What Triggers an Eczema Flare-Up (and How to Avoid Them)

One of the most common questions I hear from parents and patients is: "why did this flare-up happen now?" Eczema can feel unpredictable, but flare-ups are usually triggered by something identifiable — even if it takes some detective work to spot the pattern. Here are the most common triggers I see in clinic, and practical ways to manage each one.

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1. Dry Air and Temperature Changes

Central heating in winter and air conditioning in summer both reduce humidity, drawing moisture out of the skin. This is why many people notice their eczema is worse in winter — even without any change to their skincare routine.

What helps: moisturise more frequently during heating/cooling seasons, and consider a humidifier in bedrooms.

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2. Fragrance

Fragrance — including "natural" fragrance from essential oils — is one of the single most common eczema triggers, in both skincare and household products like laundry detergent and fabric softener.

What helps: switch to fragrance-free skincare and laundry products, particularly for anything that touches the skin directly like clothing and bedding.

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3. Harsh or Hot Water

Long, hot showers or baths strip natural oils from the skin, weakening the barrier. This is especially relevant for babies and children, who are often bathed daily.

What helps: keep baths and showers warm rather than hot, limit bath time to 5–10 minutes, and moisturise immediately after.

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4. Sweat

Sweat contains salt and other compounds that can irritate compromised skin, which is why flare-ups are common after exercise or in hot weather.

What helps: shower and moisturise soon after sweating, and wear breathable fabrics during exercise.

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5. Rough or Synthetic Fabrics

Wool and some synthetic fibres can physically irritate eczema-prone skin. This is a particularly common trigger in babies, who have no control over what they're dressed in.

What helps: choose soft, breathable, natural fabrics like cotton, and wash new clothing before wearing it.

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6. Stress

Stress doesn't cause eczema, but it's a well-established trigger for flare-ups in both adults and older children. The relationship also runs in both directions — a flare-up itself can be stressful, creating a difficult cycle.

What helps: this is easier said than done, but maintaining a consistent skincare routine gives you one less thing to worry about during stressful periods, since the skin barrier is already being supported.

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7. Allergens and Irritants

Dust mites, pet dander, pollen and certain foods can trigger flare-ups in people whose eczema has an allergic component. This varies significantly from person to person.

What helps: if you notice a consistent pattern around a specific allergen, that's worth discussing with your GP — but avoid restrictive elimination diets or major lifestyle changes without medical guidance, as flare-ups are usually multi-factorial rather than caused by a single trigger.

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8. Inconsistent Moisturising

This is the trigger I see most often, and the easiest one to fix: stopping moisturiser once the skin looks clear. Eczema-prone skin has an underlying barrier weakness even between flare-ups, so a gap in your routine — even a few days — is often enough to let a flare-up start.

What helps: moisturise daily regardless of how the skin currently looks, not just when a flare-up is already visible.

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Building a Flare-Up Diary

If flare-ups feel unpredictable, keeping a simple diary — noting what changed in the days before each one (new product, weather, stress, activity) — often reveals a pattern within a few weeks. This is one of the most useful tools I recommend to patients, because everyone's triggers are slightly different.

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About Ovée

Consistent moisturising with a fragrance-free, dermatologist-developed formula is the single most effective way to reduce how often flare-ups happen. Both the Ovée Baby & Child Moisturising Cream and Dermatologist Lipid Cream are formulated without the ingredients most likely to trigger a reaction.

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Dr. Tim Clayton is a Consultant Paediatric Dermatologist, President of the British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Dermatology, and Co-Founder of Ovée Skin Health.