Suvex Soothe® went along to the Irish Skin Foundations “Eczema Expert – Advice for Life” morning in September to learn more about what causes eczema and how to prevent it. We certainly learned a lot. Here are five of the key points we picked up from the eczema experts.

1. What causes some of us to develop skin conditions?

Filaggrin is a barrier protein found in skin which we inherit. The word filaggrin comes from filament aggregating protein. It works like a cling film protection layer for skin, without this protective layer skin becomes leaky. If you are missing the filaggrin protein you will notice lots of extra lines on the palms of your hands. Those of us who are missing filaggrin protein, about 10% of the population worldwide, are more likely to develop atopic skin conditions. If both parents are missing this filaggrin protein the chance of their child having an atopic skin condition increases.

2. Can you help to prevent a child from developing eczema?

20% of children in Ireland have an atopic skin condition. Don’t wait until a skin condition develops to start taking care of a child’s skin, start using a daily emollient on your child as early as possible in life to help prevent skin conditions. Check the emollient ingredients carefully to ensure it does not contain any possible skin irritants.

3. “Switch Off” your atopic skin condition and help to prevent the Atopic March.

As the old saying goes prevention is better than cure, early intervention to treat an atopic skin condition could prevent many other allergic diseases developing later on. The Atopic March, sometime called Allergic March, refers to the natural history or typical progression of allergic diseases that often begin early in life. These include atopic dermatitis (eczema), food allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma. Early and effective treatment of a skin condition can help prevent your body developing other allergic diseases.

4. Are food and nut allergies linked to skin conditions?

Oils or Creams containing nut based ingredients are not recommended for children as they may cause children to develop a peanut allergy subsequently. This can happen if skin comes into contact with the nut as an ingredient in a cream, oil or lotion ingredient before a person ingests the nut as a food. So the body may then reject the nut as a food causing an allergic reaction. Managing what we put on our skin can help to prevent food allergies as they are the next step in the Atopic March. So make sure that your emollient cream does not contain any potential allergens such as nut oils.

5. Summer Drying can affect those with Pollen Allergies.

Pollen is a common irritant for those with eczema. If anyone in your family is allergic to pollen do not dry their bedclothes outside during the pollen season! Sheets on the line absorb pollen in the air as they dry and pass it on to skin as we sleep, eight hours of continuous contact can cause severe reactions. So use the dryer during summer to prevent pollen coming into contact with skin on the bedclothes.

To help you learn more about managing eczema The Irish Skin Foundation has produced a new booklet "What you need to know about eczema" help you understand your condition, learn about management and find more useful tips for living with eczema.

Suvex Soothe is a natural intensive emollient cream, made from plant sourced ingredients. Regular use of emollient creams can prevent the skin from becoming dry and help to prevent flair ups. The naturally soothing and cooling ingredients in Suvex Soothe allow the skin to breath while intensively moisturising the skin. Find out more about Suvex Soothe here.