Can Alcohol Trigger an Eczema Flare?

Can drinking alcohol make eczema worse?

The simple answer is maybe. Researchers who study eczema have not consistently found that alcohol triggers flares.

A 2023 research review of alcohol use in people with atopic dermatitis and other conditions found the association between alcohol consumption and eczema flares was inconsistent. Still, some research has suggested that there may be a dose-dependent relationship — more than two drinks may increase the risk of a flare.

Researchers reported that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can raise the risk that the child will later develop eczema.

The inflammation, itch, and infection connection

In a 2017 study, experts found that alcohol triggers inflammation in people who have psoriasis, another inflammatory skin condition. It’s reasonable to think alcohol could also lead to inflammation in people with eczema, researchers say.

When your body breaks down alcohol, histamines are released as part of an immune reaction. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology describes histamines as powerful chemicals that can cause skin redness or other discoloration and itching.

Alcohol use can also affect the skin barrier. Your skin barrier is a protective layer that regulates water and moisture and keeps out germs and irritants. For people with eczema, the skin barrier may already be vulnerable. Alcohol may change the makeup of your skin barrier, which may lead to the loss of moisture.

Eczema and alcohol use disorder

Here’s another research result worth noting. There’s some evidence that alcohol use disorder is more common among people with eczema. Scientists don’t know whether that’s because living with the condition makes people feel the need to drink, because their bodies break down alcohol differently, or some other reason.

It’s also important to understand that when people have an alcohol use disorder, their skin may be more prone to injury and infection. Wounds may take longer to heal.

Your symptoms matter

Despite the lack of clear evidence from scientific studies, some people report that their eczema symptoms get worse if they drink alcohol.

If you find your symptoms worsen when you have an alcoholic beverage or two, it’s important to pay attention to your own body’s signals.

Can foods and drinks affect eczema?

Many people report that what they eat and drink affects their eczema symptoms. Some of the foods most likely to cause health concerns are:

• soy
• wheat
• eggs
• peanuts
• rice
• fish
• milk

Food-triggered eczema symptoms are more common in children. Researchers found it uncommon for foods to cause eczema flares in adults.

If you think you may have a reaction to something you’re eating or drinking, working with an allergy specialist may help identify food allergies or other factors that may be triggering your eczema flares.

What is eczema?

Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition. It may be calm and manageable for long periods. Then, stress, allergens, and other triggers could lead to a flare-up, during which you experience more redness or other discoloration, burning, itchiness, and oozing.

There currently isn’t a cure, but there are many effective ways to manage your symptoms.

How to tell if alcohol makes your eczema worse?

If you notice that your eczema symptoms are getting worse, you may want to keep a journal to track your body’s response to what you’re eating and drinking. Note the type of alcohol you’ve had and whether certain amounts or types change the intensity of your symptoms.

You can also try eliminating alcohol from your diet to check whether symptoms improve. If you’re drinking because you’re feeling stressed, it could be the stress rather than the alcohol that’s causing a health concern.

How is eczema diagnosed?

Your healthcare professional can diagnose eczema by examining your skin and asking about the nature of your symptoms. Skin tests might be necessary to make sure another allergy isn’t causing your symptoms.

What if your eczema is getting worse?

If you’re in the middle of an intense eczema flare, you may want to talk with a healthcare professional about whether your current treatment strategy needs a change. Some treatment options include:

• emollient moisturizers to help lock in moisture and repair your skin barrier
• quick, daily baths to ease discomfort and itching
• wet wraps to soothe irritated or itchy areas
• over-the-counter cortisone creams or oral antihistamine medications to help manage itching
• prescription corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors to reduce inflammation
• biologics, which are antibody treatments to calm an overactive immune response
• antibiotics if you have a skin infection
• phototherapy (ultraviolet light therapy) to heal inflamed skin

What’s the outlook for people with eczema?

Eczema is considered a chronic (long-term) health condition. That means you may have symptoms off and on for many years.

The good news is that eczema symptoms can often be managed with daily care and medications to prevent and treat flares.

Even with treatment, you may notice some long-lasting changes to areas of your skin affected by eczema. The color of your skin could be darker in patches, and you may notice some thickening in places where you’ve scratched or rubbed a lot.

Keeping up with treatments is important because people with eczema are more likely to develop viral and bacterial infections. Some infections can be serious or even life threatening.

Takeaway

There’s no clear scientific evidence that drinking alcohol will cause an eczema flare. Still, many people say that when they drink, their symptoms get worse.

That may be because alcohol can stimulate inflammation throughout your system. It could also be because your body releases itch-causing histamines when it breaks down alcohol. Or it could be that alcohol temporarily dries out your skin, making symptoms feel worse.

If your eczema symptoms suddenly worsen, talk with your healthcare professional to pinpoint the triggers and find ways to prevent and treat your symptoms. The flares may come and go, but knowing your triggers can help you prolong the calm periods in between.