I have struggled with eczema, not for myself, but for my children. I grew up with a sister that had severe eczema so was relatively familiar with atopic dermatitis when my first child was born. I knew about the outbreaks and the steroidal creams and how problematic atopic dermatitis could be. However, I had never We bought a humidifier for my child’s room and my sister recommended that we try some over the counter (OTC) creams like Shea butter and Aquafor. These helped slightly, but there were still flare ups that occurred. The next step was seeking help from the pediatrician. They immediately recommended a steroidal cream. We were both uncomfortable giving our child a steroidal cream. Not only because we read about the skin-thinning that it may cause, but also because we didn’t want to give our child a strong medication that may have lifelong effects. At the alternative was to stick with the OTC creams and let our child scratch until they bled. So we began applying the steroidal cream during outbreaks; however, even the steroidal cream lost effectiveness over time. What was frustrating was that nothing was preventionary and the steroidal cream was purely reactionary to the outbreaks. When asking about what we could do to help with eczema going forward, our pediatrician gave us a referral to the dermatology department. After a few months of waiting, we finally met with a dermatologist. When asked how we could prevent outbreaks or limit the impact they were having on our child, their answer was a stronger steroid and to hope that they just “grew out of it.” At wit’s end, this is where my research background started to kick in. Not getting answers from the doctors, I began reading the medical research about eczema and digging into what other people had done to try and prevent it. The top solution I came up with was an elimination diet. However, since my child was breastfeeding, this meant an elimination diet for my wife. We started with dairy since my sister knew that this was one of her triggers, but tried others to no avail. The next solution we tried was vitamin D and probiotic drops. Almost immediately, we started to see improvement, and over time the eczema has been under control. Over time, both my wife and I became skeptical that it was actually the vitamin D and probiotics that caused the change and began to think that maybe the doctor was right and they just “grew out of it.” However, whenever we have taken them off the probiotics, the flare ups began to reoccur. The vitamin D hasn’t had as much impact, but we also give our child a multivitamin as well. When my next child was born they did not suffer from eczema immediately like my first born, but began to show symptoms around 18 months. Luckily, the same regimen of probiotics and multivitamin seem to keep the eczema under control. Although we initially had a problem of finding brands that were toddler safe and they would actually eat. By no means do I think there is a one-size fits all solution to eczema, but I hope my journey to find relief for my children helps other parents out there. I strongly believe in a scientific approach that entails researching the options, choosing the best fit solutions for your situation, and then testing.

My eczema journey has been a wild ride, and I’m excited to share it with you. Not just as a personal story but as a testament to the power of research and a holistic, science-driven approach. I remember the relentless itching, the super dry skin, and flaky patches that seemed to be my constant companions since high school. My forehead would shed skin, my fingers were cracked and painful, and even my scalp was a mess - so much so that it would leave white flakes everywhere. My laptop was constantly covered in dandruff (an embarrassing sight). My wife said it looked unprofessional and I had to do something about it. I said it's always been like that and there was nothing I could do about it.

If you’re getting your eczema advice on Reddit, TikTok, or Instagram, barely a day goes by without someone claiming they healed their eczema by healing their gut. Whether their solution was to cut out sugar, wheat, or gluten from their diet or take a probiotic supplement, their eczema miraculously disappears after a change. To understand this trend, we decided to take a look at what’s behind the gut-skin relationship.

Eczema isn’t just a skin condition. It’s a complex interaction between your immune system, skin barrier, and environmental triggers. Together, these factors create an inflammation-itch-scratch cycle that can be hard to get under control. Here’s what happens inside the body when eczema flares up.

While there’s no cure for eczema, the good news is that there many ways to reduce flare-ups, relieve itching, and keep your skin healthier. While all treatments for eczema should be based in evidence and science, there is an element of art to it as well.

Do you have red, itchy skin? Do you stay up all night scratching? Are your hands so dry they crack and bleed? Mine were, too. On many days it hurt to use a pen. Constant dandruff, itchy scalp, and scales coming off? Yep, I had that too.