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ECZEMACAUSE, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ECZEMA
Eczema is a skin disorder that is common in children and adults. It results in dry, red and inflamed skin. As the skin condition worsens, it becomes more itchy, thickened, grooved, and may blister, weep and crack. Let us look at the cause and treatments available. Nobody knows for certain what causes it but it is believed to be caused by an abnormal response of the skin’s immune system. The most common things that may the condition to worsen include irritating soaps, detergents, chemicals, certain foods, clothing made of wool, temperature changes and stress. About one in 5 children suffer from eczema at some point. In very young children, symptoms usually appears on the face, scalp, arms and legs. As children get older, eczema appears in the skin fold areas – the front of the elbow, back of the knee, inside the wrist, near the ankles, and around the neck. Although things may improve as children get older, many continue to suffer throughout their lives. Effective treatments are available. Consult a dermatologist. Many people with eczema notice that stressful times make their skin condition worse. Some emotions that may trigger an outbreak include frustrations, worry, embarrassment, anger and extreme tiredness. Share your feelings with a family member, friend or doctor or dermatologist so you can get the help you need. Walk around, breathe deeply, drink water or stretch to relax your muscles and de-stress. There is no cure for eczema but advances in medical care in recent years have brought good news and new hope for eczema sufferers. Consult a dermatologist to make a safe and effective treatment plan that works best for you and your family. The itchy, dry, inflamed skin resulting from the chronic skin condition has many different triggers for different people. Hot, humid weather, synthetic clothing, emotional upsets, hot water, perfumes or pet hair could aggravate the skin. Controlling it involves a combination of emollients, topical steroid or non-steroid creams, anti-itch medication and antibiotics. And, like the condition, every sufferer is different. Standard treatment : After a bath, pat dry and then apply topicals, then moisturizers on top. The topicals are in most cases, steroid creams. These work by reducing the inflammation of the skin, and itching. They have been used for more than 50 years in the treatment of eczema, and doctors are well aware of the side effects. The main one is skin thinning, or atrophy. An indicator of this would be stretch marks, visible veins, and skin that bruises easily. Certain areas are more prone to side effects, like your face, eyelids, arm folds, neck folds, so you have to alter the potency of the steroid in these places. Steroids are very safe if used properly with the appropriate strength and appropriate amount. They are still the first line of treatment, although for nearly every patient, using moisturizers, topical steroids and antihistamines, and avoiding triggers, is the advice. In the last 10 years, the treatment of eczema has changed. Because we understand eczema better, we use more targeted treatment. This treatment involves more than just a difference in steroid strength, it means an entirely new type of topical, non-steroidal cream. Such creams, called calcineurin inhibitors, have only been around for a few years. There are only 2 on the market. One goes by the name Protopic (tacrolimus) and the other, Elidel (pimecrolimus). These creams work by suppressing the immune system so that it does not overreact and create symptoms of eczema. When using these creams, you don’t have to worry so much about the steroidal side effects like skin thinning. These new ones are second-line agents. They are the emerging treatments. We’ve been using light therapy for years and cyclosporine, but these have their own side effects. The doctors give patient 3 months on cyclosporine and in that time they have no flare-ups but while you are tailing off and discontinue the oral treatment, you have to bring back the steroid or other creams. The new creams are highly effective for severe eczema but side effects are in direct proportion to dose strength. Side effects can include raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol levels, swelling of the gums, pins and needles in the hands and feet, and general tiredness. This treatment, along with light therapy, would not be used for mild breakouts, but for chronic conditions and for sparing the patient steroids. So the new creams not only show none of the side effects of steroids, but they can also be used continuously, even on the face. The biggest problem so far with Protopic is the burning sensation on first application. It is more common in adults than in children. It will mostly last for 6 to 12 hours. On further application, it doesn’t happen. There are some patients who have the burning sensation every time they apply but it disappears after a week of treatment. In summary, the treatment options available are:
Discuss your treatment options with a dermatologist. Here are 2 options for your consideration if you are looking for skin care products that will help bring relief to your eczema conditions:
Some forms of alternative medicine include
While there is no permanent cure for eczema, a good skin care routine can help in keeping the itch and rash under control.
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