Eczema is a chronic (long-lasting) inflammatory condition that causes rashes of scaly, irritated, itchy, dry skin. Affected areas can change color and harden.
There’s no cure for eczema. You can go through flare-ups (periods of active symptoms) and remission (calmer periods). During flare-ups, the rash can spread to or develop in unaffected areas.
Eczema can spread to other parts of your body. For example, during a flare-up of atopic dermatitis (the most common type of eczema), the affected patches can grow larger or develop in previously untouched parts of the skin. The skin becomes more sensitive and fragile.
During a flare-up, irritating, physically damaging, or exposing the skin to allergens or irritants can also cause existing patches of skin to worsen.
A wide range of factors can trigger eczema flares and cause the rash to spread to other parts of the body. These vary from person to person.
Itching and Irritation
Itchiness and skin sensitivity are the main signs of eczema. Scratching the itch can make eczema worse. Physical damage to the skin releases inflammatory cytokines—proteins that control inflammation and trigger an immune response.
Scratching the affected areas can make the areas larger. Scratching can also cause bleeding, sores, and scabs, raising the risk of complications like bacterial or viral skin infections.
Environmental Triggers
Since eczema disrupts the skin barrier, it makes skin more susceptible to irritation from the environment. Many factors in your surroundings can trigger eczema and cause it to spread. Depending on the case, potential environmental triggers include:
- Dry climate (low humidity) or changes in temperature
- Soaps, lotions, makeup, or other skin or beauty products that irritate the skin
- Certain fabrics in clothes
- Allergens, such as dust mites, pet dander, and certain foods like peanuts, milk, or eggs
- Air pollutants
- Tobacco smoke
- Skin infection or injury
Stress
Emotional distress and stress are known eczema triggers and can worsen symptoms. Anxiety and depression, which often arise at the same time, can also make cases more severe.
Stress is thought to worsen eczema because of the inflammation-controlling proteins called cytokines that your body releases during times of stress. When cytokines are released, your skin can become more inflamed, worsening eczema.
Eczema isn’t contagious. It’s not caused by viruses, bacteria, or anything that can spread from one person to another. If someone has a flare-up, you can’t “catch” eczema by touching or getting in close contact with an affected patch of skin.
While it isn’t contagious, genetic factors play a significant role in eczema. A family history of eczema, allergies, or asthma is a risk factor for developing eczema yourself. If a parent has eczema, the child’s chance of developing it triples. If both parents have it, the child has five times the risk.
Since there’s no cure for eczema, figuring out how to prevent flare-ups and spread is a central part of managing the condition. Strategies range from lifestyle changes and at-home methods to medical approaches.
Avoid Triggers
Identify what’s bringing on eczema flares, and work to manage or avoid these. This may mean limiting your exposure to a range of irritants and allergens. For example, if you have atopic dermatitis, you may want to avoid triggers like:
- Tobacco smoke and air pollution
- Certain soaps, lotions, and cosmetic products
- Foods like peanuts and milk
- Tight-fitting clothing or scratchy fibers like wool or synthetic fabrics
- Harsh soaps, lotions, or beauty products
- Cleaning products or industrial chemicals
Bathe Correctly
As part of a skincare routine, take no more than one bath a day in lukewarm (not hot) water. Use unscented, mild soap. After bathing, gently pat yourself dry and apply moisturizer before the skin gets too dry. It can also help to add a quarter cup of bleach to a 20-gallon bath. Bleach bathing helps prevent severe flare-ups and infection.
Use the Right Products
Moisturizing ointments and creams help preserve the skin barrier and prevent flare-ups. Ointments—particularly petroleum jelly and mineral oil—are typically the better option for eczema because of their higher oil content. Avoid products made with fragrances or preservatives.
Manage Stress
Since stress is an eczema trigger, figure out healthful ways to manage stress. Meditation, mindfulness, or other stress management techniques can help you cope, preventing flare-ups. It can also help to seek support from friends, family, healthcare providers, or support groups or organizations.
Control Your Climate
Adjusting your home or work environment can be another way to prevent eczema flare-ups. Changes in humidity and temperature can trigger eczema. Regulate your thermostat to avoid rapid changes in temperature. Use a humidifier (or, depending on your triggers, a dehumidifier) to regulate the humidity.
Take Medications and Use Therapies
Staying consistent with your medications and using them correctly manages eczema and prevents flare-ups.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications like hydrocortisone and antihistamines are effective for mild cases of eczema. If you need medication of a greater strength, a healthcare provider may prescribe you a topical (applied to the skin) or oral (taken by mouth) medication. Some prescription medications, such as biologics, are given with an injection.
Phototherapy—exposing skin to UVB rays using a specialized lamp—is an option when other treatments aren’t working.
If your eczema is worsening—such as by spreading to other parts of the body—and does not seem to be responding to treatment, contact a healthcare provider. You should also contact them if eczema is disrupting your daily life or if there are signs of infection. For example, if you have atopic dermatitis and experience sores, discharge, redness, swelling, fever, or pain in affected areas, seek medical attention.
Eczema is a skin disease that causes outbreaks of dry, scaly, and irritated skin. While it doesn’t spread from person to person, it can appear to “spread” on your own body if it starts to affect different parts of your body.
Certain triggers, like allergens, irritants, smoke, or stress, can cause eczema to flare up and spread. Lifestyle changes, a skincare routine, medications, and stress management techniques are ways to manage eczema and prevent it from developing on new parts of the body.
