Trigger Happy Eczema
There are many Eczema triggers. You can't avoid them all. The key is to find what are your personal triggers, and avoid those.
Scratching
Do not scratch. It triggers histamine production in your body that makes you itch even more. Even anit-itch meds (anti-histamine) won't save you if you don't stop your constant scratching. Scratching also damages skin's protective barrier, which may lead to complications such as infections. Do not scratch. Cut nails short. Put gloves on (or socks on baby's hands) so skin gets a chance to heal.
Food
Dr. John Ong MD, a neonatal pediatrician, shared the most common types of food that trigger allergies. You may not be allergic to all of them. Avoid only those that you're allergic too.
Chicken (particularly the skin)
Seafood (particularly shellfish and crustaeceans)
Dairy (such as cow's milk and egg)
Peanuts, wheat, soy
Acidic fruits such as Strawberries, tomatoes, mangoes, oranges, lemons
There are tons of food that trigger allergies. Essentially, eat less "Strong Acid-producing foods" such as meats, soda, coffee, and stimulants. Avoid highly processed food because they may contain food additives that could trigger eczema. Interestingly, many of these food are typically labelled as "heaty" in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is believed that too much heat in your qi may cause rash.
Washing
Avoid practices that dry out skin. Such as constant wetting and drying of skin. Do not bathe in hot water, and limit soaking to 15 minutes max. Avoid soaps and detergents, particularly those with fragrance.
Clothing
Avoid wool and synthetic fabrics. Avoid rough, scratchy materials such as lace. REfrain from wearing too tight clothes too, because heat and sweat can be eczema triggers.
Heat
Heat, humidity, and sweat can trigger eczema flares. Keep cool in an air conditioned room. Although this is a bit of a two-edged sword, because staying too long in an aircon can dry up skin too. So make sure your skin is properly maintained with Bebebalm daily.
Dust, Dust mites, Pollen, Pollution
Contact with air pollution, dirty water, pollen and dust mites can trigger rash.
Stress
Eczema is a dysfunction of the immune system. Stress weakens your immune system, thus making you more susceptible to flares.
You may've noticed that there are similar triggers for skin rash and asthma. This is because they are both usually caused by allergies that just manifest itself in different ways. Keep an eye on babies and kids who have eczema. As they get older, their skin could improve but the allergies may manifest itself in the respiratory system (gosh hopefully not!) One sign of allergic rhinitis is doing the "Nose Salute" every morning. It's when you unwittingly rub your itchy nose every morning and seem to get a non-stop runny nose. Or you may experience a constantly blocked nose. If you or your kid has these signs, go to an allergologist or a pediatrician for treatment options.
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Read more
Managing Eczema
Common types of Eczema
Natural management (break the itch-scratch cycle)
Eczema and Children
Lessening steroids dependence
Finding your eczema triggers
Skin tips
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