How to Recognize and Avoid Them

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On July 17, 2025

When it comes to preventing eczema symptoms, there are ways you can change your environment to alleviate flares. While these tips might not completely eliminate eczema from your daily life, they may help lessen the severity of your diagnosis.

“Most patients with eczema will experience flares,” says Goldenberg. Decreasing the frequency and severity of those flares is important. This can be done by consistently using the right skin-care products, managing stress, hydration and diet, and overall well-being.”

1. Protect Against the Cold to Prevent Eczema Symptoms

Temperature changes can play a role in eczema symptoms, especially cold weather. When the temperature drops, eczema symptoms may show up.

In many people, extreme cold and wind, plus dry, hot indoor air can parch skin, and it’s a common atopic dermatitis trigger.

To prevent the cold from drying your skin, moisturizer and other steps are important. “Cold weather and dry heat can strip moisture from the skin, weakening the barrier and making eczema worse,” says Dr. Berry. “That’s why flares often spike in winter. A thicker cream and a humidifier at home can help offset that dryness.”

Aim for humidity levels of 30 to 50 percent indoors to keep your skin hydrated.

2. Wash Soft Furnishings Regularly to Prevent Dust Mites

Dust mites, the microscopic pests that feed on dead skin cells, don’t just make you sneezy — they can impact eczema, too, especially if you have allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis.

If dust mites are a problem for you, you can minimize your exposure to them in your home. Wash bed linens and curtains weekly in hot water, opt for allergen-proof bedcovers, and thoroughly clean your home to keep it free of clutter and dust.

You may also choose to remove items that can collect dust and harbor mites from your home, such as carpets, upholstered furniture, blinds, and curtains that can’t be laundered. Air purifiers with HEPA filters in rooms you spend a lot of time in will also help clean the air and lower the risk.

3. Make Over Your Wardrobe to Prevent Flares

Have you found that certain pieces of clothing leave you feeling itchy, sweaty, or irritated? If so, it might be time to clean out your closet. Garments made of wool, certain synthetics, or rough materials can be eczema triggers, while loose-fitting cotton clothes are less likely to cause eczema symptoms to flare up.

If you buy new clothes, wash them before the first wear to get rid of dye residue or other potential irritants.

Tags can irritate your skin, too, so cut them out of clothes if that’s the case for you.

4. Be Choosy About Cleaning Products

Be aware of what’s in the cleaning products you’re using and how they impact your health. Many laundry detergents and soaps contain added fragrance, which can be irritating to those with eczema.

Make sure you get all the detergent out of your clothes by choosing a double rinse cycle.

Be careful with other household cleansers, too. To prevent eczema flare-ups, look for natural alternatives to products with harsh ingredients, or opt for tried-and-true cleaners like white vinegar or baking soda, which don’t contain added chemicals. Also wear gloves to protect your hands.

5. Sideline Stress to Avoid Eczema Symptoms

Stress can significantly impact anyone’s health, but it’s known to be an especially potent trigger for those with eczema. “Stress triggers inflammation and can weaken the skin barrier, making it more reactive,” says Berry. “I see flares often around big life events, lack of sleep, or burnout.”

While it might not be possible to remove stress from your life, there are techniques to help manage it and lessen the severity of symptoms. “Stress can heighten eczema-related symptoms, such as itch, which can impact one’s quality of life and sleep,” says Dr. Camp. “Addressing stress through exercise, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, or therapy may help manage eczema-related symptoms.”

6. Stay Out of the Heat to Avoid Itching

Just as cold weather can cause flares, heat can also exacerbate eczema.

If warmer temperatures leave you feeling itchy or experiencing other symptoms, you’re not alone.

Sweat can be an eczema trigger, thanks to the irritating trace minerals found in perspiration (including zinc, copper, iron, and nickel).

High levels of humidity can also be an eczema trigger, because they cause more sweating.

With allergic contact dermatitis, certain products can cause a reaction when they’re exposed to sun, like some sunscreens or cosmetics, particularly if they contain the ingredient octocrylene.

Mineral sunscreens, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, are less likely to cause a reaction.

If summer weather seems to be triggering your flares, planting yourself indoors in front of an air-conditioned breeze for a few months is one option. But if you’d like to spend time outside, focus on keeping your body temperature regulated — look for areas of shade, and choose clothing that won’t make you sweat.

7. Get Tested to Identify Allergies

It’s generally a good idea for most people to use gentle and hypoallergenic products. Allergies and atopic dermatitis can often go hand-in-hand.

“Certain tests, such as blood tests or patch testing, can identify allergens in patients,” says Goldenberg.

A patch test can be used to identify allergens.

During this test, a number of small sticky patches containing various potential allergens (such as latex, fragrances, or preservatives) are applied to the skin. After 48 hours, the patches are removed and the person administering the test will check for any reactions. A positive result may indicate an allergen, though skin tests aren’t always accurate. You and your doctor will use the results to come up with a plan of action.

8. Avoid Pollen During Peak Months

For people with eczema, pollen is a common trigger.

To lessen the chances pollen will trigger a flare, limit time outdoors when pollen counts are high; keep your windows closed, and consider using air conditioning and HEPA purifiers.

When you come home after being outside, wash your face, hands, and hair — or even take a quick shower — to remove pollen. It can’t hurt to change your clothes.

Ask your doctor about whether to add allergy medications, such as antihistamines and nasal sprays, to your treatment plan.

9. Check Your Cosmetics Bag for Triggers

Irritating chemicals aren’t limited to household cleaners, so pay attention to what cosmetics you use. It can be challenging to find cosmetics that don’t aggravate eczema. Products containing alcohol, fragrances, lanolin, retinoids, or other common triggers may cause eczema outbreaks in many people.

Carefully check labels: “Unscented” means a fragrance is masked, while “fragrance-free” means none have been added.

When trying out a new cosmetic, cleanser, or lotion, the National Eczema Association advises testing it on a small patch of skin (such as your wrist or your inner elbow) and watching for any reactions after 48 hours before applying it to larger areas.

10. Banish Pet Dander From Your Home

Pets are some of our best companions, but they can also contribute to eczema flares, especially if you’re sensitive to pet dander. If you have indoor pets, consider keeping them off your furniture and limiting their time in your bedroom. Frequent vacuuming of floors, especially carpeted areas, can help keep pet dander to a minimum. It’s also important to keep your pet regularly bathed and groomed to reduce dander. A HEPA air cleaner may also be helpful.

11. Be Gentle on Your Skin While Bathing (and Care for Your Skin After)

A long, hot bath might be relaxing at the end of the day, but avoid the temptation of this potential atopic dermatitis trigger. “Address dryness by keeping showers and baths short, no longer than ten minutes,” says Camp. “Use lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser that is free of dyes and fragrance. On a daily basis apply a hydrating lotion or cream to the skin after a shower when skin is still slightly damp.”

Also, be gentle on your skin when bathing — don’t scrub or rub with a washcloth or loofah, and pat skin with a towel after bathing.

12. Quit Smoking to Prevent Symptoms

We’re all aware that smoking is linked to lung cancer and other health problems, but did you know tobacco smoke can also worsen atopic dermatitis symptoms, even for those who aren’t smokers? A review of people with eczema found that people who smoked, and people who were exposed to secondhand smoke, were more likely to be diagnosed with atopic dermatitis than those who did not. So if you smoke or live with a person who smokes, consider quitting or encouraging them to quit.