What triggers eczema flares?

Eczema tends to go quiet and then flare up, and it is natural to want to know what sets off the bad stretches. The cheapest way to look for your own triggers is to track them.

NIAMS explains that in most cases, there are periods of time when the disease is worse, called flares, followed by periods when the skin improves or clears up entirely, called remissions. Knowing this helps you read your own skin: a flare is one phase, not the end state.

A free diary that finds your pattern

Each day, jot down what touched your skin, what you ate and what the weather was like, then mark the days your skin was worst. After a few weeks, look at what the bad days have in common. It needs no equipment and no background in dermatology. The diary works the same in Madera, where this site is written, as in Madera Acres, Fairmead or the rest of the county.

Plain-language eczema reading

For causes explained in plain language, try the Cleveland Clinic overview Eczema: What It Is, Symptoms, Causes, Types & Treatment. A shorter read written for teens is on Nemours KidsHealth. The American Academy of Dermatology covers atopic dermatitis diagnosis and treatment for the next step.

When the diary points several ways

If your diary points to several things at once, sorting them out on your own gets slow. A clinician can help you work through it.

Weeping, painful or stubborn skin

Skin that is weeping, very painful, or that keeps flaring despite your efforts should be examined rather than waited out.

What to do on a flare day

Readers who have a diary usually ask what to do on a flare day. Bring your notes to your appointment.