To date, there is no known treatment for skin asthma. If you are diagnosed with it, fret not because there are medications available for it that can help in dealing with the signs and symptoms such as itchy rashes and blisters. Below you will come across some of the most important things about skin asthma that you should know about.

Got family and friends with skin asthma? Make sure that you share this article on your various social media sites after checking it out to get them acquainted more with skin asthma, too.

Before you proceed, there’s one thing that you should know: none of the details mentioned below should be mistaken for medical advice. If you have some pressing questions about skin asthma, approach a dermatologist. He or she is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating various skin conditions.

Causes

Just like asthma, skin asthma can be caused by exposure to cigarette smoke and also emotional stress. However, those are not the only things that can cause skin asthma to strike.

Some of those that can also trigger the skin condition include:

Irritating chemicals found in personal care and household cleaning products 

Allergens like pet dander, dust mites, pollen and dust 

Certain types of foods such as peanuts, eggs and chicken 

Extreme changes in temperature 

Contact with wool and various synthetic types of fiber 

Excessive dryness of the skin 

Excessive perspiration

No, skin asthma is not a contagious skin issue. It’s something that runs in families — if you have immediate family members diagnosed with skin asthma, there’s a huge possibility that you also have it. Dermatologists say that skin asthma is actually a genetic disorder in which there’s an imperfection in the skin’s protective barrier.

Problem with the said protective barrier of the skin can cause all kinds of unfavorable changes. They include a more acidic pH level of the skin and reduced antimicrobial properties.

Signs and Symptoms

One of the telltale signs of skin asthma is the presence of leathery patches on affected areas of the body. Usually, those patches start out as rashes that look red, appear flaky and feel really itchy.

Just like with any other skin condition that can cause itchiness, someone who suffers from skin asthma is strongly advised against scratching. If a break in the skin occurs, bacteria may invade it. Such can cause a secondary infection which requires a different treatment from that which is necessitated for controlling skin asthma.

Other common signs and symptoms are:

Extreme skin dryness 

Skin cracks 

Skin discoloration 

Skin thickening 

Blisters that may pop and eventually crust over

Treatment

Just like what’s mentioned earlier, there is no known cure for skin asthma to date. This only means that if you have it, you are likely to encounter it for the rest of your life. Worry not because there are treatments available for skin asthma that can help in significantly reducing its various signs and symptoms — some of them are prescribed while others are available over the counter or OTC.

There are also plenty of home remedies that are proven effective for managing this skin condition. Some of the most well-known ones include:

Consumption of foods possessing anti-inflammatory properties 

Drinking oolong tea up to twice a day 

Regular application of moisturizer that does not contain irritating or harsh chemicals 

Limiting contact with water, most especially hot water as it can cause dryness 

Ditching cigarette smoking or staying away from people who are smoking 

Minimizing contact with known allergens like dust mites, pet dander and pollen 

Keeping emotional stress to a minimum