This summer, ease asthma and eczema flare-ups at home

Allergies and hay fever can really exacerbate asthma and skin-related conditions. Here are some ways that you can help yourself, family members, and friends who suffer this summer. You are likely spending more time indoors recently due to the current pandemic, but there are steps to take to ease asthma and eczema flare-ups that make the experience so much worse. These tips can help you.

Asthma and eczema flare-ups? Keep your home clean and cool

Dust and warm environments can trigger eczema or make it worse. Dust can irritate the skin and warm temperatures can cause you to sweat, which can make the skin itchy and cause eczema flare-ups.

While this post is about summertime, obviously issues happen in the winter too, when you’re likely to have your heating high in your home, and the low humidity can dry out your skin. So, it’s wise to clean your home at a cool temperature throughout the year for the sake of your skin.

Keep it free of dust as much as possible, too. If you have a friend over who has asthma and you’re concerned about them, then be sure that you know what to do if they have an asthma attack.

Take daily warm baths or showers

When you have eczema, how often you wash the skin and how you do so are both very important. It’s advisable to have at least one shower or bath each day in lukewarm water, for 5-10 minutes. That’s as opposed to hot water.

When washing, try to use a gentle cleanser, like one for sensitive skin, without added perfume or dye. The reason is that those additions are common triggers for eczema flare-ups.

Also, rather than scrubbing the skin to clean it, gently wash it instead. Then, after bathing, gently pat the skin so it’s still damp when applying your moisturizer. Doing so will help the skin better absorb the cream than if the skin was completely dry.

Keep the house free from allergens

Change the bed linen regularly and wash your bed sheets and pillow covers in hot water to rid them of dust mites, as these can irritate your airways and skin over time. Install an air purifier with a certified HEPA filter in the bedroom to reduce the number of dust mites.

You want to keep the air as clean as possible too. Use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture and prevent mold from forming in your home.

Vacuum your floor with a suction cleaner containing a HEPA filter, which will filter the area well. Do so at least twice a week to help prevent asthma flare-ups in kids and adults.

Eczema flare-ups: Don’t scratch, and go for checkups

The words “don’t scratch” are easier said than done. I get that as my husband has eczema flare-ups and I say those words but he can’t help it, the itch feels like it would benefit from a good scratch or two (or three).

When extreme itching and soreness occur during a flare-up, it can be tempting to scratch your skin. However, this can make eczema worse as rubbing and scratching can break the skin, which can lead to an infection.

If an extreme flare-up happens, it’s better to instead consult your doctor. Sudden or frequent eczema flare-ups could mean you have an allergy, whether it’s to eggs, dairy products, pollen that’s in abundance in summer, or something else.

Thus, it’s wise to book a doctor’s appointment and have a check-up. Your doctor might want to discuss allergy testing with you to find out what triggers your eczema.

This professional could then suggest a course of treatment to help you manage it even better. Or, the physician might recommend a special cream to try using on your skin, as was prescribed recently for my hubby.

What are some other ways to alleviate asthma and eczema flare-ups in the summertime?