Living With Eczema: Coping With Extremes In Temperature and Humidity

Extremes in temperature and humidity can worsen or trigger an eczema flare. While it may be tricky, maintaining a moderate and stable temperature and humidity all year is helpful. When it's warm and humid in summer, make sure the temperature inside remains cool with an air conditioner. Also keep in mind that air-conditioned air may also be drying to your skin, so be sure to use a moisturizer. In the winter, the air tends to be drier (cold air holds less moisture, and heating systems generally introduce very dry, hot air into homes), which makes it easier to develop dry skin. Since dry skin is more prone to itching, using a humidifier during the winter months can keep the humidity at an optimal level.

Most people with atopic dermatitis notice that when they get hot, they itch. They have a type of prickly heat that doesn’t occur just in humid summertime but any time they sweat. It can happen from exercise, from too many warm bedclothes or rapid changes in temperature from cold to warm.

Extreme cold or hot temperatures, or sudden changes in the temperature, are poorly tolerated by persons with Atopic dermatitis. High humidity causes increased sweating and may result in prickly-heat-type symptoms. Low humidity dries the skin, especially during winter months when homes are heated. Unfortunately, humidifiers may not help enough; the best protection against "winter itch" is regular application of a good moisturizer. While you can do little about the climate (and moving to a new climate is often not possible, anyway), you can try to keep your home environment comfortable. Keeping thermostats set low and wearing fewer bedclothes, to prevent night sweating, are two ways to combat the problem