Eczema is a skin condition that causes dryness, redness, and itchiness. It affects millions of people, both kids and adults. Sometimes, people wonder if certain foods are to blame for eczema. The truth is, even though eczema is associated with food allergy, it is rarely caused by food.

 

Eczema is mainly caused by a mix of genetics and the environment. If you have eczema, your skin barrier might not work as well as it should. This means your skin has trouble holding in moisture and keeping out irritants, which can lead to dryness and inflammation. Eczema is also linked to the immune system. For people with eczema, the immune system sometimes overreacts to harmless things like pollen, dust mites, or pet dander. These triggers can make eczema flare up, but they don’t cause it.

 

Some people with eczema also have food allergies. If they eat something they’re allergic to, it can cause a reaction like hives, swelling, throat tightness, or difficulty breathing. People with eczema are generally more at risk of developing a food allergy, especially infants. But thankfully, most of the time, eczema is not due to a food. Elimination diets are usually not helpful, and can be stressful and expensive to follow.

 

If you or your child have experienced symptoms such as hives, swelling, throat tightness, difficulty breathing, or other symptoms right after eating a food, then your allergist will gather a thorough history to determine if food testing is necessary and testing can help solidify a diagnosis. If you do have a food allergy, avoiding that food usually won’t cure eczema so it’s important to also address proper care of eczema with your allergist or other provider.