Can Food Allergies Cause Eczema – or Make It Worse?
Posted on January 20th, 2012
-- Sponsored Links --
Eczema is a problem that many of us will have to face at some point in our lives. In fact, experts say that one in nine people will develop the skin condition during their lifetime. Thankfully, eczema has been around for a long time, so there are plenty of different treatments available to sooth or heal flare ups. The severity of eczema varies from person to person, with some people only having occasional patches in localised places on their body, and others having severe cases that can become debilitating.
There are a number of theories as to the causes of eczema, but one area that many people wouldn’t initially consider is food allergy. Most people associate food allergy with more severe symptoms (such as anaphylactic shock), but there are more insidious forms of allergic reactions – including eczema. Generally speaking, people that suffer from atopic eczema (the kind not caused by external factors like washing powder) can encounter ‘triggers’ that make their condition worse. Among these triggers is certain types of food.
Other people suffer from contact dermatitis, which occurs when they come into physical contact with certain types of material, such as synthetic mattresses (or even organic mattresses, in some cases) – or chemicals of certain types. For most people with food allergies, the eczema from which they suffer falls into the atopic category, and the ingestion of the trigger food will cause a worsening of symptoms.
Which foods are known to cause eczema?
Because of the wide-ranging nature of the condition, it’s difficult to pinpoint just one or two foodstuffs that can cause eczema; however there is some research that links dairy products with the appearance of eczema infections. This is a form of lactose intolerance, and much like gas and bloating can be symptoms of such an intolerance, so too are flare ups of eczema rashes. Other foods that may make cause eczema flare ups are eggs, wheat, fish or even soya products.
How to tell if food is causing eczema problems
Generally speaking, an eczema sufferer will know within a few hours that they’ve had a reaction to something. If their condition worsens for no clear reason, this may be an indication that they’re having an allergic reaction to a food item. It could however be something external, like a cosmetic product, so it’s important to ‘test’ certain potential triggers. For example, if milk is a likely source of eczema flare ups, try drinking a glass of it then monitoring the situation for a few hours. If the condition gets worse, you may well have found the trigger. Of course, if the reaction is severe, it’s not a good idea to run any tests and you should instead contact a health professional.
Does eczema as a reaction to food resolve itself?
Much like other forms of topical skin infection, eczema can indeed resolve itself over time. Many people who had milk-triggered eczema flare ups as children no longer have them as adults. The condition itself may never fully go away, but it’s more than possible to manage it successfully over the long term. There are a great many creams, including hydrocortisone steroidal cream, that can control and clear eczema infections. For many sufferers, being able to manage the condition is as good as a cure, allowing them to live life to its fullest. Even simple measures such as applying a moisturising cream every day can make the world of difference to patches of eczema on the body. As for the food allergy reaction, the obvious answer is to simply avoid the food item in question. It’s easier said than done of course, but it will help. As time goes on, it may be possible to reintroduce these foodstuffs without a reaction, but this must only be done on the advice of a medical professional.
Humans really are delicate creatures in many ways, so don’t get disheartened if you suffer from food allergies that worsen your eczema. The great news is that there are now countless alternatives for any type of food allergy, so even if bread gives you a bad case of eczema, there are plenty of other choices for you to explore.
Eczema Treatment - Eczema Pictures Related Articles
Tags: Food Allergies Cause Eczema
Filed under Eczema Questions |
Comments are closed.