It’s that time of year.
Pumpkin spice season, which means the weather is shifting. Everything is changing, from the color of the leaves to the humidity of the air. With those changes comes a lot of different changes in your skin as well. Typically, in the winter months, people start feeling a little itchier and drier. Is it the change in seasons or something more?
Eczema or atopic dermatitis, as it is known in the dermatology world, affects up to 20% of people in the United States according to some reports. Known as the itch that rashes, it can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. Typically, patients report being dry, flaky, itchy and sometimes with reddish, wet areas on their face, arms and legs. People predisposed to eczema may have a family history of eczema, a personal history of asthma, hay fever, or seasonal allergies, or maybe just a history of dry skin.
So, what are some common and easy ways to fight off the itch of pumpkin season? A great dermatologist, Neil Fenske, who treated eczema for over 40 years always said the three most important keys to treating eczema were to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Taking a short, 5–10-minute, lukewarm shower or bath at the end of the day, gently pat dry the skin, and then applying large amounts of any moisturizer containing ceramides from the face down can cure up to 80% of people’s eczema.
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