How does smoking affect eczema?

    Researchedby:
    Wyatt Brown, Brady Holmer
    Last Updated: October 13, 2024

    Both active smoking and secondhand smoke exposure increase the risk of atopic dermatitis.[1] Smoking has the potential to disrupt the healthy functioning of the immune system, both aggravating pathogenic (potentially disease-causing) immune responses and impairing protective ones.[2] Prenatal exposure to smoking wasn’t associated with atopic dermatitis risk in general but has been in studies conducted in Asia.[3][1] The reason for this discrepancy is unknown.