DS' eczema completely cleared up on holiday - how?

[filio]

DS is 7 months old and over the last few months has developed some really stubborn patches of eczema/irritation. We try to keep on top of ointment/moisturiser and have looked into allergies but it never seems to quite clear up. The best we seem to be able to get to is that it's not quite so angry red/oozy, but still itchy and bumpy.

We've just been to a warm European country for a holiday, however, and after not much more than a day his skin was completely transformed. First the redness disappeared and then the bumps completely cleared up. We spent pretty much every day outside, and he was mostly in the shade but had some short periods in the sun with E45 factor 50. He was also having a shower each day which would normally be quite drying but his skin was the softest it's been in so long, and he wasn't itching at all.

Roll on the return home, and genuinely, during the flight he already had a few red bumps back on his cheeks, and today they're much angrier again 😖 I expect we're going straight back to how things were before.

I'm guessing it was a combination of drier air, softer water and a bit of UV, but is there anything we can replicate back home? I can't get over the transformation!

Agree with others about the sun and sea.
When DD was about 2, with terrible eczema, red and angry all over she was magically cured by a day in sunshine bobbing in the Med in a baby float thing.
It was like magic .

You DS is destined for the sun, take this as a sign to move away for all your benefits hahahaah x

Yeah we moved to a hot country when my son was 3 and his exzms disappeared with in weeks. I on the other hand developed Rosacea… so ya win done ya lose some!

F

Same. They used to use sunlight/lamps to treat skin issues. Not that I'm saying let kids out all day in the sun, but a lot of people will tell you their skin is better in the sun.

My son has eczema and when he was a little boy it was so much better in the summer time. We didn’t holiday abroad, the UK sunshine was enough to make a big difference.

We’re sadly the opposite. Daughter’s eczema flares in the sun and she’s also reactive to all but the most expensive, ultra sensitive sun creams.

It's the water.

Minerals in the water, GH, Kh & pH of the water all have an impact. Generally speaking - harder, more alkaline water cause can some types of eczema.

I suffered horrendously all my life, until I moved to Scotland. Cleared up within weeks, and never suffered again. Water extremely soft here.

I noticed this during the hot spell the other week. I googled it,

Warm Humid Air: Often beneficial. Humidity keeps the skin barrier hydrated, preventing the severe dryness that causes cracking and itching.

It's returned since the colder weather has come back. We also live in a hard water area.

I live in a hard water area and have bought filters for taps and showers. It’s helping a lot. Mine were from Water2, but I’m sure there are other brands.

Definitely humid air helps

On the fence about hard water though. Lived in Scotland in a soft water area - eczema was bad.

I wonder if vitamin D is involved when skin improves in the sun. Might be worth trying a supplement.

Mine clears up in the sea.

I had bad skin on my face and scalp. Clears up within days of being abroad. Its the combination of drinking more water and the sun.

A mixture: the water, air (humidity, salinity), sun light.... It's the same impact on asthma/breathing issues.

There was/is something to be said for convalescence at the seaside. The Victorians were on to something.

Sunshine, salt water, soft water in the shower (if you live in a hard water area at home).

You might be right about people reacting to the allergens in their own country but being ok with different ones abroad. Google tells me Australian children have one of the highest rates of eczema in the world. So maybe they react to the allergens they grow up with and so do we.

Tesco sell dead sea bath salts that say they are good for eczema so I might try them to recreate the salt water effect people mention. I should maybe think about a water softener as we have hard water

Found this info

Globally, the highest rates of eczema (atopic dermatitis) are generally found in high-income, industrialized nations with colder, drier climates or heavily urbanized environments. The condition affects an estimated 10% to 20% of children and up to 10% of adults worldwide.

Studies, including the Global Burden of Disease database and the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), consistently point to specific regions:

Sweden: Often records the highest national prevalence, with childhood rates approaching 34% in some epidemiological studies.

Australia: Features some of the highest rates globally, with approximately 20% of children experiencing atopic dermatitis.

Estonia & Russia: Eastern European regions, particularly Estonia, have reported very high prevalence rates in children under five, reaching up to 15%.

Mongolia: Recent pediatric studies identified national prevalence rates around 10.67%, marking it as a high-burden country.

Japan: Consistently reports high symptom prevalence among children, particularly in urban, industrialized centers.

Why do rates vary?The stark contrast between different regions points to environmental triggers rather than genetics alone. Key factors driving up rates include:

Climate: Cold, dry air and lack of sunlight/vitamin D can compromise the skin barrier.

Urbanization & Pollution: Exposure to urban environments, air pollutants, and changing lifestyles often correlates with higher eczema prevalence.

Hygiene Hypothesis: Some experts theorize that reduced exposure to certain microbes and bacteria in highly sanitized environments causes the immune system to overreact, leading to allergic conditions like eczema.