are also common food sensitivities. To find out if food might be a trigger for you, I would suggest an elimination diet, where you cut out foods that are commonly associated with sensitivies for three weeks and then reintroduce them one by one, leaving at least 72 hours between each one to watch out for signs of a reaction.
Next, since the microflora in the gut is intricately tied to the immune system, I would recommend supplementing with probiotics and taking certain herbal medicines, which have antifungal or antibacterial properties to help balance the organisms in the digestive tract. You can also support your bodys natural elimination process with natural remedies, such as herbs for the liver, cranberries for the kidneys and fibre-filled chia or flaxseed for regular bowel movements. We would also talk about your sugar intake because sugar feeds immune-disrupting organisms in the gut.
Finally, we would discuss stress, which impacts the immune system, and I would work with you to develop a stress-management plan. For some people, exercise works best for others, it might be counselling, prayer or practicingyoga.
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Use Natural Skincare Products Designed For Sensitive Skin
Harsh, chemical ingredients can do a number on sensitive skin. And whether youre trying to calm an eczema flare-up or are simply on the daily quest to prevent them, you need to avoid irritating your skin.
No matter what type of skincare products you intend to use, we recommend treating your skin to products that are made specifically for sensitive skin and include gentle ingredients.
Stay away from parabens, synthetic fragrances, phthalates, sulfates, and chemical sunscreen ingredients .
That said, keep in mind that you know your skin best, and its always a good idea to do a patch test before slathering something all over your face or body!
For natural skincare products designed with you in mind, check out Babo Botanicals eczema and sensitive skin line.
How Can I Manage And Ease Eczema Flare
Not all treatments work for everyone with eczema, but its important not to give up hope. Depending on the severity, treatments may include lifestyle changes, prescription medication and over-the-counter remedies.
Here are some options you can try to help manage your symptoms during an eczema flare-up:
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No Results Without Consistency
Eczema has a bad reputation: you often hear that it is difficult to treat, that it never goes away, that treatments are ineffective because patches keep coming back, and other such claims.
It is true that treatment requires some sacrifice. It would be easier to swallow a tablet rather than having to apply an emollient and cortisone cream every day.
Poor efficacy is often due to uneasiness and concerns about the treatment, resulting in it being applied incorrectly. Applying the cream takes time. Perhaps you applied too little, missed a few days, waited too long before applying the topical treatment, or stopped before the flare-up was treated
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Skin: Condition: Infomation Moisturisers
These should be applied several times every day to help the outer layer of your skin function better as a barrier to your environment. The drier your skin, the more frequently you should apply a moisturiser. Many different ones are available, varying in their degree of greasiness, and it is important that you choose one you like to use. The best one to use is the greasiest one you are prepared to apply. Moisturisers containing an antiseptic may be useful if repeated infections are a problem.
Aqueous cream was originally developed as a soap substitute. It is often used as a moisturiser but can irritate the skin and make your AE worse. For this reason it is recommended that aqueous cream is not used as a moisturiser.
CAUTION: This leaflet mentions emollients . When paraffin-containing emollient products get in contact with dressings, clothing, bed linen or hair, there is a danger that a naked flame or cigarette smoking could cause these to catch fire. To reduce the fire risk, patients using paraffin-containing skincare or haircare products are advised to avoid naked flames completely, including smoking cigarettes and being near people who are smoking or using naked flames. It is also advisable to wash clothing and bed linen regularly, preferably daily.
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Types Of Facial Eczema
Eczema is actually a term for a group of conditions that cause itchy, red, and inflamed skin rashes. The types of eczema that are most likely to appear on the face are:
- Atopic dermatitis: This is the most common type of eczema overall. It is very common on the cheeks and chin, especially in infants. It can also appear around the eyes, on the eyelids, and around the lips. It can, however, occur anywhere on the face or the rest of the body.
- Contact dermatitis: This is also a common type of eczema. It is a skin reaction to a specific irritant. On the face, it is usually found around the eyes, the hairline, and in areas that contact perfumes and jewelry, like the neck and earlobes. But, like atopic dermatitis, this type of eczema can occur anywhere.
- Seborrheic dermatitis: This type most often occurs around the hairline, in the eyebrows, around the ears, and on the sides of the nose.
Find Support To Help You Deal With Stress
Emotional stress can trigger eczema symptoms, and a recent clinical study found that people with eczema have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety. If your eczema is affecting you, talk to a doctor. Treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy can help manage your response to stress and reduce the impact living with eczema has on your mental health, explains Dr McClymont.
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Ways To Prevent Eczema Flare
- Use a humidifier if dry air makes your skin dry.
- Use mild soaps and other products that are free of perfumes, dyes and alcohol. Look for products labeled fragrance free, hypoallergenic and for sensitive skin.
- Moisturize your skin using a cream or ointment. Lotions dont work as well. Apply several times a day, including after you bathe or shower.
- Use lukewarm water in the tub or shower instead of hot.
Dealing with eczema is no fun. If you have questions about how to deal with it or need other non-emergency medical care, dont hesitate to visit our AFC Urgent Care Monroe Road center today!
Bathe Or Shower Daily To Keep Skin Clean
Taking a bath or shower each day can help clear the skin of bacteria as well as sweat and dust that may have accumulated over the course of the day. A study published in Asia Pacific Allergy found that children with eczema saw their symptoms improve as a result of bathing daily plus moisturizing immediately afterward in the summer months. Always be sure to wash with a mild soap that doesnt include dyes or fragrance, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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