IS ECZEMA AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE?

Eczema is an umbrella term that describes various inflammatory skin conditions, or dermatitis (and atopic dermatitis). Researchers think atopic dermatitis develops due to a combination of genetics, a sensitive immune system, and environmental factors that trigger the symptoms and flareups. There’s also some evidence that suggests that autoimmunity may also drive it.

Several types of dermatitis involve an overreaction from the immune system and recently, for the first time, a team led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has proven that atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, is an immune-driven (autoimmune) disease.

An autoimmune disease is the result of the immune system mistakenly attacking the body’s healthy tissues. Typically, this is different from other types of immune response, such as an allergic reaction, which happens when the body perceives exposure to a specific substance as a threat.

However, a study in the Journal of Autoimmunity notes that atopic dermatitis (AD) may start as an allergic reaction and progress to an autoimmune response.

While most doctors will simply prescribe steroids to heal the eczema, eczema can never be cured, only managed and prevented. A good quality cream will help nourish the skin and rehydrate it, and can help strengthen its compromised moisture barrier and prevent dryness and eczema flare-ups. You can find all of our recommended and approved creams here.

Find out what causes eczema flare ups.