Children’s eczema flared up in lockdown – and the skin microbiome is key

THE nation’s parents are at their wits end when it comes to easing their child’s eczema – with half changing their laundry detergent, a fifth avoiding sunny weather and a further fifth making their kids wear gloves to stop them scratching and 1 in 10 even limit their children’s screen time.

Approximately one in five children live with eczema in the UK, but concerns are rife about this relatively common skin condition.

The new research by targeted skincare brand Gladskin also found around a third (31%) of children’s eczema cases have become worse since the pandemic started, with 37% percent of parents saying stress and anxiety triggers their child’s flare ups.

The condition also seems to affect a child’s social life, with almost two in five parents claiming their little one has been left out of social events because of judgement over their eczema. And sadly, just under half (44%) of parents even say they themselves feel judged because of their child’s eczema.

Despite parents trying endless ways to treat their child’s symptoms, it’s important to try and understand the potential causes

Clinical Microbiologist Dr Bjorn Herpers says “This new research by Gladskin is saddening. Eczema is a condition that so many children have to deal with, and I believe if we increase the nations understanding of the skin microbiome we can improve treatment and outcomes. Our skin microbiome is made of billions of bacteria. However, 40% of people have the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus on their skin too –  a known cause of eczema flare-ups in some people. Treatment should target just this bacterium so the skin can restore the balance of bacteria of the skin microbiome.”

Nearly 50% will change soap, shampoo and washing powered, yet only 10% will consider rebalancing the bad bacteria on the skin. On average, parents are willing to give a treatment 8 weeks to help their child’s eczema with a third saying they have tried products but gave up because they weren’t working, while 37% said the treatment was too harsh for their child’s skin.

Clinical Microbiologist Dr Bjorn Herpers has offered up his own tips to help children who are currently suffering with eczema and says to parents:

1. Be mindful – soaps, harsh chemicals, drying alcohol disrupt the bacterial balance by killing the good and bad bacteria – being mindful about what we put on our skin is key.
2. Create or improve a daily skin care routine – a daily routine of cleansing the skin with a gentle face wash and without perfumes will help keep the bacteria in balance. Using skincare products that are based upon a scientific understanding of the skin’s microbiome is even better!
3. Research – find out what triggers your inflammatory skin condition and if it is worsened by Staphylococcus aureus – if you are suffering with eczema, inflamed acne or pustular rosacea, in the majority of cases Staphylococcus aureus plays a role.
4. Target the bad bacteria only – if your skin condition is caused by Staphylococcus aureus you could try a new and unique treatment approach – Gladskin. It is the only skincare range to contain an enzyme that selectively targets the bad bacteria from the microbiome, whilst leaving the good bacteria unharmed. This approach restores the balance of bacteria so the skin can heal.
5. Test – If you try a new product with an active ingredient, first test it on a small, non-infected, body part.

Everyone knows someone who has suffered from a skin condition at some point but most people don’t know what can be done to treat it – which is where your skin microbiome comes in. Your skin microbiome is made up of the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live on your skin’s surface. In a healthy, well-functioning microbiome, these good bacteria work together to defend against disease and other environmental threats.

Based upon a scientific understanding of the skin’s microbiome, targeted skincare brand Gladskin has been created to restore your skin microbiome and is the first and only product to contain the active ingredient Staphefekt™, an enzyme that selectively kills the bad bacteria whilst leaving the good bacteria unharmed.