Genetics
One of the more complex subjects in discussing eczema is how it gets started. What prompts eczema anyway? The ultimate cause is probably unknowable. But we do know that genetics play a key role in who gets it and who doesn’t. Lets find out more.
Genes: The Body’s Command Center
As you probably know, genes are very important. They affect just about everything your body is and does. The way you look. Your metabolic rate. Your susceptibility to disease. Because of is primary importance in bodily functions, it’s no wonder that eczema is caused from a genetic malfunction.
A Friend Named Filaggrin
One recently discovered gene is called the filaggrin gene. This gene is responsible for producing an important protein that keeps harmful elements out of your skin. The protein helps your skin form a filament, connecting things like keratin and epithelial cells, ensuring that your skin stays strong and healthy. When the filaggrin gene goes berserk, bad things happen—a.k.a. eczema. Scientists have found that in more half of eczema cases studies, a defunct filaggrin gene was to blame.
Filaggrin Failure
The value of the filaggrin gene is its ability to program your skin to produce a powerful protective barrier. When your skin is without this valuable protector, it is far more susceptible to eczema, though the exact causes of how and why it enters are still in question. Mutations of the filaggrin gene are buried deep in the genetic coding of the gene. So far, we don’t have the technology to flip the switch that would keep filaggrin healthy.