Eczema is a frustrating condition. One day, you’re fine, living without any skin issues, and the next, you’re dealing with a flare-up. But what actually is an eczema flare-up, what causes it, and what can you do to manage the problem?
The condition doesn’t have a cure, but it does have plenty of treatments, both over-the-counter and prescription. At Colorado Skin Care, we work to find the best option (or combination of options) that suit you. Kimberly Stone, MD, wants all of her patients to feel good in their own skin, so here’s more about how you can prevent and manage eczema.
You may have experienced issues with eczema followed by periods of no problems at all. These are called flare-ups and remissions, respectively. It’s very common to have no flare-ups for a long time before suddenly experiencing symptoms (which include itchiness, redness, and exacerbated effects that occur when you scratch your skin) again.
This is a common issue with almost every chronic disease, including eczema. Chronic diseases cause pockets of symptoms over time, and though they might minimize, they’re never fully gone or cured. Doctors don’t know why eczema happens to some people and not others, but often, the flare-ups associated with the condition can be traced to specific stimuli.
Eczema flare-ups aren’t fun, and when you start to experience one, often your first thought is, “Why did this happen?” It can help to learn your triggers, which are different for everyone with eczema, in order to prevent flare-ups whenever you can. Often, these triggers are associated with your environment.
For example, many people have a reaction to certain common ingredients in lotions, perfumes, soaps, laundry detergent, and other chemical-filled items that touch the skin on a daily basis.
If you start to recognize when changing certain products gives you a flare-up, you might be able to read the ingredients list on the different brands that trigger your symptoms and find a common ingredient.
However, not every stimulus is something you can change so easily. Some people realize the air in their new apartment causes a flare-up or that their frequent bouts of anxiety are making them itchy all over.
For others, it might be a change in the weather, their hormones, their sleep, or something else entirely. Whatever the case, you’ll need to be a detective and figure out what you can get rid of, what you can manage or treat, and what you may have to endure.
The itchiness and discomfort you experience with eczema will make you want relief immediately. But how can you actually get it? Remember, the condition can’t be cured, but it can be managed.
There are a number of over-the-counter lotions and creams for eczema relief. You may have to try a few different options to find the ones that work best for you. And because the condition is chronic, you may find what managed your flare-ups 10 years ago doesn’t do it for you now.
As such, we recommend coming in for a visit. We can take a look at your skin, discuss the possibility of certain triggers with you, and help you create a treatment plan. This might include stronger prescription creams and ointments as well as medications.
Treating your eczema flare-ups with the help of your physician might also involve discussion for better skin management. For example, if you experience cold climate flare-ups, we might suggest a humidifier and avoiding hot showers, which can dry out your skin even more. Changes you can make at home often work well in tandem with our prescription treatments.
We’re happy to give you individualized care for your eczema, including a skin exam, a discussion about managing different triggers, and prescriptions for creams, ointments, and medications. The important thing to remember is that eczema flare-ups usually have a trigger, and while you can’t cure the condition, you can often anticipate and manage its symptoms.
Our clinic in the Denver, Colorado, area offers a number of treatment options for eczema, as well as other skin conditions. We also offer aesthetic dermatological procedures. To book an appointment, just call 303-740-4883, or find us online.