People with eczema—or parents of children with eczema—often suspect that food allergies are somehow setting off eczema flares. But nailing down exactly which foods cause trouble is made difficult by the many other factors that can trigger eczema. Such triggers include emotional or physical stress, environment, and viral or bacterial infection. Recently I spoke on the phone to Jon Hanifin, a professor of dermatology and clinician at Oregon Health Sciences University and NEA board member, to find out whether allergy tests can truly benefit eczema patients.
