Eczema from Cats: The Connection and Tips for Treatment – Greatist

Your cat is a pure love muffin and your best friend, how could they ever hurt you? But now that you think about it, your eczema has been flaring since you adopted that snuggle buddy.

Heres how to tell whether your feline friend has anything to do with it.

Even if your cat is the diabolical type to knock glasses off of tables for giggles, theyre prob not trying to make you itchy and miserable. And the jurys out on whether they could even if they wanted to. Researchers arent sure how or if cat companionship affects eczema.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) seems to be affected by a bunch of factors (including genetics, immunity, and the environment). Theres also some debate about whether eczema is primarily a problem with inflammation or dysfunction of your skins ability to create a barrier.

Cases of AD are on the rise. Some researchers think that environmental factors are triggering more flares in people who were already likely to develop AD anyway. Environmental factors that have been studied in relation to AD include:

Evidence about the relationship between cats and eczema is far from conclusive. Heres what some studies have found.

So, essentially science isnt sure yet.

Cat allergens (like saliva, dander, and urine) could make eczema worse. Thats because they cause an allergic antibody response that can trigger eczema symptoms. Two recent studies found a relationship between living with a cat and worse AD symptoms.

You mightve heard that early exposure to allergens in childhood could make people less likely to develop allergies. What does that mean for kids who live with cats? It means they might be at a lower risk of developing eczema.

A study of more than 1,000 children in Sweden found that living with cats and dogs in their first year of life was linked with a lower risk of developing asthma, allergy, and eczema between the ages of 7 and 9.

How? The theory is that children who live with pets early in life are desensitized to pet allergens and pollen. Living with animals may also affect the microbes that children are exposed to, strengthening their immune systems.

If you think your cat might be triggering your eczema symptoms, you dont have to kick the kitty out. Heres how to live a little more comfortably with your cat.

PSA: If you love cats, it might be tempting to believe that you can get a special breed that wont trigger eczema flares. But totally hypoallergenic cats arent really a thing. Some breeds may have less fur to shed, but their saliva is still an allergen.

We get it, you love your cat and will snuggle them even if you are raw and itchy. Here are some tips for soothing your eczema symptoms.

Pro tip: You might also want to consider allergy shots if living with cats is a long-term arrangement. One small study showed that this can be effective.

Part of living with eczema is learning what triggers your flare-ups. Cats probably arent a cause, but they could be one of your triggers. This is even more likely if youre allergic to cat dander or saliva. Luckily, there are ways you can live happily with cats and soothe your skin.

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Eczema from Cats: The Connection and Tips for Treatment - Greatist