The sun is high in the sky, the temperature is rising, and we’re all making sure we got our sunscreen at the ready. Skin problems are on the rise in the summer and for those with eczema-prone skin, the problem can get a lot worse than usual. Here, we’re going to look at a range of tips that could help you avoid and manage those flare-ups, keeping your skin as clear as possible for the summer.
What makes eczema worse in the summer?
Why do skin conditions like eczema seem to flare up especially bad in the summer? There is a range of reasons. For one, hot weather irritates and dries out the skin, which leads to redness and inflammation. Some of the tactics we might use to treat it can do more harm than good, as air conditioners and fans can irritate the skin, too, as a rush of air might further dehydrate it. Skin conditions tend to be autoimmune-related, too, so allergens can affect your skin.
Keep yourself cool as you can
Sweat can lead to new breakouts of eczema, especially if you’re prone to it at areas of the skin that can chafe, like the neck, elbows, knees, or palms. As such, you want to do what you can to keep your body temperature in check. While you might be tempted to cover-up with a breakout, keeping your skin clear, and washing up thoroughly with a nice natural body wash will make sure that all that extra sweat isn’t triggering a breakout.
Stay moisturized
The single best way to prevent any health-related problems in the summer is to stay hydrated. When it comes to your skin, be sure you’re keeping moisturizers on, especially if you’re swimming, sweating, or showering. Simply put, we lose more moisture than ever in the summer and we need to take care to replace it or prevent the moisture from getting lost in the first place. Dehydrated skin is most at risk of an eczema break-out. Of course, dehydration in summer also puts you at risk of a range of other dangerous issues like sunstroke so it’s a good idea to hydrate for the sake of hydration. That is why hydration boosts is also important. Check out Sky MD
Keep the skin dry?
Given how much of the information provided above and below is about keeping the skin hydrated and moisturized, it might seem like a complete U-turn to talk about keeping your skin dry. However, while you want your skin to absorb water, having it on your skin can lead to more perspiration. You will lose more water in the end. As such, if your clothes get wet, change them for fresh and dry clothes. If you are in the pool, rinse off then wipe your skin dry as well. Don’t get too aggressive with rubbing it off as, naturally, that will only irritate your skin more.
Choose the right kind of sunscreen
A good sunscreen will help you stop the sun from sucking the moisture out of the skin and manage your body’s temperature. However, ensure you’re using the right kind of protection for your skin. An SPF of at least 30 and broad factor protection against both UVA and UVB rays is recommended. However, for those with eczema, a mineral sunscreen (or physical sunscreen) tends to be better than synthetic. Mineral sunscreens tend to use non-nano ingredients. Nano ingredients, such as chemicals, that get absorbed into the skin can tend to trigger a flare-up from your skin, irritating it and leading to a break-out.
Know what ingredients to avoid
As mentioned, there are some kinds of sunscreens that can irritate sensitive skin. It’s not just sunscreen, either, but other products that are common in the summer, such as tanning lotions and insect repellents that can irritate your skin as well. As such, get used to reading labels and know which ingredients you should avoid if you have eczema. This includes any preservatives like parabens, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, retinol, and fragrances. These are all known to put your skin at a higher risk of dehydration or inflammation.
Be wary of swimming
There’s nothing like a dip in the pool to cool off on a hot summer’s day. However, if you have eczema, chlorine can greatly irritate your skin, leading to break-outs. As such, you might want to avoid large public pools that make use of this chemical or at least ask to see if they use it or one of the alternatives. Saltwater might offer some relief for your skin, but some people find the minerals can do the exact opposite. Just make sure to dry yourself off and re-apply sunscreen.
Stock up on those ceramides
There are lipids called ceramides that are found in the skin. They play a big role in maintaining the moisture level in your skin by holding water. However, when the skin is dry, not only do you lose the moisture in those ceramides, but you lose the ceramides themselves. As such, when it comes to choosing any hydrating products, one of the ingredients you should be looking for is those ceramides. Otherwise, it will take time for the lipid levels to get back up naturally to what they’re supposed to be.
Try prescription treatments
If you’ve had eczema for a long time, it’s likely that you have at one point talked to a dermatologist about the different prescription treatments out there. You might not have found they offered the relief you needed but, now, when those breakouts are getting worse and more regular, they can do a lot to curb the problem. Two of the most common solutions include topical steroids, as well as anti-inflammatory creams that don’t contain steroids. Take the time to arrange an appointment with your dermatologist and see if they can offer an approach you haven’t tried before or one that’s more likely to be effective in the summer.
It’s oatmeal but not for breakfast
Aside from prescriptions from your dermatologist, there are plenty of natural ingredients that can help, as well. Believe it or not, oatmeal is one of those. In particular, a colloidal oatmeal bath can be a great anti-inflammatory treatment. Some anti-inflammatory ingredients have a high risk of allergy, which oatmeal doesn’t, and the fiber in the oats is genuinely great as soothing the skin as an emollient. Furthermore, since colloidal oatmeal is essential oatmeal suspended in liquid, it’s great at hydrating, too, which is always a plus.
Make use of ultraviolet light
Another non-pharmaceutical way to treat eczema can involve using phototherapy. Effectively, phototherapy uses the safe, non-damaging parts of UV light to improve the skin. Whilst UV-B light exposure can cause long-term damage such as wrinkles, safe levels of exposure may be able to prevent flares of eczema because they have a natural non-inflammatory property. Of course, this doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea to expose your bare skin to the sun without protection. It’s important to rely on safe levels of UV-B light in a controlled setting operated by a professional.
Keep allergens out of the home
As mentioned, allergens such as pollen, dust, and animal dander can trigger your eczema, though it’s not a trigger that’s mentioned as regularly as some of the others. As such, you should take what measures you can to reduce allergens in the home. This can include using a HEPA filter on any air conditioners or ventilation. Effective, regular cleaning and dusting of the home is a good way to reduce allergens, too, as is washing off clothes after coming from the outside, since they might contain pollen. Not every person with eczema will experience breakouts due to allergens, but it is a risk to many.
Tackle your allergies
There is evidence that allergies and eczema have a closer link, still. People with eczema may be more vulnerable to hayfever, for instance, and the opposite may be true, as well. If you are sensitive to pollen, not only can it trigger the hallmark reaction associated with allergic rhinitis, such as sneezing, irritated eyes, and the like, but it may also trigger a breakout of eczema. For that reason, make sure that you’re treating your allergies with hayfever tablets and similar solutions, most of which can be bought over the counter.
Don’t rely on antibacterial skin products
When something is called antibacterial, we tend to think of it as wiping out the bad bacteria that can spread illness. However, antibacterial products wipe out all bacteria, including the good bacteria that several parts of our body use. This includes the weak bacteria normally found on the skin that keeps our skin healthy. Use antibacterial washes and you wipe these out, which instead gives room for new bacteria and fungi to grow, and they are not guaranteed to be as friendly to your skin, which may lead to yet more breakouts.
Of course, if you’re really concerned about how your skin is going to handle the summer, there’s nothing like getting advice from your dermatologist. Follow the tips above, but don’t neglect to get some real advice.
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