Eczema is a common skin condition impacting adults and children. The effects of eczema on skin are easily recognizable, but what many people don’t know is eczema also impacts emotional health. According to Dr. Thomas Hall of U.S. Dermatology Partners in Stillwater, OK, “Between itching, stinging skin, worrying about what is going to trigger the next flareup, and feeling judged by others when skin imperfections are noticeable all lead to increased stress, anxiety, and depression for people who struggle with eczema. By taking proactive steps to manage eczema, people often experience relief in the other symptoms.” In this blog, Dr. Hall talks about the importance of managing mental health symptoms to improve wellbeing for patients living with eczema as well as offering tips on how to treat eczema’s common skin health symptoms.
Understanding Eczema: More Than Just Skin Deep
When people hear the word eczema, they are typically thinking about atopic dermatitis. Dr. Hall says, “Eczema is a general term used to refer to several different inflammatory skin conditions. Atopic dermatitis is the most common type, and it’s almost always what people mean when they say eczema. This skin condition causes inflammation, itching, irritation, and redness on skin. Many people have eczema flareups as children, but they grow out of them or have them less frequently as adults. Anyone can develop atopic dermatitis, and many adults continue to experience flareups in this condition.” Eczema occurs when the immune system responds excessively to outside stimuli. Specifically, when skin comes into contact with allergens or irritants in the environment, people can experience swelling, burning, and itching skin. This condition often develops on areas of skin that are exposed, including the face, hands, arms, and legs, making symptoms easily visible to others.
The Mental Health Toll of Eczema
According to research compiled by the National Eczema Association (NCA), the mental health toll on eczema patients may be nearly as detrimental as any physical symptoms. Specifically, studies reviewed by the NCA indicate that adults with eczema are between 2.5 and 3% more likely to experience anxiety and depression, and those with eczema are 44% more likely to experience suicidal ideation. While these statistics related to adults and those with eczema in general are upsetting, the NCA reported that children with atopic dermatitis are more likely to experience social and emotional difficulties, be diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and struggle with depression.
According to Dr. Hall, “We easily accept that the way we feel impacts our body. When we’re nervous, we have butterflies in our stomach. When we’re worried, our stomach is upset. For some reason, it’s harder for people to accept that physical health conditions affect our mental health. Most people think it’s natural to treat the upset stomach that accompanies anxiety, but they often ignore mental health side effects of common conditions like eczema. I always want my patients to feel they can share any emotional side effects they experience related to skin conditions. I also encourage them to develop good coping skills and talk to therapists or other professionals who have expertise in managing these concerns.”
Some coping strategies to help with eczema’s mental health toll include:
- Acknowledging the validity of your emotions – suppressing your emotional response or ignoring emotions related to eczema often leads to increasing symptom severity. Allow yourself time to sit with and consider your emotional response and try to understand it.
- Take a breath – deep breathing can help calm and reset the limbic system. This alleviates the effects of strong emotions, making you feel more stable.
- Take a break – if you’re experiencing overwhelming emotions, give yourself time to relax. Do a favorite activity, chat with a loved one, or just sit quietly for a bit.
- Talk to a professional – don’t avoid therapy or other mental health resources. They are often beneficial in helping alleviate the mental health symptoms of eczema. Plus, stress is a common trigger for eczema flareups, so therapy may help you better manage skin symptoms as well.
Managing Eczema Symptoms and Preventing Flares
When it comes to managing eczema flares, Dr. Hall says, “Mental health care should actually be considered an important component of managing eczema. When my patients manage the emotional impact of atopic dermatitis, they reduce their stress, thus limiting their production of cortisol. This stress hormone causes increased inflammation, which may trigger eczema flareups or make flareups last longer with more severe symptoms.”
In addition to managing the mental impact of atopic dermatitis, some tips for managing eczema symptoms and preventing flareups include:
- Identify and avoid triggers – common eczema triggers are things like exposure to irritants, astringent chemicals, or allergens. However, every person will have a unique response, and triggers vary from person to person. It’s important to track your symptoms and any potential triggers related to them to ensure you can limit exposure to potential triggers.
- Adjust your skincare routine – eczema-prone skin needs gentle, soothing skincare products. You can look for skincare and cosmetic solutions that are made for sensitive skin and those that are marketed as free of dyes and fragrances.
- Change your bathing routine – hot showers and baths often lead to skin inflammation, so they can trigger an eczema flareup. Use cooler water and take shorter showers or baths to avoid negative skin response.
- Evaluate your environment – in addition to chemicals in skincare and cosmetics products, household cleaners, laundry items, gardening chemicals, and other products may trigger flareups. Be aware of the ingredients in these types of products and protect skin from directly interacting with them as much as possible.
- Choose comfortable clothes – loose-fitting clothing made of soft, breathable materials will minimize flareups and prevent additional irritation during flareups. Clothing that rubs skin, traps sweat against the body, or has irritating fabric may contribute to eczema symptoms.
When to Schedule an Appointment with a Dermatologist
Dr. Hall says, “If you’ve been struggling to manage the physical and psychological impact of eczema on your own, I hope you’ll consider consulting with a dermatologist. A dermatologist can help you better understand the impact of eczema, learn what your triggers are, and partner with you to develop a plan to manage symptoms, maintain better skin health, and improve overall wellbeing. It’s especially important to schedule a dermatology appointment if you have persistent symptoms, severe flareups, or over-the-counter eczema treatments are not effectively managing symptoms.”
Manage Skin Health & Wellbeing with Eczema
Controlling eczema triggers and managing the skin and overall health symptoms related to eczema is possible with the right support system. According to Dr. Hall, “Working with a dermatologist is important. We can help you clear up your skin and prevent flareups. At times, it makes sense to work with other professionals to work through the negative emotional and cognitive impact of living with eczema. I always encourage patients to utilize any resources to reduce the adverse effects of eczema, so they can live a comfortable, confident, and satisfying life.”
Schedule a Dermatology Visit
If you’re looking for support managing eczema or you simply want to improve your skin health, don’t hesitate to reach out to the U.S. Dermatology Partners team. We offer a range of dermatologic treatments, expert skincare recommendations, and a support system to keep your skin healthy and improve your wellbeing. Getting started working with us is quick and easy. Take a few moments to fill out our online scheduling request and a local dermatology team member will be in touch to finalize the details of your visit.
Find a location near me
or
