Eczema warning: Why you should never do this in the shower – Express.co.uk

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The painful skin condition is becoming a growing problem.

According British Skin Foundation research in 2011, 28 per cent of skin specialists felt they had seen a notable increase in adult eczema cases.

This comes after a report in 2009 that those suffering had risen by 40 per cent in just four years - a trend likely to have continued.

While its most common in children, its possible for it to develop for the first time in adulthood.

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Eczema happens because of a problem with the skin barrier which means its protective qualities are lost and irritants that cause a reaction get in.

Dr Justine Hextall, a consultant dermatologist and spokeswoman for La Roche-Posay

This could be down to certain unlikely products we use on a daily basis.

Eczema happens because of a problem with the skin barrier which means its protective qualities are lost, explained Dr Justine Hextall, a consultant dermatologist and spokeswoman for La Roche-Posay who have a range, Lipikar, specifically for treating the condition.

This allows irritants to enter more easily, triggering symptoms.

Preservatives are one of the key things that particularly cause a reaction.

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Resist the itch - Eczema is almost always itchy no matter where it occurs on the body and although it may be tempting to scratch affected areas of the skin, this should be avoided as much as possible

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MI - short for methylisothiazolinone - is a preservative used a in a wide range of shampoos, shower gels, moisturisers and facial wipes.

Men who wash their face with shampoo or soap - which 50 per cent do - are putting themselves at risk of eczema.

While MI is safe, European regulations began to permit stronger concentrations than previously allowed in 2005.

Its been suggested this could be the reason for an increase in eczema - as well as contact dermatitis - in recent years.

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An increase in eczema has also in the past been blamed on bath gels, particularly in children.

It used to affect just three per cent in the 1950s but now one in five suffer.

Research by Sheffield University revealed that it was our desire for optimum cleanliness that correlated with the rise.

We used to only bathe once or twice a week, while now its daily - consequently our spending on bubble bath and shower gel has sky-rocketed.

Of common eczema triggers, the NHS list soaps and detergents, including shampoo, washing up liquid and bubble bath.

They also suggest cold and dry weather, food allergies, certain materials, hormonal changes and skin infections may also be causes.

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