5 things that may make eczema worse

Eczema is a skin disease of great concern. It causes social embarrassment and awkward feeling when the desire to itch gets stronger. Eczema affects people of all ages, both sexes and does not settle easily with medicines which reduce the itch. Eczema is an autoimmune condition and there is no precise cause found for its occurrence. Eczema symptoms  include red patches or blisters on the skin, itching which gets worse on scratching the skin and the skin can be dry or wet. Following are 5 things that may make eczema worse:

1. Bathing with hot water: hot water baths tend to bleach the natural oils from the skin and make the skin very dry. Hence bathing with very hot water can induce itching as the skin becomes very dry and may cause the eczema to become worse. Similarly sitting in bath tubs or under shower for long can also dry the skin and cause the itching of eczema to get worse.
2. Detergents and household cleaners: Detergents or household cleaners contain ingredients like sulphates which aggravate eczema. Using detergents or household cleaners which are organic and made from natural products in more advisable. Look out for sulphate free products. Similarly using gloves while doing household work is very necessary.
3. Long nails: Yes you read that right. When your skin starts to itch, you just cannot control the feeling and scratch it. Long nails not only cause wounds on the scratched area but could also be a source of infection for the open wounds. Keep your nails short to avoid scratching and keeping infection at bay.
4. Stress: Stress is known to make eczema worse. When you are stressed or anxious, you are more likely to experience increased itching. Some may tend to drink alcohol to relieve stress but it can make itching worse as it increases the levels of histamine in the body. De-stressing becomes very essential to improve the eczema condition. Trying yoga, deep breathing or talking to a counsellor or your close person would be of great help to alleviate the symptoms of eczema.
5. Wearing synthetic clothes: Clothes made from nylon or polyester or any other synthetic material and sometimes wool can cause skin irritation which causes itching and makes eczema worse. Make healthier cloth choices like cotton clothes. They absorb the sweat and are less likely to cause irritation.

There are many other things that can trigger eczema and make it worse like certain foods especially meat, sea food, nuts and dairy products. Rubber belt watches, sun, pollen, dust mites, change of weather or underlying ailments like diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, high blood pressure can make eczema symptoms worse.