The link between sweat and eczema

For people with eczema, sweat can irritate and dry out their already-sensitive skin. This can worsen itchiness and make exercise uncomfortable.

The substances in your sweat, along with allergies, can cause your immune system to react in a way that triggers an eczema flare-up. 

Knowing more about the way that sweat can affect eczema can help you reduce flare-ups and manage the condition more effectively.

Sweat and eczema

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 1 in 10 people in the United States has atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema.

Symptoms of eczema can flare up in response to certain triggers. These are internal or external factors that worsen eczema symptoms, such as skin dryness, itchiness, and discoloration.

Sweat is a common trigger for eczema.

Typically, sweat helps cool you down during exercise. As it evaporates, it causes the surface of your skin to cool.

Plus, sweat contains substances called urea and lactic acid that help keep your skin moisturized and maintain a healthy skin barrier. It also contains antimicrobial substances, which regulate the growth of bacteria on your skin.

But sweat can worsen eczema symptoms for different reasons.

If you have eczema, your sensitive skin may not react well if sweat remains on the surface of your skin for too long after exercising. This is particularly irritating for your skin if you wear tight clothing.

Wrapping your skin during exercise or in hot temperatures can cause miliaria to form, according to 2019 research. Miliaria is an itchy rash that occurs when your sweat blocks your sweat glands and pores because it cannot evaporate from the surface of your skin.

A 2020 review of research notes a few different reasons why sweat can be a trigger for people with eczema. Some of these include:

People with eczema sweat less

Researchers from a 2018 review also found that people with atopic dermatitis sweat less than people without the condition. This is called anhidrosis.

A decrease in sweat causes skin with atopic dermatitis to hold onto heat, causing itching and dryness. The skin also has less access to antimicrobials, increasing the chances of infection on the surface of the skin.

Different sweat composition

It’s likely that people with atopic dermatitis have fewer natural moisturizing factors, like urea and lactic acid, in their sweat than people without a skin condition. This may cause dry skin.

One study from 2018 notes that people with atopic dermatitis have a higher amount of glucose in their sweat than those without the condition.

Researchers find that the higher the glucose concentration of a person’s sweat, the more severe the individual’s eczema symptoms are, according to the 2019 research mentioned earlier. This may affect the bacterial balance in the skin for people with atopic dermatitis, causing itchiness and slowing skin healing.

Allergy to sweat

Sweat is useful and important for maintaining body temperature. But some people with atopic dermatitis experience allergic reactions to sweat.

Studies examined in the previously mentioned 2020 research review have found that people with atopic dermatitis react to antigens in sweat, which causes itching on the surface of the skin.

According to a study from 2017, people with atopic dermatitis react to the antigen from Malassezia, a type of yeast that usually grows on the skin. Sweating can make this reaction worse.

Other triggers

When you have eczema, you may notice certain factors that cause your symptoms to worsen. These triggers are different for everyone. Paying attention to which affects you more can help you manage your symptoms.

Along with sweating, other common triggers for eczema flare-ups include:

• allergens, such as pollen and dust mites
• feeling stressed
• certain soaps, laundry detergents, and body washes
• dry skin that feels tight or scaly

Prevention

It is nearly impossible to stop sweating entirely, but you can take steps to minimize your skin’s exposure to sweat. This can help reduce irritation and dryness, which may help you avoid an eczema flare-up.

Exercise

Exercise is too beneficial to let eczema symptoms get in the way of your workout. Some ways you can manage sweating from exercise include:

• Choosing the right space: If you are exercising indoors, make sure it is in a place with good ventilation and airflow. If outdoors, try exercising in the mornings or evenings when the sun’s heat is less intense.
• Washing immediately: If you exercise in a gym, try finding one with shower facilities. These will allow you to rinse your skin immediately after exercising to prevent eczema symptoms from developing.  
• Wearing loose-fitting clothing: While traditional activewear like Spandex and wool can irritate the skin, other types of fabrics can absorb moisture away from your skin as you exercise. Wearing loose-fitting clothes and natural fibers like cotton will prevent excessive sweating and irritation.
• Trying other types of exercise: Not all exercise has to make you sweat excessively. If you are experiencing an eczema flare, changes to your routine can help. Strength training improves your muscular strength, yet requires you to take regular pauses that can help prevent overheating.
• Keeping moisturized and hydrated: Keeping your skin moisturized will help prevent it from drying out in response to any contact with sweat. Keep a bottle of water handy, both to keep you hydrated but also to rinse any sensitive areas during your workout or hot weather.

Hot weather

The National Eczema Association recommends the following tips for managing eczema symptoms in the summertime:

• Carry a fan to help cool yourself down.
• Wear loose-fitting clothing.
• Take antihistamines to prevent allergies from triggering symptoms.
• If you go swimming, rinse off in the shower afterward.
• Keep moisturizing your skin.

Treatment

While there is no cure for eczema, many different treatment options can help manage your symptoms with medications and home remedies. These include:

• Topical medications: Creams and ointments can help manage eczema flares. Many different topical medications are available, such as hydrocortisone (Cortef) for mild eczema and betamethasone (Sernivo) or clobetasol (Olux) for severe eczema.
• Oral tablets: If you have moderate to severe eczema, a doctor may recommend oral medications like methotrexate (Trexall), acitretin (Soriatane), or cyclosporine (Restasis).
• Bathing: Lukewarm baths can moisturize your skin while removing dead skin cells and irritants that can worsen your symptoms. Be sure to use soaps and cleansers for sensitive skin to avoid exposure to perfumes.
• Wet wraps: Children with severe eczema may benefit from wet wraps. This involves covering the affected area in a rich moisturizing cream, wrapping a wet, lukewarm bandage over the area of eczema, and covering it with a dry bandage. This also helps prevent scratching, which can worsen eczema.
• Phototherapy: This is when a healthcare professional like a dermatologist applies UVB rays to affected skin.

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Summary

If you have eczema or atopic dermatitis, sweat may dry your skin out, which can lead to worsened symptoms. It also contains substances that may trigger eczema flare-ups.

To manage sweating and eczema symptoms, be sure to rinse the sweat off your skin as soon as possible after your workout.

Wearing loose-fitting clothing, exercising in the shade, and adjusting your workout routine can help reduce any irritation from sweat. Applying moisturizer to clean skin will help prevent the need to scratch a flare-up.

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