Detergents, smoke, soaps, skin care products with alcohol, rough-textured clothing are just some atopic dermatitis flare-up triggers. They vary from one person to another. What is important is to know the trigger material. Skin care Doctors stress that skin care is one good starting point in managing atopic dermatitis eczema. Contact dermatitis like this can either be caused by either an allergic reaction or an irritant, for instance detergent. Another possibility is the Xerotic eczema, which starts with dry skin and then progresses into eczema. Usually, this worsens when the air is cold and dry like in winter. This is also very common with older people. Prevention is more on deterring the symptoms of the disease. Removing the cause of the allergic reaction (or the trigger of this reaction) is the easiest and most effective preventive measure. They can be as simple as changing your laundry detergent. Sometimes it can be as difficult as changing jobs (there is a type of the disease termed occupational eczema) or moving to a new place to find the right climate for your body. Also, females tend to have a slightly higher risk than males. Treatments Of course, the first commandment is to avoid all substances that cause the irritation or allergy. Dermatologists can help patients develop strategies to work around them wearing gloves, using barrier creams, etc. Treatments include applying emollients and moisturizers, taking oral antihistamines, and using topical corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. The following guidelines had been recommended by dermatologists to help reduce the discomfort of the itchiness and the rashes. Aside from doing the needed lifestyle modifications, victims of eczema can help reduce the frequency and severity of the flare-ups of the disease by abiding these guidelines. Causes There is no known cause discovered yet on eczema. Scientists, however, have found links in the disease and the overactive response of the body s immune system to unknown triggers. Eczema is found to be common in families with histories on allergy and asthma. Contact with coarse materials can make the skin itchy.