Atopic dermatitis (eczema)

An overemphasis on food allergies is one of the major causes of frustration and suffering for people with eczema, especially Atopic eczema. There are countless reports of various foods causing a flare of eczema. There are also countless stories where avoiding a specific food has resulted in clearing eczema.

What is not so often published are the stories where diet manipulation has resulted in no improvement at all! Eczema severity fluctuates and improvement following diet changes might simply be coincidence.

Is it possible that food can worsen eczema? Yes, it is, but so can countless other triggers.

A recent study (Effective therapy of childhood Atopic dermatitis allays food allergy concerns) has shown estimated food reactions decreased by 80% as eczema improved following conventional therapy. The article states: “This preliminary assessment of parental perceptions suggests that successful, stable therapy of Atopic Dermatitis reduces perceived food reactions and allays parental concerns about food allergy. Such therapy may encourage parents to refocus on direct skin care as the primary effort in Atopic Dermatitis therapy.”

Another study (Unnecessary milk elimination diets in children with atopic dermatitis) report similar findings.

So, in only 20% of cases did “perceived food allergies” remain a potential problem following conventional therapy.

When treating eczema, the early emphasis should be on conventional therapy and not diet manipulation. In the rare cases unresponsive to conventional therapy (correctly and consistantly used) and with a clear history of potential food allergies, consider diet manipulation.

Treat your eczema correctly and you will most likely stop worrying about food allergies. To find out how to treat your eczema correctly read the articles on this website and talk to your dermatologist.