Food Allergies – Common Cause of Eczema

Among the many known and probable causes of eczema, many numbers of its sufferers acquire such through food allergies. The condition is also referred to as atopic dermatitis. This is a kind of skin rash with prominent symptoms such as redness, itchiness and scaly look and feel of the skin. Severe types may develop blisters with reddish and swollen areas due to scratching. This can be seen at various body parts including the cheeks, elbows and knees. 

The problem can be experienced by both adults and children, but this is likely to develop during infancy and by the time the child reaches the age of five. It is said that about 10 to 20 percent of all kids will likely develop this kind of skin problem. Most children that are suffering from this will completely outgrow the symptoms or see significant improvements with these as they grow older. There are only about 10 percent of adults who will get this condition for the first time. There are many allergic conditions that may trigger this reaction. These include respiratory allergies, allergic rhinitis and asthma. This also has a genetic component and children will develop it if their families have a history of hay fever, asthma and other types of allergic disorders. 

Triggering Factors

Foods allergens are known to worsen the flare ups caused by this kind of skin problem. To help eliminate the symptoms, you have to completely stay away from any food allergens. The usual foods that can trigger such effect include milk, wheat, soy, eggs and peanuts. It is vital that patients who have recently developed such problem undergo food allergy screening. 

Aside from food allergens, this skin problem can also be caused by experiencing too much stress. This may also be due to airborne allergens such as pollen and dust. This may also be due to too much dryness of the skin or wearing itchy clothing. 

It is very essential that you find out what causes or what triggers this condition. The only way for you to avoid flare ups is by staying away from what causes such. You have to keep your skin moisturized to reduce the swollenness and you must avoid any irritants, may it be due to emotional factors, physical or allergenic causes.

Seek Help

To make sure that the problem won’t get any worse, it is recommended that you seek the help of health professionals while the flare ups are still controllable. They need to test your skin and help you find out the causes of the problem. For skin dryness, they can give you lotions that are apt for this or medicated moisturizers. This can also be treated through the use of wet dressings. There are also known drugs that can help control the inflammation such as various brands of topical corticosteroids. For severe cases, you may also be given oral steroids that must only be taken for a short time period. 

There is still no cure to eczema, so the best way to handle the condition is by avoiding the triggering factors that can worsen the symptoms. 
