Four leading eczema brands have joined forces with medical experts and people with lived experience to shine a light on the realities of living with eczema - beyond what we see on the skin.

Around eight million people in the UK live with eczema, including one in five children and one in ten adults. Eczema can mean far more than dry, itchy or irritated skin, affecting sleep, confidence, mental wellbeing, relationships and the financial and practical demands of managing the condition.

Atopic dermatitis is estimated to affect around 30% of four-year-olds, 11–20% of school-aged children and 5–10% of adults, underlining the scale of the condition. 83% of people with atopic dermatitis avoid at least one everyday activity because of their condition.

In 2026’s Eczema Awareness Week, Beyond The Flare supported Eczema UK’s It’s Not Just Skin campaign, and brought together Balmonds, Eczema Clothing, Olsson Scandinavia® and SilverGuard alongside medical experts, advocates and members of the eczema community to open up the conversation around the hidden realities of living with the condition.

Eczema doesn’t switch off at bedtime

For many people, nighttime is one of the most challenging parts of living with eczema. Itching and discomfort can make sleep difficult, while unconscious scratching can cause further damage to sore, sensitive skin. More than 80% of people with atopic dermatitis report sleep disturbances, and 54% report itch as their most burdensome symptom.

Sleep disturbance affects up to 60% of children with eczema, rising to 83% during a flare, while parents of children with eczema can lose around 40 minutes of sleep each night. The resulting fatigue can affect energy, school, work, relationships and family life.

Specialist clothing can play an important role in supporting people living with eczema. Eczema Clothing creates garments using soft, smooth organic cotton, flat seams and no labels to minimise potential irritation, with integral mittens providing a protective barrier against damage caused by unconscious scratching.

Jo Greenslade, Managing Director of Eczema Clothing, said: “Night time and sleep disruption can be one of the most exhausting parts of living with eczema. Our garments are designed to minimise potential irritation for sensitive skin and protect the skin from damage caused by unconscious scratching, supporting a better night’s sleep for individuals and their families.”

What touches the skin matters

For people with eczema or sensitive skin, textiles in direct contact with the body are an everyday consideration. Bedding can be against the skin for eight hours a night, while towels and face cloths are used directly on the skin every day.

SilverGuard creates textile essentials woven with IONIC+® silver thread. Unlike a topical treatment or coating, the silver is permanently incorporated into the fibre and naturally inhibits bacterial growth, helping textiles stay fresher for longer.

Tahira Webb, Co Founder and Director of SilverGuard, said: “We spend around a third of our lives in bed, yet we rarely think about the textiles that are in contact with our skin for hours at a time. For people managing eczema or sensitive skin, those everyday details can really matter. Being part of Beyond The Flare is important to us because eczema affects so much more than the visible skin, and no single product or brand is the answer.”

The invisible workload of living with eczema

For many individuals and families, managing eczema becomes a daily workload from applying treatments and attending appointments to managing triggers, planning around flare-ups and coping with disrupted sleep. Research suggests a skincare regimen can take more than an hour a day, while eczema is associated with an estimated 76 hours of work lost annually.

Flare-ups can also limit movement and make everyday tasks painful or uncomfortable, affecting how people work, learn, socialise and go about daily life.

Balmonds recently launched a pocket-sized format of its Skin Salvation balm, a convenient option for people managing dry, itchy and irritated skin throughout the day.

Balmonds Brand Manager Lucy Gulland says: “The right skincare can help make life a bit more comfortable, by avoiding ingredients that trigger irritation, locking in the moisture that eczema-prone skin is so prone to losing, and providing support to a depleted or damaged skin barrier, thus reducing itchiness and discomfort.”

The everyday challenge of washing and caring for hair

For people living with eczema or highly sensitive skin, washing and styling their hair may not always be a simple routine. Shampoo can come into contact with the scalp, face, neck, hands and body, while fragrance and other individual triggers can make finding suitable products difficult.

Olsson Scandinavia creates salon-professional haircare without fragrance or colourants. Its range has been independently approved by Allergy UK and Asthma Allergy Nordic for over 10 years; and has been adopted by people within the eczema and sensitive-skin communities seeking a simpler, fragrance-free approach to haircare.

Leah Marley, Director of Olsson Scandinavia UK, said: “People living with eczema make compromises every day over things many of us take for granted, including haircare. No single brand has every answer, but by bringing together trusted products from passionate people and brands, we can help make everyday life with eczema a little easier.”

The impact goes beyond the physical

According to a 2020 National Eczema Society report, 74% of adults surveyed said eczema had negatively impacted their mental health, while 66% had experienced loneliness or social isolation because of the condition. Quality of life was significantly reduced for 89% of adults and 76% of children surveyed. The cost of prescriptions, skincare, specialist clothing and time away from work can also create an additional financial burden. 

Jennifer Austin, eczema warrior and psychotherapist specialising in skin conditions, said: "Eczema can touch every part of someone's life. It's not just red, itchy skin. It impacts sleep, confidence, work or careers, relationships and intimacy, hobbies and identity. Over time, people's ability to take part in everyday life often depends on what they see in the mirror that morning. Having open conversations about the psychological impact of eczema can help reduce stigma, increase understanding and help people feel seen, validated and supported."

Why collaboration matters

There is no one-size-fits-all eczema experience. By bringing together medical expertise, lived experience and brands supporting the community in different ways, Beyond The Flare aims to encourage greater understanding of the challenges that can often remain unseen.

Because eczema is not just skin. For more information, visit beyondtheflare.uk 

Video's

Key references

• Atopic dermatitis prevalence: approximately 30% of four-year-olds, 11–20% of school-aged children and 5–10% of adults. Simpson CR et al., J R Soc Med. 2009;102:108–117.

• 54% of patients with AD report itch as their most burdensome symptom. Silverberg JI et al., Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2018;121:340–347.

• More than 80% report sleep disturbances. Zuberbier T et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006;118:226–232.

• 2020 National Eczema Society report: 74% of adults reported a negative impact on mental health; 66% loneliness/social isolation; 89% significantly reduced quality of life (76% of children).

• 76 hours of work lost annually and 83% avoiding at least one everyday activity because of AD. Zuberbier T et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006;118:226–232.