Welcome to Eczema Life. Find eczema research and free resources for patients and health professionals who want to explore new ways to support the skin barrier and microbiome.
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Eczema News

Child With Itchy Eczema at Night? — Here's How to Stop The Itching And Scratching

Child With Itchy Eczema at Night? — Here's How to Stop The Itching And Scratching

|Karen Fischer
If you've ever thought, How do I keep my child from scratching their eczema at night? you're not alone. You tuck them in and then the scratching starts. By morning...
Is Soap and Skincare Making Your Eczema Worse? The Skin pH Connection

Is Soap and Skincare Making Your Eczema Worse? The Skin pH Connection

|Karen Fischer
If you have eczema, you may have tried countless creams, avoided certain foods and followed every piece of advice — but have you considered your soap or moisturiser could be...
Food Additives to Avoid if You Have Eczema

Food Additives to Avoid if You Have Eczema

|Karen Fischer
You may have heard of ‘chemical sensitivity’ or ‘chemical intolerance’... If you are sensitive to chemicals you might adversely react to perfumes, household cleaning products and the chlorine in your...
Top 3 Dry Skin Treatments for Achy Flaky Skin

Top 3 Dry Skin Treatments for Achy Flaky Skin

|Karen Fischer
Are you tired of battling flaky and dry skin? If so, you're not alone. Once upon a time I relied on sticky ointments in the false belief they would soothe...
The Eczema Diet

How to Follow The Eczema Diet For Free

|Reception Support
Do you have a skin rash that's driving you crazy and nothing seems to help? Nutritionist Karen Fischer developed The Eczema Diet 20 years ago. It was revolutionary when The...
Reading The Healthy Skin Kitchen actually helped my eczema

Reading The Healthy Skin Kitchen actually helped my eczema

|Reception Support
You can read the introduction of Karen Fischer’s new book for free (at the end of this article). Nutritionist Bonnie reviews this book: Fed up with your itch… and being...

Eczema Warriors

A Healthy Plant-Based Diet Made My Eczema Worse

A Healthy Plant-Based Diet Made My Eczema Worse

|Reception Support
This week we bring you the inspiring true story of Julie, one of our Eczema Warriors. Like many living with chronic skin conditions, Julie has experienced the suffering and pain...
My Face Actually Looks Normal Again: Anna's Recovery From Face Eczema

My Face Actually Looks Normal Again: Anna's Recovery From Face Eczema

|Reception Support
[We received this email from Anna and had to share her inspiring story.]  “Hi! I've been meaning to send this for a while. I wanted to just stop and say...
My Eczema Hurt Like Acid: This Helped

My Eczema Hurt Like Acid: This Helped

|Reception Support
Dealing with eczema, TSW and various other skin conditions can be tough. So it makes sense that living with these conditions and overcoming them builds strong, determined and resilient eczema...
Double Eczema, Double Itch: Managing Twins With Eczema

Double Eczema, Double Itch: Managing Twins With Eczema

|Reception Support
Today we're sharing Tapasya's journey: a mother who's two little twin boys suffered with eczema. Their eczema first appeared around age two, starting out mild with just a few red...
My Baby Had Eczema All Over His Body — Then This Happened

My Baby Had Eczema All Over His Body — Then This Happened

|Reception Support
Today we are sharing baby Graham's story thanks to his beautiful mum Lindsey. Australia is among the countries with the highest prevalence of eczema. Recent research conducted at the University...
Cedar Tree Pollen Triggered Her Eczema: How Kyla Recovered

Cedar Tree Pollen Triggered Her Eczema: How Kyla Recovered

|Reception Support
Life dramatically changed for Kyla when she moved to a new city surrounded by cedar trees, and soon after, her eczema exploded all over her body. Images: Kyla's skin before...
Eczema Life Before & After (our success stories)

Eczema Life Before & After (our success stories)

|Karen Fischer
Last updated March, 2018 "These testimonials have been kindly offered with written permission from my patients (and some are from readers of my eczema books). Your results may vary from the photos...
Sophie's Choice: How Changing Her Diet Changed Her Eczema

Sophie's Choice: How Changing Her Diet Changed Her Eczema

|Reception Support
Each week we share our Weekly Warrior story. This can be anyone in our eczema community, who has experienced a small or big win when it comes to improving their...
The Hand Eczema Nightmare No Cream Could Fix

The Hand Eczema Nightmare No Cream Could Fix

|Reception Support
Joseph has lived with eczema his entire life, though as you'll soon discover, that's no longer the case. For most of his life, it was largely confined to his arms...

About

The Eczema Life Story

Twenty-five years ago, nutritionist and former TV presenter, Ren Karen Fischer watched her daughter struggle with eczema, a condition she had also suffered from. Fortunately, a nurse imparted some wonderful advice that sparked a journey that helped her family become eczema-free. Over the following two decades as a nutritionist, Fischer worked alongside hundreds of patients with all types of skin disorders at the Eczema Life Clinic, listening to their stories and prescribing unique compounded supplements and skincare to provide relief. The discoveries were documented ...

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gut health blog

Frequently asked questions

What is eczema and what causes it?

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by dry, itchy and inflamed skin. It's generally understood to result from a combination of genetic, environmental,
immune and skin barrier-related factors, particularly elevated skin pH, impaired skin barrier function and an overactive immune response.

Is eczema linked to gut health?

The link between gut health and eczema is biologically plausible, and newer genetic and treatment-based studies are starting to
support it. However, the broader research is still inconsistent, so saying "leaky gut causes eczema" is premature. A more accurate way to put it: gut bacteria appear to be associated with eczema and may influence the immune system. But it's just one piece of a much bigger picture. Still, your diet matters, as it's the main driver of gut health.
Can diet really affect eczema?

For many people, yes. While eczema isn't caused by diet alone, certain foods can act as triggers that worsen inflammation and flare-ups in sensitive individuals. In my clinical research and practice, I've found that identifying individual food intolerances, rather than following generic
elimination diets, can make a meaningful difference for many people living with eczema. My eczema research can be found here and The Eczema Detox can be found here.  
What foods commonly trigger eczema flare-ups?

Common dietary triggers include dairy, wheat, eggs, peanut, soy and high-histamine foods, although triggers vary significantly from person to person. More than 50% of people with eczema may have salicylate intolerance so some healthy foods can make eczema worse (Fischer, 2025).
Is the Eczema Life Clinic still open in Sydney?

No. When Ren Karen Fischer relocated to the Gold Coast, the Eczema Life Clinic closed so she could focus on completing her eczema research as part of a Master's by Research at Bond University, and to spend more time with her parents, who are both in their nineties and appreciate a little extra help these days. If you are seeking nutrition advice from a nutritionist who knows Fischer's eczema detox programs, speak to nutritionist Bonnie via the eczemadiet.com website.