Eczema is a very serious skin condition that makes the skin very dry and itchy, and in severe cases, it can cause raised patches, hardened skin, and extreme discomfort.
You may have heard that using a humidifier or an air purifier can help to relieve the symptoms of eczema.
Air purifiers and humidifiers are two different things. So, when it comes to air purifier vs. humidifier, which one will help you find more relief?
Air Purifier vs. Humidifier – What are They?
Before we talk about which of these devices is best for finding eczema relief, it is important to know what they are. First, air purifiers are devices that take air in, pass it through some sort of filter (usually multiple layers of filters), to purify the air.
Some of the most popular air purifiers come complete with HEPA filters, which can remove 99.97% of airborne particles of 0.3 microns in size.
This means that they can remove mold, pollen, spores, dander, pet hair, bacteria, mildew, allergens, and other contaminants from the air. That said, something that an air purifier does not do, is making a space more humid.
On the other hand, the humidifier is a device used to increase the humidity or moisture level in a space. These feature a water receptacle, and there are then various ways in which that water can be dispensed into a room.
Unlike an air purifier, a humidifier does nothing to clean or purify the air. It’s only purpose is to increase the relative humidity level in a space.
Common Causes of Eczema
The next thing to understand is what causes eczema outbreaks. For people who have eczema and are prone to outbreaks, the following factors can cause or worsen outbreaks.
- Dust mites
- Pet dander
- Pollen
- Foods
- Dry air
- Air pollution
- Allergies
- Fungi
- Bacterial Infections
- Viral Infections
Air Purifiers, Humidifiers, and Eczema
Now that we understand what humidifiers are and what air purifiers are, as well as the common causes of eczema flare-ups, let’s go through the list to find out which of these devices is best for finding relief from those horrible symptoms.
Dry Air
If your eczema outbreaks are caused by dry air, then the obvious choice is the humidifier.
Humidifiers can be set to bring the humidity level in a room to a certain point, hopefully to the point where your eczema will subside.
On the other hand, air purifiers do not make a room more humid and are therefore useless when it comes to this cause.
Pet Dander
Some people are really sensitive to pet dander and pet hair, and for people who have eczema, it can cause an outbreak.
Seeing as humidifiers do nothing to remove pet hair or dander from the air, the choice is to use an air purifier. They usually come with pre-filters that are specifically designed for removing such things from the air.
Pollen
People with eczema may also be sensitive to pollen and air-based particles that originate from plants. Once again, humidifiers do nothing to remove these from the air.
However, if you have a good air purifier that comes with a high-quality HEPA filter, it can remove almost all, if not all the pollen from the air in your home.
Various Allergens
If you have eczema and suffer from allergies at the same time, your allergies may also cause flare-ups to occur.
Air purifiers, particularly those which come with HEPA filters, are the perfect solution for removing all sorts of allergens from the air in your home.
On the other hand, a humidifier will not remove allergens from the air.
Air Pollution
People who suffer from eczema may also be sensitive to dirty air, otherwise known as air pollution, particularly VOCs or volatile organic compounds.
Whether due to VOCs or other causes of bad air quality, something that often is the case in large cities and industrial zones, an air purifier, a really good one, particularly if it has an activated carbon filter, can remove these pollutants from the air. This is something that a humidifier cannot do.
Bacteria and Viruses
Bacteria and viruses can also cause eczema outbreaks in people. For some reason, people with eczema tend to be more susceptible to bacteria and viruses than people who do not suffer from it.
Although air purifiers do not remove all bacteria and viruses from the air, they do play a part in doing so. A humidifier does not do this.
Conclusion
As you can see, humidifiers work well for relieving symptoms caused by dry air, but other than that, the go-to option for eczema relief is an air purifier.