What Causes Eczema
No one is entirely sure exactly what causes eczema and why some people get it and others don’t. The condition is related to an overreaction of the immune system to things that don’t normally bother most people. It’s more common in kids who have parents, brothers or sisters with eczema, asthma, or allergies. Eczema also is more common in developed countries, cities, more polluted areas and northern climates.
Atopic Dermatitis
There is a connection between atopic dermatitis and allergic conditions. The same gene is responsible for eczema, asthma, and hay fever. Half of kids with atopic dermatitis have asthma and two-thirds have hay fever. Some kids have all three conditions. Although the cause of atopic dermatitis is not known, some things can trigger a flare-up of the condition. People have different triggers. The best thing to do is to figure out what the triggers are and avoid them.
The most common triggers are:
- Scratchy fabric and materials such as wool.
- Sweating.
- Soaps.
- Disinfectants.
- Fresh fruit juices.
- Animal saliva.
- Upper respiratory infections.
Sometimes, it’s unclear what the triggers are. Thankfully, there are options to keep eczema under control, and to relieve the itch.
Contact Dermatitis
Anyone can get contact dermatitis by exposure either to something that irritates the skin or to something to which a person is allergic, called an allergen. Contact dermatitis is more common in people who have atopic dermatitis.
The common triggers for irritant contact dermatitis are:
- Water.
- Soaps.
- Detergents.
- Cleaners.
- Fiberglass.
- Hair dyes.
- Solvents, oils, paints, and varnishes.
- Foods.
- Metalworking fluids.
More than 3,000 things can cause allergic contact dermatitis. The most common include:
- Leather or rubber (often found in shoes).
- Concrete.
- Fragrances.
- Antibiotic ointment.
- Nickel, often found in jewelry.
- Foods such as tomatoes, chocolates, nuts, and soy.
- Poison ivy and other plants.
Next: Managing Eczema
