Dealing with eczema flare-ups? Here are 5 unexpected triggers revealed by experts
From your bedroom to your dinner plate, pharmaceutical experts share the surprising irritants behind itchy, inflamed and eczema-prone skin – and how to avoid them.
We all strive for healthy, glowing skin. But for those struggling with eczema, this dream can feel out of reach. Despite having a dedicated regimen of carefully chosen creams and a thorough skincare routine, you still find yourself plagued with persistent itch, unexplained rashes, as well as skin discolouration and flakiness. The truth? Surprising triggers may be festering beneath the surface and sabotaging your pursuit of healthier skin. To find skin relief for good, we spoke with pharmaceutical experts about these unsuspecting culprits and how you can avoid them.
Meet the experts
Geraldine Lim and Winthrop Wong are co-founders and directors at Wellchem Pharmaceuticals – a healthcare company specialising in medicine, healthcare products and medical devices. They are also the founders of MIRIQA®, a multi-award-winning nutraceutical brand for hair, skin, sleep, collagen and eczema relief.
With decades of combined experience in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry, Geraldine and Winthrop bring expertise in long-term skin, hair, and overall health resilience. Together, they’ve developed science-backed supplements that address rising health concerns, including gut-skin balance, sleep, hair growth, oral sun protection and immunity.
What is healthy skin?
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty of eczema triggers, what exactly constitutes healthy skin? “Skin health goes beyond how it looks. It’s about how well your skin is functioning as a protective barrier,” say the experts.
Healthy skin feels smooth, calm and hydrated. It doesn’t itch, flake or break out easily. Conversely, poor skin health may appear in the form of dullness, redness, itchiness, dry patches, or conditions like eczema or acne.
“If your skin is often irritated, uncomfortable, or prone to flare-ups, that’s usually a sign that something deeper – like inflammation or imbalance – is going on,” they add.
5 surprising factors that cause itchy, inflamed and eczema-prone skin
1. Your environment: Invisible stressors around you
If all your attention is on what goes onto your skin, here’s your sign to shift your focus to what’s going on around you instead. “Environmental factors, including air quality, temperature, pollutants, and even your choice of bedding or laundry detergent, can be skin triggers,” share the experts.
With Singapore’s rising (and erratic) heat and humidity levels, the increase in sweat, heat and moisture can irritate skin and disrupt the skin barrier – especially if you’re already prone to flare-ups. No surprise there; this weather condition is also partly to blame for why more people are experiencing eczema for the first time.
Throw in other environmental factors like poor and dry indoor air quality (particularly in the bedroom), and it’s a recipe for drying out the skin barrier and stripping the skin of its natural oils. In turn, it’s your way to more inflammation or itching overnight. A recommendation? Use a humidifier or house plants to add moisture to your indoor environment!
2. Your diet: Feeding your skin from within
Heard the phrase ‘you are what you eat’? This rings true for skin health. What you eat directly impacts your complexion, thanks to the gut-skin connection – a fascinating two-way street between your gut and your skin.
“Around 80% of your immune cells live in your gut, and your gut microbiome plays a huge role in keeping inflammation under control. When the gut is out of balance (aka gut dysbiosis), it can send out distress signals that show up as eczema, acne, or other skin conditions,” share the experts.
Studies have found that people with eczema often have less diversity and lower levels of beneficial gut bacteria, adds the experts. When your gut is happy and balanced, your skin tends to be calmer and more resilient, too.
If you’re dealing with skin issues, try steering clear of common culprits like cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, shellfish, and gluten. Sugar, processed snacks and artificial additives may also worsen inflammation and lead to persistent ‘itchy skin days’ or full-blown eczema flare-ups.
To eat for skin health, these experts recommend a diet rich in colourful vegetables, omega-3 fats (think salmon and flaxseed), as well as fermented foods that can help support your gut and immune system – and, in turn, your skin.
3. Your lifestyle: Stay cool as a cucumber
Picture this: you’re in the midst of a hectic week, racing against deadlines and juggling a growing to-do list. Look in the mirror, and a dull, lifeless reflection stares back – complete with a few unwelcome zits. Nope, this isn’t just bad timing or your imagination. Your stress level is an overlooked factor in how your skin looks.
“When you’re stressed, your body produces more cortisol – a hormone that can increase inflammation and weaken the skin’s barrier,” explain the experts, adding how studies have shown that stress can lead to more frequent and severe flare-ups in those with eczema.
Coupled with poor sleep – which often comes with stress – this makes it difficult for your skin to repair itself overnight, leading to increased dryness and itchiness. This becomes a vicious cycle: itchy skin leads to poor sleep, and poor sleep leads to more itching.
4. Your clothes: Reconsider your wardrobe
Can’t resist the urge to scratch whenever you throw on your favourite sweater? Or, perhaps certain T-shirts feel extra rough and irritable on your skin?
According to the experts, fabrics commonly found in fast fashion brands can trap heat and sweat, while also containing chemical dyes and finishing agents that may irritate the skin. Think materials like polyester and nylon that are made with synthetic fibres.
If you’re prone to eczema, the experts recommend sticking with soft, breathable natural fabrics like cotton and bamboo. Pro tip: always wash new clothes before wearing to remove any chemical residues!
5. Your hormones: Look out for unexpected changes
Ladies, your skin health often comes with an additional layer of complexity: hormones. During transformative periods like pregnancy and menopause, hormonal changes can cause shifts in oestrogen levels. This leads to drier and itchier skin, along with a weakened skin barrier. It’s also normal to experience eczema for the first time or notice unusual flare-ups for those with existing skin conditions.
Goodbye, eczema; hello, healthier skin!
Healthy, radiant skin isn’t just about what goes onto your skin. It goes beyond skin-deep, and can be affected by daily lifestyle habits and choices you don’t usually think twice about.
Besides eating for a healthier gut, improving your environment and keeping your cool, supplements are also a helpful way to support your skin through the gut-skin axis. When your gut is happy and balanced, it helps to keep inflammation under control – which is your way to more resilient and calmer skin!
One such supplement on our radar is MIRIQA® Dermabiotics™. In support of healthier skin from within, the formula is designed for those with dysfunctional skin barriers, which often show up as symptoms like eczema, rashes, itchiness and flaky skin.
Each sachet contains clinically-studied probiotics, postbiotics and prebiotics strains that help restore gut balance, strengthen immune regulation and reduce skin flare-ups. They include the postbiotic RHT3201 (a unique strain that’s shown to reduce eczema symptoms by modulating the immune system and calming inflammation), lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (a highly researched probiotics for eczema), and lactobacillus salivarius (a strain studied for its role in enhancing hydration and promoting better skin quality).
The formula also contains Vitamin D3 – a nutrient often found to be deficient in people with eczema – in further support of skin and immune health. Find out more about MIRIQA® Dermabiotics™ via its website.
We can’t wait to put these pro tips on skin health to use, and bid goodbye to itchy, inflamed and eczema-prone skin!
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