When a person is actively experiencing symptoms of the condition, it’s called a flare-up or flare.

Triggers are things that aggravate or cause an eczema flare-upand they vary.

The biggest trigger for eczema flare-ups in one person may be different from that of another.

A person using a sponge on her face

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Identifying your individual triggers can help you prevent and manage flare-ups.

Some of the most common triggers are stress, allergens, irritants, and climate factors.

Stress

Physical stressors such as illness or surgeryas well as psychological stressorscan trigger flare-ups.

Skin affected by eczema is dry and sensitive, which can make it more prone toallergic reactions.

Eczema that is triggered by a response to an irritant is called contact dermatitis.

Common irritants include:

Can Sweat Trigger Eczema?

Climate Factors

Some eczema triggers are all around.

Start treating eczema flare-ups as soon as you feel an itch coming on.

The longer you wait, the harder it can be to break the cycle.

Often there is a lag time between exposure to a trigger and symptoms.

Here are some tips to help prevent flare-ups:

Summary

Eczema is a chronic disease.

At the first sign of an eczema flare, start treating it.

Your healthcare provider can recommend home treatments or prescribe medication to treat your symptoms.

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