Eczema (Atopic dermatitis) is a condition that makes your skin red and itchy. It's common in children but can occur at any age. Atopic dermatitis is long lasting (chronic) and tends to flare periodically. It may be accompanied by asthma or hay fever.
Eczema
Eczema (Atopic dermatitis) is a condition that makes your skin red and itchy. It's common in children but can occur at any age. Atopic dermatitis is long lasting (chronic) and tends to flare periodically. It may be accompanied by asthma or hay fever.
Symptoms:
· Dry skin
· Itching
· Red to brownish-gray patches, especially on the hands, feet, ankles, wrists, neck, upper chest, eyelids, inside the bend of the elbows and knees, and in infants, the face and scalp
· Leak fluid and crust over when scratched on small, raised bumps
· Thickened, cracked, scaly skin
· Raw, sensitive, swollen skin from scratching
Causes: Healthy skin helps retain moisture and protects you from bacteria, irritants and allergens, environmental factors.
Risk factors: A personal or family history of allergies, eczema, hay fever or asthma having is the primary risk factor for atopic dermatitis.
Complications:
· Asthma and hay fever. Eczema sometimes precedes these conditions.
· Chronic itchy, scaly skin. A skin condition called neurodermatitis (lichen simplex chronicus) starts with a patch of itchy skin. You scratch the area, which makes it even itchier. This condition can cause the affected skin to become discolored, thick and leathery.
· Skin infections. Repeated scratching cause open sores and cracks, can increase the risk of infection from bacteria and viruses, including the herpes simplex virus.
· Irritant hand dermatitis. The people whose work requires that their hands are often wet and exposed to harsh soaps, detergents and disinfectants.
· Allergic contact dermatitis.
· Sleep problems. Can cause poor sleep quality by itch-scratch cycle.
Prevention:
· Moisturize the skin at least twice a day by ointments, creams and lotions.
· Try to identify and avoid triggers that worsen the condition. Things that can worsen the skin reaction include sweat, stress, obesity, soaps, detergents, dust and pollen. Reduce your exposure to your triggers.
· Take shorter baths or showers
· Take a bleach bath. Add 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of household bleach to a 40-gallon (151-liter) bathtub filled with warm water. A diluted-bleach bath decreases bacteria on the skin and related infections. Take a bleach bath no more than twice a week.
· Use only gentle soaps. Choose mild soaps by removing antibacterial soaps and deodorant soaps.
· Dry yourself carefully
Diagnosis: By examining your skin and reviewing your medical history doctor will likely make a diagnosis.
Treatment:
· Creams that control itching and help repair the skin. Your doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid cream or ointment. Apply it as directed, after you moisturize. Overuse of this drug may cause side effects, including thinning skin.
Other creams containing drugs such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus affect your immune system. They are used by people older than age 2 to help control the skin reaction. Apply it as directed, after you moisturize. Exposure to strong sunlight should be avoid when using these products.
· Drugs to fight infection. If your skin has a bacterial infection, an open sore or cracks your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic cream. He or she may recommend taking oral antibiotics for a short time to treat an infection.
· Oral drugs that control inflammation. For more-severe cases, your doctor may prescribe oral corticosteroids such as prednisone. These drugs are effective but can't be used long term because of potential serious side effects.
· Newer option for severe eczema. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved a new, injectable biologic (monoclonal antibody) called dupilumab (Dupixent). It is used to treat people with severe disease who do not respond well to other treatment options. This is a newer medication, so it doesn't have a long track record in terms of how well it helps people. Studies have shown it to be safe if used as directed. It is very expensive.
Therapies
· Wet dressings. An intensive, effective treatment for severe atopic dermatitis involves wrapping the affected area with wet bandages and topical corticosteroids.
· Light therapy. The simplest form of light therapy (phototherapy) involves exposing the skin to controlled amounts of natural sunlight. Other forms use artificial narrow band UVB (ultraviolet B) and UVA (ultraviolet A) either alone or with medications.
· Counseling. Talking with a therapist or other counselor may help people who are embarrassed or frustrated by their skin condition.
· Relaxation, behavior modification and biofeedback. These approaches may help people who scratch habitually.
Eczema, atopic dermatitis, skin, asthma
