Consultant dermatologist Dr Anton Alexandroff explains that eczema usually gets better in the summer with some natural sunlight and gets worse in the winter when it’s cold and damp.
He says: “Central heating in the winter can also dry out the skin, especially for people with steatotic eczema, which is more common in seniors and is mostly caused by the skin getting too dry.”
While each person with eczema has their own triggers, in many cases flare-ups can follow a seasonal pattern. In fact, asteatotic eczema is often referred to as ‘winter itch’. It is not unusual to find that your eczema remains dormant for most of the year, and only becomes active again in response to cold or heat.
So why is it so? And besides waiting patiently until summer, is there anything else people can do?
Eczema, also known as dermatitis, is a common itchy inflammatory skin condition, often associated with an abnormal skin barrier. It looks different for every person, but you may experience patches of dry scaly skin, small raised bumps, and severe itching. It may occur in just a few small spots or be more widespread throughout your body.
There are several forms of it – for example, allergic contact dermatitis – in which your skin flares up in response to external agents, for example, fragrances or preservatives – or irritant contact dermatitis – caused by persistent irritation of the skin.
However, the most common type is atopic (allergic) dermatitis, which usually begins in infancy or childhood and affects 1 in 3 children and 1 in 10 adults in the UK. Although many children find that the condition resolves naturally as they age, many continue to experience it throughout their lives.
“This is due to a genetic predisposition that affects the integrity of the skin barrier, and is often associated with mutations in the so-called filaggrin gene,” explains Alexandroff. “As a result, environmental and/or microbial allergens more easily penetrate the skin barrier and cause skin inflammation.”
This condition is associated with asthma and hay fever, meaning that if you or a family member has one of these three, you are more likely to have the other. Research studies have shed some light on this, pointing to a set of genetic risk factors that predispose you to all three allergic conditions.
Despite learning more about the causes, researchers have not yet developed a cure. This means, if you or your child has eczema, it’s important to work on individual triggers and adopt strategies to manage symptoms.
If your flare-ups occur primarily in the winter, it’s probably caused by switching between cold and warm environments. Harsh, windy conditions outside – followed by a dry, centrally heated environment inside – can wreak havoc on your skin.
As if that weren’t enough, some people’s eczema is triggered by dust mites – which thrive in warm indoor environments. Additionally, many people experience vitamin D deficiency during the winter, which some studies have linked to higher rates of eczema, although the evidence on this front is not conclusive.
“Infections, such as colds, non-specifically increase dermatitis because they irritate the immune system in general,” Alexandroff says.
Perhaps paradoxically, many winter eczema management strategies come down to avoiding extreme heat. First, make sure your home doesn’t overheat, and invest in a humidifier if dry air inside is a concern. When you shower or bathe, a lukewarm — not hot — temperature is best for your skin. And, since heavy winter clothing can cause sweating, National Eczema Society Recommend layering – clothes made of cotton or silk are best.
Above all, it is important to maintain a rigorous moisturizing routine. according to allergy ukYou should continue this routine throughout the year, not just during outbreaks.
“Smooth moisturizers are more effective so ointments are better than creams and lotions,” says Alexandroff. “Wash with moisturizers and add bath oils to your bath; avoid soaps, shower gels and bubble baths, which make the skin greasy.”
Although eczema usually improves in the spring, the opposite is true for some people. Seasonal pollen can be a trigger, provoking hay fever as well as eczema. If this applies to you, you may want to take an antihistamine. Symptoms also worsen in some people due to temperature changes, and are worse during transitional seasons – for example, spring and autumn.
Others find that their symptoms worsen during the summer months. Typically, this is due to the heat itself, which can cause sweating as well as the drying effects of air conditioning when inside. There may be other triggers this time of year, such as swimming in a chlorinated pool or sitting on the grass.
In each of these cases, the general advice applies – try to recognize any environmental triggers and minimize exposure to them wherever possible. Try to stay calm, wash off chlorine immediately and always be sure to moisturize.
If anything changes, or your symptoms are proving difficult to manage on your own, it is also advisable to visit a health professional.
“If your eczema suddenly gets out of control, it’s possible that you’re allergic to something you’ve come in contact with, like a fragrance, color, or preservative,” says Alexandroff. “A dermatologist can arrange patch allergy testing for you to make sure you don’t have allergic contact dermatitis.”
It’s worth bearing in mind that this service is not always available on the NHS, and if it is, waiting times can be long.
If your eczema is severe, you may need treatment in consultation with a doctor.
“Visit your doctor or dermatologist to get a more intensive treatment—for example, with appropriate creams and non-steroidal creams such as pimecrolimus cream,” says Alexandroff.
