Eczema is a condition that affects the skin making it bumpy, itchy, red, and dry. It damages the skin barrier to make the skin more prone and sensitive to dryness and infection. Eczema is not contagious, and having it does not mean that you are dirty or infected. According to the International Eczema Council, there are no known specific causes of eczema. Still, there is scientific evidence that environmental and genetic factors probably cause eczema. Children born to parents with eczema are more likely to have eczema. Asthma and allergy sufferers are also expected to acquire atopic dermatitis more than the rest of the population. Also, some people have eczema triggers when stressed. If you do not know your eczema triggers, you should see a Philadelphia ENT Specialist help you identify your triggers and get advice on avoiding and managing them.
Let us look at environmental allergens that could cause an eczema trigger
House Dust Mites
These are tiny creatures present in household dust. The mites themselves do not cause the problem but the protein available in their droppings. Dust mite droppings do not necessarily cause eczema but can worsen the condition if you are allergic to them. Even with thorough and regular cleaning, it is impossible to reduce the amount of house dust mites to a level that would significantly benefit someone with eczema. But, some people report some relief when the amount of dust is reduced in the home.
House dust mites are mainly found in mattresses and other bedding as they contain their primary source of food; skin flakes. They also hide in soft toys, furnishings, curtains, and carpets.
You can minimize dust in your home by doing the following:
- Vacuum soft furnishings and carpets once a week
- Wash curtains and cushion covers regularly.
- Have soft furnishings that can be wiped, such as leather or vinyl, replace your curtains with roller blinds to minimize dust carriage, replace carpets with seamless floorings such as linoleum or resin
- Wipe hard surfaces using a damp mop or duster
- Daily airing of the living room and bedroom to reduce humidity
- Wash soft toys regularly at a temperature of 600C and store toys in a cupboard or toy box and avoid keeping them in a child’s bed or cot
- Fit your duvets, pillows, and mattress with anti-dust mite covers in severe eczema
Pets
Pets shed skin cells (dander), fur, and saliva, which can irritate the skin. A person with eczema should avoid too much physical contact with pets and wash their hands after stroking them. The following is also helpful:
- Damp and vacuum dust regularly
- Train your dog or cat to use its pet basket instead of the sofa
- Ban them from sleeping on soft furniture and bedrooms
- Brush pets often to remove loose fur and other allergens such as grass pollen which stick to their coats
Pollens and Molds
These are airborne allergens that quickly make their way into your home. Tree, weed, and grass pollen are particularly problematic in the summer and spring. During the autumn, molds release tiny seeds known as spores into the air that can trigger eczema signs. Mold spores can be found in damp places such as steamy bathrooms, kitchens, piles of wet clothes, woody areas, and heaps of autumn leaves. Although molds are inactive outdoors during the winter, they may be active indoors with sufficiently humid and warm air. According to the Eczema Foundation, you can manage the condition through the following:
- If your condition worsens during the pollen season, close your windows and doors when the pollen count is high or lawn mowing.
- Avoid hanging bed linen and clothes outside to dry.
- Consider if houseplants are triggering your eczema.
- Ensure proper ventilation of your home to avoid the formation of mold and maintain the room temperature above 150C
- Whenever you notice mold in the house, please immediately treat it with diluted bleach solution.
Central Heating and Humidity
Central heating decreases humidity, which makes the skin dry and itchy. High humidity levels encourage mold growth and dust mites, both eczema triggers. Many people tend to overheat their homes during the winter, whereas too hot temperatures also trigger itching.
- Radiators are preferable to convection heaters for people with eczema.
- Maintain a stable temperature in all rooms. 180C is best.
- Dress in thin layered clothing when going to sleep
- Ensure proper ventilation during the winter
- Maintain humidity levels in your home at 50%-60%. Use electric humidifiers or keep a bowl of water under the radiator if the indoors are too dry.
- Buy a hygrometer to measure humidity levels in your home.
Laundry
There is a notion that non-biological washing liquids and powders are safer for people with eczema and that fabric softeners irritate eczema. But, there is no particular evidence that enzymes found in biological washing liquids and powders worsen eczema. Nonetheless, many people react to washing detergents and prefer non-biological products for their laundry.
Fabric softeners leave a residue in the laundry. They make it feel softer, but softness is not crucial for many people. Hence, it is unnecessary to use a fabric conditioner with fragrance and other chemicals that can irritate the skin. Some people find that their skin can tolerate unperfumed fabric softeners.
- Use Ecoballs instead of washing detergent. Eco balls lift out the dirt using cleaning pellets during the wash cycle. But, be careful with white clothes as they often look greyish after the wash.
- Do not overload your washing machine to leave enough room for washing and rinse correctly.
- Use a double rinse cycle to ensure that no traces of detergent remain on your clothes.
Food
Some foods contain irritants that aggravate eczema. They include chilies and peppers, tomatoes, garlic, raw onions, citrus fruits, milk, egg, and peanuts (American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, 2022).
Wear protective gloves while handling irritant foods if you cannot avoid them
If you have hand eczema, wash your hands with emollient after a soap wash to remove any residual soap. Then dry the hands and re-apply emollient.