What Trigger is Causing This Flare-Up?

There is a lot about living with atopic dermatitis that is difficult to manage. It’s not just the eczema itself that sucks, it’s everything that it influences and impacts. Sometimes it feels like to avoid flare-ups nearly everything in the day has to be carefully considered and managed. Sometimes I know what I need to do or not do to avoid aggravating my skin, sometimes I am flying blind hoping what I try will work.

How do eczema triggers consume my time?

I think avoiding triggers probably consumes a good deal of my thoughts and decision-making processes around some everyday situations. The more I thought about it the more I realized that how I dress, bathe, shop, and the kinds of activities I do and how I do them are all influenced by my eczema triggers.

Fortunately, at this point in my life having been dealing with several years of consistent flaring, most of that decision-making is done subconsciously. However, that is only really the case when I don’t have to wonder what is causing a flare-up.

Have I been able to easily identify my triggers?

Most of the time I can easily identify probable triggers. "Oh, a rash on my arm? My shirt sleeve was rubbing against it earlier and irritating it, which probably triggered the flare-up." Or: “My knuckles are flaring up! Well, it’s quite dry and cold outside and I was not wearing gloves earlier so I am going to have to double down on outdoor hand protection and moisturizing more often."

Yet sometimes I am left quite puzzled. Such as: “My eyelids are flaring up like I’m going to lose my vision and I have not made any changes to my skincare, medication, diet or any other routine that would explain this in ages.” Or: “Once or twice a year I get a bad flare behind one or both of my ears that lasts about a week and doesn’t seem to have any known triggers.”

What tends to contribute to my flare ups most?

For the most part, it doesn’t matter what triggers a flare-up. At least for myself, there are at any given time at least a dozen factors that could be contributing to or triggering my eczema in any of the above situations.

Many of the ones that affect me most intensely are out of my control: weather, my existing autoimmune diagnosis, and environmental allergens. To do what I can to combat those kinds of triggers I take medication and wear clothing and coverings as needed.

How do I typically identify triggers?

Identifying new, unknown triggers can be a bit tricky. I often have to resort to a process of elimination, which involves keeping note of the things I do, eat, wear, use on my skin and am exposed to for a few days. I also keep note of my flare ups. Eventually if you do both of those things for long enough you should be able to pick out a pattern and voila! You’ve identified a trigger! However, sometimes even that doesn’t work and I still don’t know what the trigger is.

Luckily, I have noticed in those cases the triggers are often nonpermanent and don’t occur again. If it is especially bad or concerning I seek medical attention, but other than that I have only one answer for unidentifiable triggers: Stick to the skincare regimen and products that have worked consistently for me to help me get through tough flares. If that doesn’t work, see a doctor.

How has it forced my concentrated attention?

Eczema and the avoidance of its triggers almost force mindfulness in a sick, twisted way. I don’t have the luxury of just buying whatever laundry detergent or activewear shorts that tickle my fancy. I have to be considerate of the fabrics, ingredients, potential allergens, contact dermatitis from poor fit…the list goes on.

Although eczema is oftentimes an inconvenient and painful burden, by and large, I have come to accept that playing what I like to call “trigger roulette” is just a part of living with atopic dermatitis.