Winter is flaring up eczema for about a third of Aussies who suffer from the irritating skin condition
An irritating skin condition is flaring up for a third of Australians trying to keep warm this winter, made worse by heaters, woollen jumpers and long, hot showers.
Eczema is a dry, itchy and inflammatory skin disease that usually begins in childhood and affects one in five children and one in 10 adults that suffer redness, scales, bumps, skin cracks, oozing fluid and crusts.
Children are more likely to experience eczema because their immune system has not matured. People with a family history or from East or South Asian countries or others who suffer from hay fever or food allergies are also affected.
The condition can be deadly when it is left uncontrolled and extremely inflamed, although rare. People can get serious infections from the disease, or the body can divert all of its blood away from vital organs to the skin.
Dermatologist Deshan Sebaratnam told NewWire that a lot of people would notice eczema flare-ups due to the cold change in weather.
'When it is cold, there's often less humidity in the air, so your skin loses water to the air easily,' he said.
'There's also less sunlight, and sunlight dampens down the activity of the immune system in the skin and because it's cold, people aren't using their creams and moisturisers as much as they should.
'Wearing long clothes and things like wool can also be irritating on the skin, so now's a common time for eczema to flare up for a lot of Australians.'
Dry air, heaters and long. hot showers that strip the body of natural oils can flare up eczema.
The best way to avoid the condition is to use thick and greasy moisturisers that contain glycerine and ceramides to trap water in the skin and avoid products with fragrances, perfumes or food.
'You shouldn't be spending lots of money on your moisturisers,' Dr Sebaratnam said.
'Products from the QV ceramide range are really good or QV intensive as well.
'Funnily enough, people can use a cream their whole life, or a moisturiser or make-up, then suddenly develop allergies to a product.
'No one really knows why, but one day your immune system just decides it doesn't like it, then every time you put it on you get eczema.
'That's called contact dermatitis, and that can also make eczema worse.'
Dr Sebaratnam said people with concerns about their skin should see a GP or dermatologist, a medical specialist in skin disease and health.
'No one understands your skin like a dermatologist, and they can help you know with eczema,' he said.
'It is a really itchy and uncomfortable condition that affects your sleep and has a cosmetic impact in terms of people's confidence if it is on their face.
'It can affect children's schooling, and even adults. If you're constantly scratching you can't focus at work, it affects every facet of your life.'
Dr Sebaratnam said there were lots of myths about eczema. He said food rarely caused problems with the condition and steroids were a safe treatment option when supervised by a doctor.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd ‘so happy' after gender-affirming top surgery
AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd has revealed they are 'so happy' and feel so much like themselves after having gender-affirming top surgery during the off-season. The 29-year-old Hawthorn star is the league's first current player to undergo the surgery - which removes breast tissue in a similar way to a double mastectomy - and said they feel so much more comfortable. 'People often have asked me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it' - post-surgery, seeing myself,' Lucas-Rodd, who identifies as non-binary, told ABC Sport. '... for me, it was like, 'this is how I've always looked when I saw myself' … This is what I've always thought and always seen internally.' Prior to the surgery, Lucas-Rodd was taping or binding their chest and wearing a guernsey multiple sizes too large in order to reduce dysphoria. This practice however, was causing issues, sometimes restricting breathing and movement, and creating back pain. Since returning to training, however, Lucas-Rodd said they are relishing the freedom of not needing a sports bra or chest bindings. 'Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or our singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me,' they said. 'I had huge discomfort around my chest, huge dysphoria. It didn't match up with what I felt internally I should look like.' The halfback came out publicly as non-binary in 2023, saying at the time that they 'don't really identify strongly as my assigned gender at birth, which is female.' 'I don't really feel strongly that I fit into that label as a female, and at the same time I don't feel like I'm a male, either. I guess I'm in between that,' they said in a video shared on the Hawthorn website. 'So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable about how I identify in terms of my gender.' Two other AFLW players, Carlton star Darcy Vescio and former Gold Coast player Tori Groves-Little, also identify as non-binary, and two former players have undergone gender-reaffirming top surgery since leaving the league. Lucas-Rodd spoke to their Hawthorn teammates about the surgery when returning to training and said they were met with 'such love and acceptance'. While opening themselves up to public commentary by sharing their story has been nerve-racking, Lucas-Rodd said they hope to help others in a similar position. 'It's also to show gender diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport,' they said. 'Coming out publicly with top surgery, people will say and do what they want, but I'm trying to show people that no matter what gender you are, no matter how you express that, no matter anything about you, that you belong in sport and you belong in sport at a professional and elite level. 'That's a big thing for me … being like regardless of your gender and how you express that, there is this place for you in sport.' Since sharing their ABC Sport interview on Instagram, Lucas-Rodd has recieved many messages of support, including from Aussie musician G Flip who said, 'Hells yeah Tilly,' and Wentworth star Zoe Terakes, who shared a series of strong arm and love heart emojis.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Katherine Heigl's candid bathroom confession praised
One of Hollywood's biggest stars has been praised for throwing her weight behind a health topic that is typically considered taboo. Katherine Heigl, known for her roles in Grey's Anatomy, Firefly Lane and 27 Dresses, has teamed up with healthcare brand Poise to speak about bladder leakage and perimenopause. In a video shared to Instagram, Heigl speaks directly to her Australian fans. 'As you know, I am not one to shy away from speaking out and so now I am speaking directly to you,' she said. 'When Poise came to me and said that the prevalence of bladder leakage is even higher in Australia with two in three women over 25 experiencing what I like to call the old 'giggle dribble' I wanted to do a special call out to my fans Down Under. 'Those post-partum or perimenopause bladder leaks are so common but often not talked about and so I thought this was an excellent opportunity to get outspoke once again. I don't want a single woman out there to feel alone in this experience or to feel shame or embarrassment. I refuse to let a little giggle dribble stop me from doing everything it means to be a woman and a mother.' Heigl, 46, said that was why she was excited to bring her Poise campaign to Australian televisions — and women who have seen it have praised the actress for her openness. 'I was thrilled to see a pretty and popular actress talking about this so openly on TV. I mean the bar is low right now, but, hearing her say 'perimenopause' AND speak so openly about leaks and peri in front of her male child in the commercial is a step in the right direction IMO,' one viewer said. Another said: 'Obsessed with Katherine Heigl! Love that she is talking about such a taboo topic, go Poise!' 'Great to see this topic being spoken about more openly,' one added. One social media user chimed in: 'Hard relate!' 'Such an important issue,' another agreed. Heigl went on share more about her own experience with bladder leakage, with the Emmy Award winner revealing her first experience with it happened after the birth of her son Joshua in 2017. 'I was just like, 'Oh, excuse me, I'm going to need to go change my underwear'. I kind of just laughed through it versus feeling shame. But then you start going through perimenopause and it's just all falling apart. So you just have to embrace it,' she said. She reiterated that she wasn't OK with anyone feeling any kind of shame or embarrassment around it as it's a natural part of being a woman. 'And it's such a blessing to have a product that can support you through that,' she said. 'Just having someone else who's going through it or having similar experiences makes you feel like, okay, it's not just me. It's kind of universal – which is why I feel strongly that there should be more proactive help for all of us women going through this.'
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
Queensland's forensic boss has been suspended over allegations DNA testing was contaminated
Queensland's top forensic scientist Linzi Wilson-Wilde has been immediately suspended over fears DNA tests have been contaminated. Attorney-General Deb Frecklington issued a statement late on Friday following advice she received that Forensic Science Queensland had paused testing after contamination issues were identified. 'I moved to immediately suspend, pending a show cause notice for removal, the Director of Forensic Science Queensland,' Ms Frecklington said in a statement. The organisation supports criminal and coronial investigations with forensic biology and chemistry services. Ms Frecklington said the forensic lab would pause operations for seven days, then carry out a review to determine the next steps. She said the government has been advised Forensic Science Queensland would still process urgent matters using appropriate controls.
