Professor Khaled Ezzedine explains why sport can trigger or worsen an eczema attack.
- Sport can trigger or worsen an eczema attack.
- Therefore, even if sport is recommended for people with eczema, they must take certain precautions to do so.
- A non-contagious skin disease, eczema affects 2.5 million French people of all ages.
Why can exercise trigger or worsen an eczema attack? “The heat generated by exercise is the main culprit! Dry and fragile atopic skin in contact with the acidity of sweat can become irritated with itching and burning sensations which can become unbearable”, explains Professor Khaled Ezzedine, from Henri Mondor-Créteil hospital. “There is also the friction of clothing linked to movements, contact with certain materials and poorly ventilated sports halls. In the same way, outdoor sports activities at the time of pollen can also trigger or aggravate a flare-up. atopic eczema”, continues the doctor.
How to reconcile sport and eczema?
So, is sport recommended for people suffering from eczema? “Yes, but with precautions!” replies the dermatologist. “Apart from periods of strong flare-ups, sport is a way to fight against eczema because it helps reduce the patient’s anxiety. Sport also helps maintain your body and improve the quality of sleep while strengthening your immune defenses”, completes Khaled Ezzedine.
The French Eczema Association also gives the following advice to reconcile sport and eczema:
– Drink water regularly and in small quantities, before, during and after exercise, to keep the body and skin hydrated.
– Choose an appropriate and realistic intensity level depending on the condition of the skin.
– Try to limit the rise in body temperature, by keeping a towel nearby or terry cuffs to gently wipe away sweat during exercise.
– Wear loose clothing to avoid friction and wash it after each use.
– Apply emollients to moisturize the skin one hour before exercise to allow sufficient absorption time and of course after exercise.
– Take a lukewarm shower to rinse off sweat after exercise.
– If using a deodorant, choose a neutral product (without alcohol or perfume), apply it after physical activity (and not before), after the shower and once the skin is well dried with a soft towel /own.
– Avoid doing physical activity in case of high heat.
“The sporting environment is a place of stigmatization of patients with eczema”
According to a new survey, 85.5% of eczema patients say they engage in regular physical activity (well above the national average of 60%). However, 70.8% of respondents refrain from certain sports because of their eczema. Main reasons given: sweating which aggravates itching, skin “lively” and the gaze of others.
“The sporting environment is a place of stigmatization of patients with eczema: 31.3% of patients have already been victims with negative looks, inappropriate remarks (20.8%) and mockery
(16.7%). In the locker rooms, 31.3% feel discomfort.”write the authors of the investigation in their report.
87.5% of people with eczema also say that their skin “scratch” when they play sports, particularly in the folds of the arms (78.6%), face (61.9%), scalp (57.1%) and folds of the legs (54.8%) ). 64.6% also suffer from burning sensations on the skin, generally in the same areas.
Despite the inconveniences, for 83% of respondents, doing sport is a source of benefit and has a positive impact on their sleep.
2.5 million French people suffer from eczema
A non-contagious skin disease, eczema affects 2.5 million French people of all ages. This pathology is always associated with intense itching which can affect all parts of the body, with consequences on morale, sleep, activities, social relationships, etc.
There are three forms of eczema: atopic eczema, contact eczema and chronic hand eczema.
