Eczema Breakthroughs

Is sunlight good or bad for your child's eczema? In this episode of the Eczema Breakthroughs podcast, Dr. Kirsty Rutter, dermatologist and researcher at the University of Manchester, helps parents navigate the confusing world of sun exposure and sunscreen for children with eczema.

She covers when to start using sunscreen on babies, the difference between mineral and chemical filters, and how to choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that won't irritate sensitive skin. Parents will learn practical strategies for beach holidays, how to layer sunscreen with eczema moisturizers, which eczema treatments increase sun sensitivity, and when to suspect photoaggravated atopic dermatitis. If you're a parent struggling to balance sun safety with eczema care, this episode gives you the expert guidance you need.

If your baby has eczema, they face a much higher risk of developing a food allergy, but could early action help lower that risk?

In this episode of the Eczema Breakthroughs Podcast, Dr Brian Vickery, Director of the Food Allergy Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine, explains the research connecting baby eczema, food allergy and the skin barrier, plus the evidence behind early allergen introduction.

For parents of children already diagnosed with a food allergy, Dr Vickery explains oral immunotherapy (OIT) and discusses emerging approaches including sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), and the investigational peanut patch (EPIT).

In this episode you’ll learn:

✅ Why eczema and an inflamed, leaky skin barrier may lead to food sensitization

✅ How early introduction of peanut and egg may reduce food-allergy risk

✅ Practical skincare habits when managing eczema around food

✅ How OIT may protect against accidental exposure plus emerging gut microbiome research

Important: This episode is for education and does not replace individual medical advice. Families of babies with eczema, an existing food allergy or a previous reaction should seek personalized guidance before introducing an allergen.

Every parent wants to protect their baby — but what if the window to prevent lifelong allergies is smaller than anyone realized? Scientists have discovered that a newborn's immune system doesn't just work differently from an adult's; it's actually wired to overreact in ways that can set the stage for eczema and allergies before you even know it's happening. The culprit? A hormone, missing in babies, that keeps the immune system in check.

In this episode, Dr. Shruti Naik reveals what's really going on beneath your baby's skin, and what it could mean for the future of allergy prevention. If you like our podcast, please consider supporting it with a tax-deductible donation.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Peter Lio, we take an in-depth look at non-prescription eczema strategies, focusing on over-the-counter (OTC) innovations, microbiome re-balancing treatments, and "green space" therapy. Tune in to learn more about the latest-latest in options you can access on your own, without a doctor's prescription.

Links

Japanese study on green space and eczema risk: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41942830/

Lemma Health OTC treatment comparison tool: https://lemmahealth.com/treatments/moisturizing-therapy-for-eczema

Join us for an enlightening conversation about existing, newly approved, and "coming soon" treatments for kids suffering from eczema -- from pills, to injections, to creams. In this two-part series, GPER's Executive Director interviews expert Dr. Peter Lio of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Center about the latest therapies for kids and explores how to choose between them ... and what's on the horizon based on news from the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting. Learn more about how these treatments work and who they are best suited for in this 30-minute episode that is sure to offer insights -- and hope.

Further reading:

Atopic Dermatitis at AAD: Longer Dosing, Faster Itch Relief, and New Mechanisms

The GPER Treatment Navigator for Parents

Conflict of Interest Statements:

GPER has received sponsorships and grants from companies who develop treatments for eczema. These can be viewed at: www.gper.org/corporatecouncil

As children grow into teenagers, they want more independence. But eczema self-management, using treatments correctly, sticking to routines, and attending medical appointments is a big responsibility. So how do parents step back without letting things fall apart? In this episode, we hear from parents, teenagers, young adults, and healthcare professionals about how to make the transition to independent eczema care smoother and less stressful for everyone. Our guest is Dr. Miriam Santer, Professor of Primary Care Research at University of Southampton, who specializes in supporting young people with long-term conditions like eczema.

Links:

https://www.eczemacareonline.org.uk

Can what we eat feed the skin to help eczema? Does a baby’s gut microbiome play a role in eczema developing? And could simple everyday practices help prevent it?

In this special edition podcast from our Research Symposium, experts Dr. Carina Venter, Dr. Theodora Karagounis, Dr. Derek Chu, and Dr. Richard Insel share the latest research funded by Global Parents for Eczema Research and what it means for families living with eczema.

Research discussed

Bifidobacterium deficit in United States infants drives prevalent gut dysbiosis

The gut is a relevant reservoir of staphylococcus aureus in pediatric atopic dermatitis

Diversity of complementary diet and early food allergy risk

Can specific foods trigger eczema and does avoiding them make eczema better? Many parents give it a try—but experts say it’s not the right approach. So what’s going on? We talk to Dr. Matthew Ridd, a leading eczema and food allergy researcher from the University of Bristol, to find out what the science actually says about diet and eczema.  

References

TIGER (Trial of food allergy (IgE) tests for Eczema Relief)

Food Allergy Test‐Guided Dietary Advice for Children With Atopic Dermatitis

Guidelines of care for the management of atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) guidelines 

Guidelines for Early Food Introduction and Patterns of Food Allergy

Is everyday skin fungus playing a bigger role in eczema than we ever realized? What if the culprit behind cradle cap, dupilumab facial redness and eczema flare-ups in puberty is hiding in plain sight, on the surface of our skin? Professor of Fungal Immunology from University of Zurich. Dr. Salome LeibundGut-Landmann, explains the secret world of skin fungi, how it affects eczema and a bold new project to convert fungi into skin helpers.

Literature Mentioned

Exeter secures £3.3 million grant to investigate treatment and prevention of eczema

A Case of Cutaneous Fungal Infection Following the Administration of Dupilumab

Retrospective Analysis of the Relationship Between Infantile Seborrheic Dermatitis and Atopic Dermatitis 

Malassezia-associated skin diseases in the pediatric population  

Dupilumab facial redness: Clinical characteristics and proposed treatment in a cohort

Advances on the role of mycobiome in atopic dermatitis

The devil is in the details, and in this episode of the Eczema Breakthroughs Podcast, we dive deep into smarter skin care for kids with eczema. Dr. Helen Brough (Director: Children’s Allergy Doctors, London), one of the leading experts in eczema treatment, shares step-by-step, evidence-based guidance on moisturizing, bathing, and proactive steroid use. Joining her is Dr. Amber Atwater (Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology, George Washington University), who unpacks the tricky overlap between allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis, and why choosing low-allergen products is essential.

References

Emollients to Prevent Pediatric Eczema: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Eczema Care Online

Consumer Preferences, Product Characteristics, and Potentially Allergenic Ingredients in Best-selling Moisturizers

Emollients to Prevent Pediatric Eczema: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Skin Safe 100