During the winter, when the air is dry and cold, eczema can become easily irritated and can cause anyone with this condition to experience a “flare-up”. While many people associate the winter to be the worst time for people with eczema, did you know that this isn’t the only time a person can experience a flare-up? The summer time, when the temperatures are much warmer, the pollen levels are high, and people are sweating more is also time when many people experience flare-ups. If you have been struggling with summer eczema and want to learn how to calm your flare-ups, then keep reading!
What Causes Summer Eczema?
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is an inflammatory skin condition that appears as dry, itchy, red patches along that skin. These patches can vary in degree from mild bumps to painful cracks in the skin. The most common places to have eczema on the body are on the hands, feet, face, elbows, and the torso.
It is not contagious, and can appear on anyone, at any age, for any number of reasons!
Some of the most common causes of summer eczema include:
- Disturbances in the autoimmune system
- Asthma
- Genetics
- Environmental triggers or stress
- Allergens such as pollen
- Or even physical factors like sweat and hormones!
While there is no cure for this condition, there are a number of steps that someone can take to reduce the side effects.
How to Reduce Flare-ups
So, what can you do to reduce these flare-ups?
The first thing we would suggest doing is to see schedule an appointment with your dermatologist. This is important because they will be able to officially diagnose you with eczema and rule out any other conditions, and they can recommend a more personalized management plan with specific products to use.
If you’ve already talked with your doctor and are looking for more tips and tricks, the next way to control these summer eczema flare-ups is to try and stay cool to avoid sweating, and to drink more water.
Another tip is to switch to a physical, mineral-based sunscreen. Chemical sunscreens can cause skin to become irritated, which is why it’s better to use a more sensitive-friendly mineral sunscreen.
You can also try an air purifier to reduce your allergy symptoms and control any flare-ups!
Finally, rinsing off daily to wash away environmental triggers like pollen and moisturizing your body can help control these flare-ups.
Finally, drinking more water and keeping your skin hydrated will get rid of any dry skin that can trigger an excess in oil production.
Schedule Your Eczema Appointment
These are just a few quick tips you can start using to reduce your summer For help with summer eczema flare-ups and knowing which products to start using, contact our team to schedule an appointment. Dr. Wooming and our new Physician Assistant, Leigh Wilson, specialize in treating eczema and other dermatology concerns.
