Healthy Skin Month and Eczema

National Healthy Skin month is here! But one big enemy to healthy skin is eczema (a red, itchy rash). If you have eczema some of the blame may fall at your parents’ feet. Studies have shown that if your parents had eczema, allergies, or asthma than you are at greater risk of developing eczema yourself.

If you have eczema than you have probably tried treating it with over-the-counter topical creams. If that didn’t work than you may have sought the help of a dermatologist who prescribed more powerful topical agents. That may have worked as long as you remembered to apply the creams, but once you stopped, the eczema probably cropped up again. What do you do then?

If the eczema is allergy related, as many cases are, consider contacting an allergist to end the eczema cycle. All of the cream in the world won’t fix the underlying allergy related problems. Only allergy treatment can address allergies.

At this point you may be wondering what allergies have to do with eczema. It all starts with a really bad judgment call on the part of your immune system. When it encounters a pollen granule or mold spore or a trace of pet dander passing by, it should simply tip its hat and move on. Instead, your immune system mistakes these innocent passers-by for threatening germs and unleashes chemicals into your body to fight them off.

The body’s chemicals are often what triggers allergies. The chemicals are particularly adept at causing swelling. When the nose lining swells, you get nasal congestion. When the sinuses swell, you get sinusitis. And when the skin swells into those raised, red rashes, you get eczema.

If National Healthy Skin Month is feeling less than healthy to you, consider it your motivation to see an allergist for your allergy-related eczema. Need an allergist? AllergyEasy can help. Our network of allergists offer no-shots, no hassle allergy treatment.