Common Eczema Triggers

What triggers eczema flares?

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. Flares occur when something disrupts the skin barrier or provokes the immune system.

Like migraines and IBS, eczema triggers are highly personal. What causes a flare in one person may have no effect on another. Identifying your specific triggers is one of the most effective ways to reduce flare frequency and severity.

Food triggers

Food-related eczema triggers are most common in children, but adults can be affected too:

• Dairy including milk, cheese, and yogurt (one of the most common triggers in children)
• Eggs, particularly egg whites
• Wheat/gluten such as bread, pasta, and cereals
• Soy including soy milk, tofu, and soy sauce
• Nuts like peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts)
• Shellfish such as shrimp, crab, and lobster
• Citrus including oranges, lemons, and tomatoes (acidic foods can irritate)
• Histamine-rich foods like fermented foods, aged cheese, wine, and vinegar

Note: food triggers for eczema are not always immediate. Reactions can appear 6-48 hours after eating, making a food diary essential for accurate identification.

Environmental triggers

• Dry air from low humidity in winter or air-conditioned rooms
• Hot or cold extremes, where sudden temperature changes are especially problematic
• Pollen, as seasonal allergies can worsen eczema in spring and autumn
• Dust mites, a major trigger especially in bedding and carpets
• Pet dander from cats and dogs
• Mould in damp environments, bathrooms, and basements

Contact irritants

• Soaps and detergents, especially fragranced products
• Laundry detergent residue on clothing and bedding
• Shampoo and body wash, where sulphates (SLS/SLES) are common irritants
• Perfumes and fragrances in skincare, cleaning products, and air fresheners
• Wool and synthetic fabrics that are rough or non-breathable
• Metals like nickel (in jewellery, belt buckles, watch backs)
• Latex in gloves and elastic bands

Lifestyle triggers

• Stress, one of the most significant and underestimated triggers; stress hormones directly affect skin inflammation
• Poor sleep, as disrupted sleep impairs skin barrier repair
• Sweating, since exercise sweat can irritate already-compromised skin
• Hot showers/baths that strip natural oils from the skin barrier
• Scratching, which creates the itch-scratch cycle and worsens inflammation

Hormonal triggers

• Menstrual cycle, as many women report flares in the days before their period
• Pregnancy, where eczema can improve or worsen
• Stress hormones, since cortisol fluctuations affect immune function and skin barrier integrity

Common flare locations

Eczema tends to appear in characteristic locations:

• Inner elbows (antecubital fossae)
• Behind the knees (popliteal fossae)
• Wrists and hands
• Neck and face
• Ankles
• Around the eyes

Tracking where flares occur helps identify contact triggers (e.g., always on the wrists may point to jewellery or a watch band).

How to identify your triggers

Because eczema reactions are often delayed and multi-factorial, keeping a daily log is the most reliable method. Track:

• What you ate
• Products you used on your skin
• Clothing and fabrics worn
• Weather and humidity
• Stress and sleep quality
• Flare location and severity

Flarely tracks all of these factors with skin-specific body locations and uses on-device pattern detection to surface correlations, helping you see which combinations of factors consistently precede your flares.