It is estimated that at any one time around 25% of the population has a skin problem that could benefit from medical care; skin conditions account for between 15 and 20% of a GP’s workload. One cause of itchy skin is eczema, a general term encompassing various inflamed skin conditions; there are more than 10 different types of eczema. Eczema is most prevalent in children, with 15-20% of children suffering. 38% of eczema sufferers are adults whose cases tend to be more severe and persistent.  ‘Atopy’ is the term used for the tendency to develop eczema, asthma and/or hay fever. Atopic people have an overactive immune system and their skin easily becomes inflamed. Eczema is not contagious and, like many diseases, currently cannot be cured. However, for most patients the condition can be managed well with treatment and avoidance of triggers.

 

Despite the overwhelming evidence of an association between eczema and hidden food allergies, very few sufferers are tested for food sensitivity by their doctors.  Diet plays a important role in the management of skin symptom flare-ups, however, it is difficult to determine which foods, or combinations of foods, are responsible for each individual’s condition. Everyone is unique with a different biochemical make-up to others with the same condition.

 

For those with eczema symptoms, acknowledging that certain food combinations can contribute, and then identifying and eliminating the specific foods from the diet, is an important step forward. The problem with attempting any dietary modification is that first you need to know what to change. Currently the best accepted method for confirming food sensitivities is by elimination diet. This involves eating a restricted diet for several weeks. If there is no reduction in symptoms during this time, it is assumed that the food type that has been restricted is not the problem and the process is repeated with another food type. Using this method it is impossible to test all the different combinations of food types that may be causing the problems, it is an ineffective process.

 

In one survey* of 183 eczema sufferer’s, 83% reported a reduction in their symptoms if they removed the foods from their diet that showed IgG food antibody reactions in their blood. The test that was used in the survey was the YorkTest FoodScan 113.