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Eczema

Eczema/dermatitis, is a general term for an inflamed skin condition. It often begins in infancy, but can affect all ages, varying greatly in severity and places it appears on the body.

Mild cases may present as a rash or dry, itchy, hot skin. More acute forms can include blisters, fluid in the tissues, scales, crusts or scabs, cracked, raw, burning, itching or bleeding patches.

Although common, it's NOT contagious, nor will it spread from one body part to another. It often goes hand in hand with the conditions of asthma and hay fever.

Types of Eczema

• Allergic contact

• Atopic

• Dishydrotic

• Irritant contact

• Nummular

• Seborrheic

• Varicose eczema or Stasis dermatitis

Symptoms

The first symptom is pruritus (itching) which creates the urge to scratch. Scratching worsens the condition until the skin becomes redder, flaky, gets drier, forms blisters and cracks or oozes, resulting in scabs or crusts,

Who gets eczema?

Men and women of all ages and races get eczema, however it's especially common in individuals with brown skin including those of Asian, Latino and African descent.

For those with darker skins, the lesions are one concern and disfiguring discoloration of the skin (hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation) is another.

In addition, the condition on brown skin may look different from that on white skin, which makes it difficult to diagnose.

Prompt treatment is the way to eliminate the itch and also avoid skin discoloration. While there is no cure for this condition, the condition can be kept under control by changing certain daily routines as a first step.

What to do - and what not to do

• Stop scratching. It makes matters worse.

• Wear soft cotton clothes; avoid wool, scratchy clothing, polyester or nylon.

• Avoid well-known allergens: milk, dairy products, eggs, peanuts, soybeans, wheat, seafood and fruit with seeds.

• Rinse clothes well, even a second time, to remove detergent residue; forget about using fabric softeners.

• Use a mild skin cleanser with no soap in it.

• Avoid aftershaves, colognes and skin-care products containing alcohol or known-to-be-harmful chemicals.

• Learn the best bathing and skin-cleansing habits.

• Shower ONCE per day - or less - in warm, NOT hot water.

• Apply a moisturizer to skin while it's still damp to lock in moisture, create a layer of protection and restore the skin barrier.

• Use a humidifier in heated or air-conditioned rooms.

• Exercise in cool well ventilated areas to avoid overheating and excessive sweating.

• Look into Light Therapy/Phototherapy (ultraviolet A or B light therapy) which works by controlling the rate at which skin cells develop. This makes it possible to control the scaling and sloughing of skin that is associated with eczema.

Although dermatologists often prescribe topical steroids as a treatment, serious complications can arise from their use. It's best to start by changing your daily routines or habits before resorting to steroids.

Always be kinder than necessary,
because everyone you meet
is fighting some kind of battle.

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