It’s a sunny July morning, the birds are chirping, and you’re sipping away at your morning coffee, as you anticipate the continued beautiful weather ahead.
A summer filled with gardening, sangria dates, trips to the cottage, and dropping your kids off at soccer practice seems like a dream to you. That is until you remember, despite the happiness that the warm weather brings you, your eczema will, once again, flare up and dampen your mood for just about everything you had planned.
How do you know?
Because, in summer you go to war with your skin, trying to combat the itchy, dry, irritable, yet very common skin condition- eczema! Although many people seem to be more affected by their eczema in the winter months, many people just like you are forced to fight the skin war as the weather warms up.
The good news? Although an eczema rash can be extremely irritating, skin care physician Dr. Shehla Ebrahim is sure to come up with a Eczema treatment plan for you, so that you can whole-heartedly enjoy the activity-filled summer ahead!
To get a better understanding of what may be causing your eczema, along with some tips to prevent it from worsening, I invite you to keep reading.
How Does the Heat and Humidity Worsen Eczema?
What do we all love most about summer? The heat!
For those living in the northern hemisphere, summer is the season that gives us a break from the cool months, reintroduces outdoor activities to our calendars, and allows us to take advantage of the beautiful nature that surrounds us.
What comes with the heat? Sweat, AKA your body’s natural response to neutralizing your body temperature. When it comes to an eczema patient that has constant exposure to sweat, they risk developing or further irritating their eczema rash due to the contents of their sweat.
Another issue that heat brings on, is that hot temperatures make your blood vessels dilate, as they attempt to again, cool you down. Unfortunately when this occurs, it triggers inflammation in your cells which can worsen eczema, or trigger a new flare-up altogether.
So what can you do to help stay cool and dry this summer? Please refer to the tips below.
Tips to combat the heat and humidity to avoid eczema flare-ups in summer:
- Stay hydrated and drink adequate amounts of water to neutralize your body temperature.
- If you sweat, make sure to shower or rinse off any residue that may have accumulated in areas such as your neck, your inner elbows, or behind your knee as eczema rashes are known to develop in moist crevices on the human body.
- Do your best to cool off by taking a cold shower, finding an air conditioned place, or by going for a swim. If you chose to cool off in a pool, please ensure to rinse off afterwards as pool chemicals can be harsh on your skin.
- Wear loose clothing to avoid friction on the areas that you are prone to developing eczema.
How do Allergies Worsen Eczema?
Great!
You now know exactly what you should be doing to stay cool and dry this summer… but what about the summer allergens that join us as flowers and crops start to flourish?
Environmental allergens such as the pollen from trees and shrubs, can be a huge trigger for a runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, and hives. But did you know that these environmental allergens are also a huge trigger for eczema patients?
Although it’s impossible to avoid nature and the tree/ shrub growth cycle altogether, here are some tips to help you navigate through the war against environmental allergens while still allowing you to enjoy the outdoors.
Tips to reduce allergen based eczema flare-ups in summer:
- Identify your allergens through an allergy test, and speak to your doctor before allergy season to create a plan (such as oral medication, allergy shots, etc.)
- Invest in an air purifier for your bedroom. Depending on the air purifier, you can expect to eliminate 99.97% of airborne allergens.
- Sleep in cotton sheets (good for sensitive skin)
How Can the Wrong Sunscreen Worsen Eczema?
I’m sure you have heard of the importance of sunscreen both year-round, and during the summer months when UV rays are high, but should you use sunscreen as an eczema patient?
The simple answer is, YES! Protecting your skin from the sun is so important for the overall health of your skin, reduces the risk of developing skin cancer, and can protect sensitive skin from the sun to avoid further damage. While sunscreen is extremely important, it’s equally as important to invest in the right kind of sunscreen for your eczema.
Below we will go over my top sunscreen tip for your eczema prone skin.
Tips on which sunscreen to use to avoid eczema flare-ups:
- Invest in a physical (mineral) sunscreen. With the large range of sunscreens on the market, using a mineral sunscreen rather than a chemical based sunscreen can help protect your skin without causing any additional irritation.
Treatment Options
When it comes to eczema it’s important to note that although it can’t be cured completely, there are many ways to manage symptoms through a personalized eczema treatment plan.
Dr. Shehla Ebrahim, a skin care physician in Vancouver, BC is well known for her medical esthetic approach, which helps reduce the visible signs and overall symptoms of eczema. After diagnosing your eczema type and rash outbreak patterns, Dr. Ebrahim will guide you throughout your eczema treatment with the right combination of:
- Topical medicines
- Antihistamines
- Oral medications
Where to Seek Treatment
If you are looking for urgent eczema treatment, we urge you to book an appointment with award winning Dr. Shehla Ebrahim HERE, so that she can help detect the cause and appropriate treatment plan to help you navigate your summer eczema symptoms.