7 Things That May Make Atopic Dermatitis Worse - Article Health

Atopic dermatitis triggers
If you have atopic dermatitis—the most common type of eczema—you can have inflamed patches of skin that are so super itchy, they keep you up at night (or cause you to scratch in your sleep). The cause? An abnormal immune reaction that changes the skin's structure and function making it itchy and vulnerable to irritants. While this type of eczema runs in families with asthma and allergies, it isn't an allergic reaction.

Scratching
There’s no denying it: Atopic dermatitis is extremely itchy. When you have it, it’s hard not to scratch your nagging itch. Sometimes you scratch until you bleed, which can lead to infection and aggravate skin symptoms. Before you know it, you’re stuck in a vicious cycle of itching and scratching. Dealing with this skin condition can be emotionally stressful. And guess what? The stress of dealing with uncontrolled symptoms can induce itching, too, according to a scientific review.

Hot water
A long, steamy shower or bath might sound enticing. (In blog posts and online patient forums, some eczema sufferers confess to turning the faucet to near-scalding temperatures for euphoric relief from their itching—at least temporarily.) But dermatologists warn that hot water makes eczema symptoms worse because it dries out the skin. And, at extreme temps, you could sustain a serious burn.

Cold, dry temperatures
If you have atopic dermatitis, your skin is already dry. Cold weather and low-humidity climates envelop your body in additional dryness, and that can make your skin itchier. Sometimes the change of seasons can also bring on symptoms.

Break your routine
One way to control the itch is by using a psychological tool called "habit reversal." As a 2011 study of itch management strategies for atopic dermatitis (the most common form of eczema, which occurs in allergy-prone people) points out, scratching can become a conditioned response—one you might not even be aware you’re doing.



Stress
Scientists are trying to get a better handle on the role that stress plays in inflammatory skin diseases. While emotional stress doesn’t cause atopic dermatitis, it can exacerbate symptoms. And dealing with flares of itching, in turn, can stress you out. So, the trick to reducing symptom severity is finding ways to alleviate stress.

Sweating
Is your workout making you itch? People with atopic dermatitis often experience symptoms when they break a sweat, whether they’re doing cardio or flopping around in sweaty sheets at night because they’re too hot.


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