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Allergy UK is advising people to protect their skin this winter, after a survey identified cold weather as the single biggest trigger for eczema flare-ups, followed by house dust mites and pets. Ninety-one per cent of eczema sufferers surveyed by the charity said that their skin dries out more in winter, while 77 per cent suffer from increased itching as the weather turns colder. One in five eczema sufferers head indoors when their skin is bad.

However, according to Maureen Jenkins, Allergy UK clinical director, this may not be the best solution: €Cold weather is often the initial trigger of a skin condition, so the natural thing to do is retreat indoors and keep warm. But central heating and lack of ventilation will inevitably make skin conditions worse.€ The findings coincide with the launch of a new skin symptoms checker resource, available from www.allergyuk.org, which offers advice on managing skin dryness and itching.