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What It's Like to Live With Eczema and Skin Allergies

August 14, 2021 Helen Piña
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Published on WebMD blog.

Eczema isn’t as simple as it seems. The symptoms, severity, and flare triggers can range widely from one eczema warrior to another. I think, though, that I can confidently say eczema is a skin condition that causes dry, itchy skin.

That doesn’t sound very confident, does it? I’ve had eczema for much of my life and have talked to many doctors, but I still have many questions about it. Is eczema the condition that causes the symptoms, or are the symptoms eczema itself? Eczema equals rashes, but rashes don't always equal eczema, right? Does it stop being eczema when the symptoms become super severe, even though eczema led to that severity level?

Before you conclude that I’m completely unqualified to write about eczema, I’ll share what eczema means to me and how it’s affected my body.

What Is Eczema?

Eczema is dermatitis -- they’re interchangeable words that describe a chronic condition with inflamed, dry, itchy skin. There are different types of dermatitis conditions, like atopic, contact, nummular, stasis, and seborrheic. I’ve dealt with atopic, contact, and seborrheic dermatitis. My current struggle is contact dermatitis, which is closely related to my many skin allergies.

How Do Skin Allergies Cause Eczema?

Triggers cause eczema flare-ups and can be related to things like stress or allergens. Allergens that come into contact with your skin cause a reaction. Poison ivy is a good example. Most people are allergic to poison ivy and they react with a rash.

Different people have different allergies. I have many skin allergies, and that makes it more likely for my body to come into contact with an allergen and have a reaction (i.e. an eczema flare-up).

My Skin Allergy and Eczema Life

My lifelong eczema journey is marked by milestones and revelations related to allergens that I discover are causing reactions. Fragrance was my first allergy revelation, then dust mites, and, as of last year, colophony (which is rosin made from pine, fir, cedar, and similar trees).

It seems the older I get, the more all-encompassing my allergens become. Lately, it’s to the point where my clothes are triggering flare-ups.

Example 1: I put on a sweater that triggered hives on my arms that kept spreading, improving, then worsening for weeks with no end in sight. It’s inflamed and itchy as I write these words.


Example 2: I wore sweatpants or sat on a fabric couch and the backs of my thighs broke out in painful, burning hives.

Example 3: I wore the same cloth face mask a few times and suddenly it triggered eczema on my face, in the areas under the mask.

These real-life examples are all recent, and they’re confusing -- not all sweaters, face masks, and sweatpants trigger reactions. I assume they need to be freshly washed or they can gather dust mites, triggering a flare-up. I have many more examples: reactions from metal jewelry, cosmetic products, rugs, deodorants, soaps, etc. Skin allergies are especially difficult because of their mysterious nature.

How I’ve Dealt With My Eczema and Allergies

I’ve been very thorough with my eczema treatments and have tried most options, from over-the-counter eczema creams to oral steroids and traditional Chinese medicine (like herbal pills and acupuncture, which worked well!). I used topical steroids to the point that I went through topical steroid withdrawal -- the most severe, debilitating skin condition imaginable. I’ll never use topical steroids ever again.

My treatments have varied throughout my life and have been based on the severity of my eczema, which has ranged between mild, moderate, and severe. Nowadays, I’m trying to manage my eczema by avoiding my allergens altogether and using a nonsteroidal prescription ointment when my eczema gets out of hand. I’m considering traditional Chinese medicine again because my mild-to-moderate eczema has been on the moderate side for much of this year and I don’t seem to be doing a good enough job at avoiding my many allergens.

It’s an Itchy Life

Although everyone’s eczema journey and eczema types are different, chronic eczema fighters have many things in common: consistently dealing with itchy skin, at different severity levels, resulting from different triggers throughout our lives. It’s an itchy life, and we all have that in common. It’s good to know I’m not alone in my itchiness.

Source: https://blogs.webmd.com/atopic-dermatitis/...
Tags eczema, Skin allergies, lifestyle
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Helen; itchy and in Texas.


Helen; itchy and in Texas.

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Watch WebMD’s video on my eczema journey.

Watch WebMD’s video on my eczema journey.

Instagram

I’m traveling for work a bit more and got myself a portable air purifier to help with my inevitable skin allergy reactions from travel. Dust mite allergy life! 🙄
Contact dermatitis is … being allergic to this chair. 🙄#skinallergies #eczema #itchypineapple #dermatitis
Wild hair to distract from my red, itchy face and arms. Flare-ups happen. Could be waaaay worse. #dupixent #eczema #dermatitis
Healthy skin, grateful eczema fighter. #itchypineapple #dermatitis #dupixent
I’ve never been more excited to be told I have dry scalp (so NOT lice)! Kiddos are clean too. #mom #eczema # seborrheicdermatitis
I’ve chosen to restart Tacrolimus (carefully!) while on Dupixent to manage my eczema, after much consideration. And my skin is looking good! Link in bio for why and how I’m using Protopic/Tacrolimus. (And, yes, I know the possibility of w
An uncontrolled, spreading flareup. And on my face. For weeks. This isn’t what I signed up for when I got back on Dupixent.
The eczema gods tried to stop my workout this morning with burning, dry skin and an asthma episode. Nah; we got this! 💪🏼🏋🏻‍♀️ #skinallergies #dermatitis #itchypineapple
I’ve got a flare up “beard” 2.5 months after I restarted Dupixent (after a 5-year break). And it keeps spreading. Come on, Dupixent, kick in and be my Christmas miracle! 🎅🏽 #eczema #dermatitis #skinallergy #dupixentjourney #itchyp

Blog Archive

  • 2024
    • May 23, 2024 What is Contact Dermatitis? May 23, 2024
    • Feb 16, 2024 How I'm Using Protopic / Tacrolimus While on Dupixent and Avoiding Withdrawals Feb 16, 2024
    • Jan 11, 2024 Restarting Tacrolimus While on Dupixent Jan 11, 2024
  • 2023
    • Dec 17, 2023 3 months of Dupixent (again) and still flaring Dec 17, 2023
    • Nov 4, 2023 Why I Got Back on Dupixent 5 Years Later Nov 4, 2023
    • Aug 31, 2023 Double Benadryl Night Aug 31, 2023
    • Aug 15, 2023 Eczema and Skin Allergy Rant Aug 15, 2023
    • May 20, 2023 I’ll Put a Spell On It May 20, 2023
    • Mar 3, 2023 From Eczema Shame to Eczema Confidence Mar 3, 2023
    • Jan 18, 2023 ChatGPT Poem About Eczema Jan 18, 2023
  • 2022
    • Dec 10, 2022 Contact Dermatitis to Leather & Wood Dec 10, 2022
    • Jun 18, 2022 Affirmations for Taking a Shower with Intense Eczema Flareups Jun 18, 2022
    • May 16, 2022 What Is Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome (TSW)? May 16, 2022
    • Apr 22, 2022 Itchy, weepy and crusty Apr 22, 2022
  • 2021
    • Dec 22, 2021 Merry, merry, itch, itch Dec 22, 2021
    • Oct 2, 2021 I'm Allergic to Old Books Oct 2, 2021
    • Sep 18, 2021 Scratching Bliss or Itching Torture? Sep 18, 2021
    • Sep 11, 2021 Drawing my Eczema Sep 11, 2021
    • Sep 7, 2021 Eczema on the back of my thighs Sep 7, 2021
    • Aug 14, 2021 What It's Like to Live With Eczema and Skin Allergies Aug 14, 2021
    • Aug 5, 2021 The Right Clothes and Accessories Help Me Avoid Flare-ups Aug 5, 2021
    • Jul 29, 2021 Getting Diagnosed With Eczema Jul 29, 2021
    • Jul 23, 2021 Leaning on Family When Eczema is Painful Jul 23, 2021
    • Jul 16, 2021 Five Tips for Loving Your Body this Summer Jul 16, 2021
    • May 27, 2021 What It's Like to Be a Mom With Eczema May 27, 2021
    • Apr 30, 2021 Did my Dirty Face Mask Trigger My Flare-Up? Apr 30, 2021
    • Apr 2, 2021 An Itchy Mom's Morning Apr 2, 2021
  • 2020
    • Dec 6, 2020 Patch Tested Again Dec 6, 2020
    • Sep 16, 2020 Polka Dot Eczema Sep 16, 2020
    • Apr 30, 2020 Surviving Itchy Days with Eczema Communities Apr 30, 2020
    • Mar 29, 2020 Best Hand Soap for Eczema Fighters During Coronavirus Situation Mar 29, 2020
  • 2019
    • Oct 22, 2019 Today’s Wish List Oct 22, 2019
    • Sep 11, 2019 Scratching is Bad – Even a Toddler Gets It Sep 11, 2019
    • Sep 4, 2019 What NOT to Wear Sep 4, 2019
    • Jul 3, 2019 A New Lipstick Jul 3, 2019
    • Jun 17, 2019 Skin Status: 3 Months Post Baby Jun 17, 2019
    • May 22, 2019 A Letter to My New Dry Patch May 22, 2019
    • Feb 16, 2019 Second Pregnancy - Stable Eczema While Off Dupixent and On Protopic Feb 16, 2019
  • 2018
    • Jun 14, 2018 Climbing the Corporate Ladder with Eczema Jun 14, 2018
    • May 20, 2018 Doing Well, Sans Dupixent May 20, 2018
    • Jan 31, 2018 From My Journal Jan 31, 2018
    • Jan 28, 2018 My Pregnancy with Eczema - Updated Jan 28, 2018
    • Jan 14, 2018 Top 5 Qualities of Best Allergists for Eczema Jan 14, 2018
    • Jan 1, 2018 How to Get Rid of Dust Mites on Winter Clothing Jan 1, 2018
  • 2017
    • Oct 12, 2017 Life with an Eczema-Inducing Dust Mite Allergy Oct 12, 2017
    • Sep 21, 2017 Allergy Shots for Eczema Control Sep 21, 2017
    • Sep 8, 2017 Vitamin D is Low Again ... And My Eczema is Flaring Sep 8, 2017
    • Aug 17, 2017 I'm Not Complaining; I'm Just Itchy Aug 17, 2017
    • Jun 17, 2017 Fragrance Allergy Holding Strong Jun 17, 2017
    • Jun 8, 2017 New Alcohol Allergy Probably Caused by Dupixent - UPDATE: Allergy definitely caused by Dupixent Jun 8, 2017
    • May 26, 2017 One Week After My First Dupixent Injection May 26, 2017
    • May 18, 2017 My First Dupixent Injection May 18, 2017
    • Apr 8, 2017 Tonight's Itchy Haiku Apr 8, 2017
    • Mar 25, 2017 My 3-Month Eczema Journey with a New Allergist. I Feel Pretty Again! Mar 25, 2017
    • Feb 12, 2017 Choosing Steroids Feb 12, 2017
    • Feb 2, 2017 My Vitamin D is Low! Great News! Feb 2, 2017
    • Jan 4, 2017 Avoid the Sun When Flared Up Jan 4, 2017
  • 2016
    • Oct 7, 2016 Someone Else's Eczema Cure Oct 7, 2016
    • Oct 6, 2016 Driving While Itchy Oct 6, 2016
    • Sep 20, 2016 Blissful Scratching Sep 20, 2016
    • Sep 4, 2016 Bloody Sheets and the Eczema Miracle of Cold Water Sep 4, 2016
    • Aug 12, 2016 A Letter to My Dog Aug 12, 2016
    • Aug 10, 2016 Eczema in the Hot Summer Aug 10, 2016
    • Jul 19, 2016 How NOT to Deal with Eczema Bleeding Jul 19, 2016
    • Jun 25, 2016 Skin Turning Jun 25, 2016
    • Jun 21, 2016 Return to Normalcy! Jun 21, 2016
    • Jun 17, 2016 A Good Day! Jun 17, 2016
    • Jun 12, 2016 Itchy, Oozy Babymoon Jun 12, 2016
    • Jun 4, 2016 Short Hair for Eczema Jun 4, 2016
    • May 31, 2016 Red Skin, A Haiku May 31, 2016
    • May 28, 2016 Helen and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day May 28, 2016
    • May 25, 2016 What's the Best Eczema Product? May 25, 2016
    • May 20, 2016 It's Your House, Silly! May 20, 2016
    • May 12, 2016 Steroid Conundrum While Pregnant May 12, 2016
    • May 9, 2016 Pregnancy Glow? More Like Facial Eczema. May 9, 2016
    • Feb 4, 2016 That Mat Girl Feb 4, 2016
    • Jan 1, 2016 Makeup and Skin Allergies Jan 1, 2016
  • 2015
    • Dec 26, 2015 Bitter Sweet Steroid Packss Dec 26, 2015
    • Dec 14, 2015 Sneaky Little Itches Dec 14, 2015
    • Dec 3, 2015 My Christmas Tree is Trying to Kill Me Dec 3, 2015
    • Nov 30, 2015 Regular-People Allergies Nov 30, 2015
    • Nov 25, 2015 "Don't Scratch!" Nov 25, 2015
    • Nov 22, 2015 The Sprint from the Shower to the Moisturizer Nov 22, 2015
    • Nov 19, 2015 Dust Mite Allergy and My Freezer Nov 19, 2015
    • Nov 17, 2015 Genetics, Eczema and Skin Allergies Nov 17, 2015
    • Nov 15, 2015 The Nightly Ritual Nov 15, 2015
    • Nov 14, 2015 Running and Working Out with Eczema Nov 14, 2015

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