Diphenhydramine can stop itching and help you sleep. Cetirizine, fexofenadine, and other antihistamines can ease flares and itching but don't make you drowsy. They're all available OTC. Your doctor may also prescribe oral corticosteroids or give you a steroid shot for a strong eczema flare.
More specifically, many people believe olive oil, apple cider vinegar, manuka honey, fatty acids and antioxidants are great diet additions to reduce eczema. Applying aloe vera to your skin can also boost the antioxidants in your system.
Get some exercise.
It's one of the best stress-busters around. Whether you like walking, swimming, or playing tennis, exercise can make you feel better overall. But if sweat is a trigger for your eczema, take a cool or lukewarm shower soon after your workout to wash it off.
Covering the skin increases the potency of topical treatments, which may make them more effective.
Eczema triggers
irritants – such as soaps and detergents, including shampoo, washing-up liquid and bubble bath. environmental factors or allergens – such as cold and dry weather, dampness, and more specific things such as house dust mites, pet fur, pollen and moulds.
Seek interventions that are known to lower stress and increase relaxation, such as; modifying lifestyle factors, managing emotions, getting adequate rest/sleep, eating a healthy diet, and regular exercise, to name a few.” Even one night of sleep loss can increase inflammation.
Stress causes a spike in the hormone cortisol (sometimes called the stress hormone). When your body produces high amounts of cortisol because of stress, your skin can become abnormally oily. This can then trigger an eczema outbreak.
First-line treatments for eczema include emollients to moisturize, protect, and relieve itchy skin; corticosteroid creams to control and minimize inflammation; and, if the skin doesn't respond, oral corticosteroids or an injectable biologic.
Inflammatory foods can trigger an increase in symptoms. Added artificial sugars, trans-fats, processed meat, red meat, refined carbs, and dairy all cause inflammation in the body. Foods containing nickel. Nickel is an ingredient known to encourage symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema.
Vegetables and fruits that are high in inflammation-fighting flavonoids: Apples, broccoli, cherries, blueberries, spinach, and kale. Flavonoids have been found to help improve the overall health of a person's skin and fight problems such as inflammation (which is associated with eczema).
Common triggers for an eczema flare-up include the environment, personal care products, food allergies, and stress. Changes in weather can contribute to dry and eczema prone skin. Certain scented personal care products and food allergies can trigger eczema.
With proper treatment, flare-ups may last one to three weeks, notes Harvard Health Publishing. Chronic eczema such as atopic dermatitis can go into remission with the help of a good preventative treatment plan.
What Causes an Eczema Flare-Up? Triggers aren't the same for everyone, and there may be a lag between the trigger and the symptoms. Sweat, fabrics (wool, polyester), pet dander, hot or cold weather, and harsh soaps are common triggers.
Atopic eczema has been shown to be associated with common mental disorders (depression and anxiety) and suicidality in cross-sectional studies that have frequently relied on self-reported exposures and outcomes.
Affected areas may be red (light skin) or darker brown, purple, or ash gray (brown skin). Dry, scaly areas. Warmth, possibly also with some swelling.
Eczema is a chronic condition that causes patches of dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. It is related to conditions such as asthma, food allergies, and skin infections. Eczema also has links with mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Mental health conditions may trigger an eczema outbreak.
DOs and DON'Ts in Managing Eczema:
DO avoid triggers of the rash, including stress. DO moisturize your skin daily, even when you have no symptoms. Use an odor-free oil-based cream or ointment (not lotion), best applied just after bathing while skin is still damp. Use hypoallergenic products when possible.
For most people, eczema is a lifelong condition that consists of occasional flare-ups. Once treated, it can take several weeks for rashes to clear up. Since these rashes develop from negative immune reactions, there's also a risk that more flare-ups will occur unless you reduce your exposure to triggers.
No. Eczema isn't contagious. You can't spread eczema through person-to-person contact.
Some people find that their eczema improves with exposure to sunlight (this is particularly true of the contact and discoid types), while others experience a worsening of their condition. Rarely, eczema is directly caused by exposure to ultraviolet light (sunlight). The term for this is 'photosensitive eczema'.