Seasonal Eczema Tips

While some people have fewer flare ups during the summer time, it is quite the opposite for many others. As the weather changes from cold to hot, our skin is also changing from super dry to sticky and sweaty. 

The hot temperature can be an irritant itself that will only worsen the itching sensation, when the temperature is hot and the body is trying to cool off, there becomes an increased dilation of blood vessels that triggers movements of inflammatory cells. This is why some people have worse flare ups in the summer time. I know it is quite impossible to avoid the heat, but we must take caution, stay hydrated, get proper ventilation, don’t be afraid to sweat and know when to cool off. I LOVE being outdoors in the summer time, I am a summer baby and prefer the warmer months and I do not allow my eczema to hinder me from doing so. Instead it pushes me to drink more water and stay even more hydrated that I would in the Winter time. 

Once you learn your body and which seasons trigger your eczema the most, you can prepare for the switch a lot better and much sooner. For me, when the weather warms up, that is my cue to drink even more water because it is so easy for us to get dehydrated in the warmer summer months. I also try to avoid other factors that trigger eczema at the most during the summer such as fried foods, alcohol, places with no air conditioning, and stress. We can all manage our eczema much better once we know exactly what triggers our flare ups. One thing that is KEY to controlling eczema during the summer months is regulating your body temperature. 

One way to help lower body temperature is through a natural defense mechanism called, perspiration (sweat). Sweating in the summertime when you have eczema can be a blessing and a curse because our sweat contains trace elements of zinc, copper, iron, nickel, lead, magnesium, sodium and chloride…when these chemicals build up onto your skin they could cause irritation to ones eczema causing a flare up or break out. Moisture accumulates most inside the creases and crevices of our body such as our elbows, the back of our knees, and around the neck…so if you happen to sweat a lot though your clothes be sure to rinse off your skin and maybe even change into a new outfit. I know, I know, it sounds like a lot, right? But in order to keep your flare ups at bay in the summer months we gotta do what we gotta do. 

Also, do not let the warmth make you timid about living your life in the summer time. Heat flare ups can also happen in the house, for example, If you are lying on the couch and develop a heat rash, it may be because your sweat glands are being blocked. Other factors that cause flare ups in the summer time can be attributed to going swimming in chlorine water and not rinsing off afterwards, but I absolutely cannot stress enough that YOU MUST DRINK PLENTY OF WATER! Trust and believe I will also still be using my eczema butter on my skin daily. Oh and let's not forget to keep our sheets, comforters and pillowcases changed to keep allergens, dust and germs away which also can cause flare ups. 

What kind of tips do you have for dealing with eczema in the summer time? What triggers your eczema? What do you do about flare ups in the summer time? Let’s discuss!! Drop your comments below.