Ever feel like your skin is throwing a tantrum? One minute it's calm, the next it’s dry and itchy?

Eczema, also known as dermatitis, affects up to 2%-10% of adults¹ and can feel like a constant guessing game as to why it's flaring up.

The truth is, eczema doesn’t just flare up for no reason. There are usually some sneaky factors, both external and internal, stirring things up. From chilly winds to gut bugs, your skin is reacting to what’s happening inside and around you.

In this article, we’ll break down two external and three internal triggers that can make eczema worse, and offer solutions to help reduce flares and find lasting relief.

Why Does Eczema Flare and Get Angry?

Your skin isn’t just a pretty cover; it’s part of your immune defence. When the skin barrier is weakened, allergens, irritants, and microbes sneak in, triggering an immune response that can leave you red, itchy, and inflamed.¹

Some of this is written in your genes. People with eczema often have changes in the filaggrin gene, which weakens the skin’s ability to hold water and block irritants.² But flares aren’t just about genetics, they’re also shaped by your environment, diet, stress, and lifestyle.

External Factor 1: Changes in Season and Temperature

Have you noticed your skin acts up more in winter or during sudden heatwaves?

Cold air during winter dries out your skin, increasing something called transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes the skin barrier less resilient, kind of like a crumbling wall that lets all sorts of irritants through.³ While sweating in summer can make skin more permeable to irritants.

• Tips to reduce flares from weather:
• Always apply moisturiser straight after showering to trap water in the skin⁴
• Try to avoid rapid temperature changes
• Limit sweaty activities that aggravate the skin
  

You might also notice allergies in spring thanks to a surge of pollen, which brings us to point 2....

External Factor 2: Environmental Irritants and Allergens

From cigarette smoke to household dust, your environment plays a huge role in eczema flares. Smoking has even been linked to adult-onset eczema.¹

Some pollutants trigger immune overactivity, with certain fragrances and soaps acting like mini attacks on already sensitive skin.⁵Common environmental eczema triggers include¹:

• Animal dander
• House dust mites
• Harsh skincare products or detergents
• Cigarette and eciggarette use

Practical solutions to minimise these potential eczema triggers include the following tips⁴:

• Use unscented or hypoallergenic products
• Switch to sensitive skin washing powders
• Avoid harsh cleaning agents and perfumes
• Manage stress, which weakens your skin’s defences
• Use HEPA filters for fine particles and air purifiers in your home that help remove airborne allergens, like dust mites, pollen, and dander
• Avoid hanging linen and clothing out to dry when pollen index is high– use a clothes dryer instead
• Find healthier habits to replace smoking habits (e.g. chewing gum, fidget spinners, exercise)

Internal Factor 1: Nutrient Gaps that Weaken Skin Resilience

Your skin barrier needs more than moisturiser. It relies on nutrients like vitamin D and zinc to stay strong.

• Vitamin D helps keep skin hydrated and controls inflammation.⁷
• Zinc supports skin repair and immune balance.⁸,⁹

A recent study found that vitamin D supplements reduced eczema severity scores by 11 points on a 100-point scale.⁷ That’s a noticeable improvement for many sufferers.

Helpful tip: Eat a diet rich in fatty fish, eggs, seeds, and leafy greens. You can also support your nutrient levels and immune health with Ultra Flora Sensitive Skin, which includes ingredients designed to strengthen the skin from within.

Internal Factor 2: Gut Health and Immune Overdrive

Your gut might seem far away from your skin, but the two are in constant conversation. When your gut microbiome is imbalanced, your immune system becomes reactive, triggering flares.¹⁰

In eczema, this overreaction often involves the Th2 immune pathway, leading to high levels of inflammatory messengers that can compromise your skin barrier.¹¹

Studies show that specific postbiotics (explained in this article), like L-92™, can help regulate this immune activity. In one trial, L-92™ reduced eczema severity by over 22% in just 8 weeks.¹³,¹⁴

Internal Factor 3: Low Antioxidant Intake

When your body doesn’t get enough antioxidants, harmful molecules called ROS (reactive oxygen species) build up. These can damage skin cells, break down the skin barrier, and cause inflammation. This makes skin conditions like eczema worse.
Antioxidants fight ROS and help protect the skin. Adding more antioxidants to your diet or skincare can calm inflammation and support healing. Some examples include¹⁵:

• Vitamin C: Found in fruits and veggies. Helps skin repair, reduces damage, and strengthens the skin barrier
• Vitamin E: Found in nuts and oils. Soothes itching, helps skin stay hydrated, and works well with vitamin C
• Herbal antioxidants, like polyphenols within rosemary plants, may lower the risk of eczema and improve skin health 

To support skin from the inside out, Ultra Flora Sensitive Skin delivers a targeted blend of vitamin C, vitamin E, and rosemary-derived antioxidants, along with L-92™ postbiotic to help reduce itching, flare-ups, and inflammation.

How Can You Reduce Flares and Support Skin Health?

Think of eczema like a leaky boat. Moisturisers patch the holes from the outside, but nutrients and gut support help seal the cracks from within. Here are a few more expert-backed tips to protect your skin⁴:

• Keep nails short to avoid breaking the skin when scratching
• Wear 100% cotton clothing and avoid rough, synthetic fabrics
• Pat, don’t rub, skin dry with a soft towel
• Reduce household dust and allergens

What’s Irritating Your Skin?

Eczema may start in your genes, but it’s shaped by the world around and inside you. To reduce flares and find lasting relief, look at both:

• External triggers, like weather and environmental irritants
• Internal imbalances, like low nutrients and poor gut health

While these triggers can happen and pass with time, with the right care and support, your skin doesn’t have to stay in fight mode. Start with small changes, like swapping to gentle products or adding a supplement such as Ultra Flora Sensitive Skin, and see how your skin responds.

What could you change today to give your skin the calm it’s been craving?

If reading this has inspired you to overhaul your immune and gut health, we recommend working with a Healthcare practitioner who can tailor a program to your needs.

References

1. Kolb L, Ferrer-Bruker SJ. Atopic dermatitis. In: StatPearls. NCBI Bookshelf version. StatPearls Publishing: 2023. Accessed December 6, 2024. 
2. Pfisterer K, Shaw LE, Symmank D, Weninger W. The extracellular matrix in skin inflammation and infection. Frontiers Cell Dev Biology. 2021;9:682414. doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.682414
3. Rosso JD, Zeichner J, Alexis A, Cohen D, Berson D. Understanding the Epidermal Barrier in Healthy and Compromised Skin: Clinically Relevant Information for the Dermatology Practitioner: Proceedings of an Expert Panel Roundtable Meeting. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016 Apr;9(4 Suppl 1):S2-S8.
4. Australian Medicines Handbook Pty Ltd. Eczema. In: Australian Medicines Handbook. Updated January 2024. Accessed December 6, 2024. 
5. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Atopic dermatitis. Updated November, 2022. Accessed December 6, 2024. 
6. Kim J, Kim BE, Leung DYM. Pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis: clinical implications. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2019;40(2):84-92. doi:10.2500/aap.2019.40.4202
7. Hattangdi-Haridas SR, Lanham-New SA, Wong WHS, Ho MHK, Darling AL. Vitamin D deficiency and effects of vitamin D supplementation on disease severity in patients with atopic dermatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis in adults and children. Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1854. doi:10.3390/nu11081854
8. Gray NA, Dhana A, Stein DJ, Khumalo NP. Zinc and atopic dermatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019;33(6):1042-1050. doi:10.1111/jdv.15524
9. Maywald M, Rink L. Zinc deficiency and zinc supplementation in allergic diseases. Biomolecules. 2024;14(7):863. doi:10.3390/biom14070863
10. De Pessemier B, Grine L, Debaere M, Maes A, Paetzold B, Callewaert C. Gut-Skin Axis: Current Knowledge of the Interrelationship between Microbial Dysbiosis and Skin Conditions. Microorganisms. 2021;9(2):353. doi:10.3390/microorganisms9020353
11. Torres T, Mendes-Bastos P, Cruz MJ, Duarte B, Filipe P, Lopes MJP, Gonçalo M. Interleukin-4 and Atopic Dermatitis: Why Does it Matter? A Narrative Review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2025 Mar;15(3):579-597. doi: 10.1007/s13555-025-01352-y. 
12. Furue M, Chiba T, Tsuji G, Ulzii D, Kido-Nakahara M, Nakahara T, Kadono T. Atopic dermatitis: immune deviation, barrier dysfunction, IgE autoreactivity and new therapies. Allergol Int. 2017 Jul;66(3):398-403. doi: 10.1016/j.alit.2016.12.002. 
13. Yamamoto K,Yokoyama K, Matsukawa T, et al. Efficacy of prolonged ingestion of Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 in adult patients with atopic dermatitis. J Dairy Sci. 2016;99(7):5039-5046. doi:10.3168/jds.2015-10605
14. Inoue Y, Kambara T, Murata N, et al. Effects of oral administration of Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 on the symptoms and serum cytokines of atopic dermatitis in Japanese adults: a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2014;165(4):247-254. doi:10.1159/000369806
15. De Simoni E, Candelora M, Belleggia S, et al. Role of antioxidants supplementation in the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a critical narrative review. Front Nutr. 2024 Jun 12;11:1393673. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1393673.