Flare Ups
What is a flare-up?
A “flare-up” is a term often used to describe a period where your condition gets worse, compared to “normal” (for you). It’s not specific to Eczema, and is often used with other “inflammation” conditions such as Asthma. Here, we’ll be focusing solely on Eczema.
For Eczema sufferers, no doubt you’ve already noticed that there are times your skin seems to be more under control, and other times it seems to get worse suddenly, sometimes for no apparent reason. This is your skin “flaring up”. It’s a very disheartening experience, and you might feel you’ve gone back to square one in terms of managing your skin. You haven’t - this is unfortunately part of life with Eczema. Over time, you’ll learn to recognise triggers and manage your exposure to them to avoid flare-ups, and you’ll also learn how to respond quickly once you recognise the onset of a flare-up.
Although it’s certainly a part of living with Atopic Dermatitis, I’m going to walk you through some of the common triggers for a flare-up, and some steps you can take to reduce them.
If you’re looking for advice on how to get through a flare-up, check out these helpful tips.
What causes an Eczema flare-up?
Different triggers affect people in different ways. What’s fine for one person may cause agony for another, and vice versa. Keep that in mind as you’re exploring this list; take note of which entries here might affect you in particular, and next time you have a flare-up, see if you can identify what might have contributed to it.
1. Stress
You’ve heard it before but it’s worth repeating: our bodies handle stress in all sorts of weird ways. Some people may get a stomach ache; some get pent-up nervous energy. And if you suffer from Atopic Dermatitis, you may find that your body reacts to stressful situations with a flare-up of your Eczema.
2. Weather and Air Quality
Ever notice that on cold, windy days you might end up with chapped lips? That’s because the cold, dry wind has sucked all the moisture out of the skin on your lips. The same thing happens every day on a more subtle scale, usually without us noticing! This is worth keeping in mind because as the air is drier, you’ll need to apply moisturiser more frequently to compensate. Similarly, if you have control over the dryness of the air (for example with a humidifier/dehumidifier) then it might be worth adjusting those settings so you’re spending your time in air that’s not so dry.
One thing that’s worth taking note of here is the impact of Air Conditioning. A side effect of the process used for Air Conditioning is that it dries out the air as it’s circulating through the A/C unit. This means that you can expect most offices and retail outlets to have a lower humidity percentage than you might expect, which is therefore drying on your skin. If you have the option, consider alternatives to A/C for cooling such as opening windows and using blackout blinds to keep out sunlight. A major bonus here - you’ll save on your electricity bill and also reduce your carbon footprint if you can reduce your A/C use!
3. Other environmental factors
Unfortunately this entry is a little vague, mostly because there are just so many factors at play here! The bottom line though is that your environment plays a big part in the health of your skin (and often your overall health and well-being too).
Here are a couple of the most common culprits:
- Dust
- pollen
- pet hairs
- metals (especially nickel)
4. Diet
You should be aware that it’s possible your body is having a mild reaction to certain foods you’re consuming. You might not notice anything immediately after consuming it, but over time if your body is not happy with what you’re giving it, then your skin is not going to be in good condition. If you haven’t investigated possible food triggers before, or you suspect that something you’re eating or drinking might be triggering a flare-up of your skin, then you should ask a dietician or medical doctor to help you investigate further. This might be by keeping a food diary, or they might recommend doing blood or patch tests; your medical doctor or dietician will take into account your personal circumstances and recommend the best approach for you.
Some common food triggers:
- nuts
- dairy
- chocolate
- preservatives
5. Physical Well-being
As with many medical conditions, your physical well-being plays a huge part in managing your skin condition. Unfortunately, it’s often a vicious cycle: when your skin has flared up, you’re not likely to sleep well. By not sleeping well, you’re not giving your body the rest it needs to repair itself. And so it repeats. It’s important to take steps to break the cycle as early as possible; by monitoring your general physical well-being and taking active measures to stay healthy, you’ll give yourself the best chance of keeping on top of any flare-ups that might come your way.
- Consistency is key for both exercise and sleep. Creating and keeping regular habits for both will quickly pay dividends.
- Have an exercise plan in place for when you do have a flare-up. Decide in advance what exercise you’ll do when you have a flare-up. For example you might prefer to avoid sweating if that causes your further discomfort, so switching to low-intensity exercise like walking might be a good idea.
- When your skin flares up, your sleep schedule might be among the first things to be disrupted. Although not recommended as part of your daily routine, having a ready supply of drowsy antihistamines can help you get some much-needed restful sleep when your skin does flare up.