Pollen Is the Silent Threat

I have been doing well in recent months in terms of keeping on top of my asthma and eczema. However, the summer is in full flight here and this always has both positive and negative impacts on my health.

The great thing about the warmer season is that my overall skin feels less dry and I have a healthier looking complexion. When it gets too hot, this can swing the other way. If I sweat my skin becomes unbearably itchy and because the skin is moist it rips open when I itch causing cuts to become infected. That's what is happening now and I have quite bad patches on my neck and wrists.

What is causing my eczema flares?

Pollen is the real enemy here. Before my skin flares it is the pollen that causes all the issues that follow. The air quality is awful where I live. There's lots of greenery and grass and in the warmer season, you can almost feel the sticky pollen hanging in the air.

"Move, Pete! Move to the toxic city with all filthy fumes and pollution" There are no easy answers, right? I suppose I could move somewhere in the middle of the two but I'm not sure this would have a huge effect either way.

I feel that I am in the best place I can be without moving to a different country.

How is the pollen affecting my skin?

When the pollen enters my airways my asthma comes on strong and I need more steroid medication to help manage it. Taking these meds has a direct impact on my skin. So I am back to square one again. It's very frustrating. The use of inhaling steroid meds is fundamental in keeping me alive but as a consequence, it leaves me with a truckload of side effects. One of them being my skin flaring.

What can I do to reduce the pollen?

I've been researching some air purifiers. They are designed to draw out all allergens like pollen, dust mites, mold, or pet dander. The allergens get filtered through the air purifier and then clean air is pushed back into the room. This has got to be the next preventative action I take. I have a dehumidifier in my room, which I turn on about 2/3 hours before I go to bed. This draws out water from the air but it does not draw out the airborne allergens or purify the air.

What about antihistamines?

As an eczema patient for nearly all my life, I understand that it's all about management and prevention. That is the only weapon I feel I have to fight this condition. Antihistamines are a great way for me to keep things under control. It helps keep my hay fever and eczema under reasonable control. My eyes are extremely itchy during this season and I am in constant danger of them becoming infected. This is another reason why I use antihistamines as a prevention. One thing that the summer never prevents me from doing is enjoying myself. Though, if I had to choose to live in either summer or winter, summer would win every time.