Eczema is mostly associated with dry cold winter weather, as the humidity that provides moisture in the air decreases. The dry air often results in dry skin, which can worsen eczema. But in few cases it is quite the opposite. Some people experience worse eczema during the summer months…
Hot temperatures can aggravate eczema in such a way that the heat can stimulate itchy and prickly feelings in the skin. It can also cause sweating, which may lure bacteria to your skin, hence increasing the skin soreness and itchiness.
Summers are horrible for my little one’s eczema. He’s a very sweaty fellow, has been like this since he was a baby. And sweat being the major culprit in exacerbating his dermatitis, makes hot weather so much more difficult to manage. During the winter months the sweating process naturally decreases, making his skin a lot better. His overall demeanor becomes more placid – as the itch and and infections are usually at bay.
Here in Pakistan summers are very aggressive and the scorching heat of the sun is almost unbearable. I have to be extra careful during summer months, making sure my son is having proper hydration, wearing light breezy cotton clothes and not over exposing him to the sun. While he’s indoors our AC works 24/7, just so he can move about freely without worrying about sweat and other heat related issues. The downside is that air conditioning always makes the atmosphere dryer than usual, but we tried to resolve this issue by keeping a humidifier and making sure that an ideal balance is achieved. This setup works most of the time, and our son remains comfortable while he’s at home. But the problem is that we can control our living conditions at home but not everywhere else like schools, market places etc. So his eczema one way or another, does flare up in summers. So in addition to temperature regulation I also have to follow a specific routine for him during hot months like frequent baths, bleach bath once in while (to avoid bacterial infections), airy clothes among multiple other things..
Summers are definitely challenging when it comes to managing my boy’s eczema, but it is still doable and with passing years certainly getting better.