What is eczema?
Eczema is divided into two types: atopic and contact. Atopic eczema is most commonly present in skin folds like armpits, behind knee caps, and on the joints of your arm. As "atopy" commonly runs in families, atopic eczema is common in people who have a personal or family history of hay fever or asthma. Contact eczema is the second type, which most usually affects the hands and feet.
Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that causes the skin to become dry, red, itchy, and cracked, which can lead to additional difficulties and discomfort. For more information, see the symptoms listed below.
Eczema typically affects young children at a young age, but it usually goes away after a year or so, or when the child approaches adolescence. It can also last for a long time, and victims may not show any symptoms until they reach adulthood in some situations. In certain circumstances, people get eczema later in life.
However, for some people, the condition will last a long time, possibly for the rest of their lives, causing a great deal of suffering and frustration.
Eczema incidences were on the rise in 2009, according to a study, with an increase of 40% in the previous four years. It is still unknown what causes eczema, and there is no recognized cure for the ailment. Atopic eczema is frequently passed down across generations of a family, and atopic eczema sufferers frequently have various atopic disorders in addition to eczema.
What are the symptoms of eczema/dermatitis?
Itching is the most common symptom of eczema or dermatitis, and the affected areas of skin become red, dry, flaky, and often cracked. Itching can be localized to one part of the body, such as an arm or hand, or it can be broad, affecting the feet, legs, hands, and other parts of the body.
The severity of the symptoms varies from person to person, with some experiencing just moderate itching and subsequent skin damage, while others experience highly unpleasant and long-lasting symptoms. One of the problems with eczema is that the more the person scratches the affected region, the worse the skin becomes.
Eczema can become even more problematic when the skin in the affected areas deteriorates. If a person has a lot of itching, their skin might become broken and open, which can develop into infectious eczema, which usually requires medical treatment.
Non-medical treatment of eczema:
There are other things you may do to reduce eczema symptoms besides buying specialty creams and consulting your doctor. Additionally, you may be able to pinpoint things that cause your eczema, allowing you to take preventative measures.
Areas to concentration on that may make a difference include:
Hydration:
Skin can become drier than usual as a result of dehydration. Because there is evidence that a lack of hydration can alter your body's cells and provoke eczema, you could discover that staying hydrated throughout the day might help you manage your skin problem.
Clothing:
Clothing can aggravate a sufferer's skin even more, especially if it makes them excessively hot or the fabric itself irritates them (e.g. woolen jumpers). Also, if you wear gloves at home or at work for duties like dishwashing or gardening, be cautious about which type you use. Rubber gloves, for example, are known to irritate the skin and aggravate eczema.
Soaps and shower gels:
Pay close attention to the soaps, hand soaps, and shower gels you use on a daily basis. Despite claims to the contrary, many commercial soaps and cosmetics actually make skin drier than it was before they were used. Again, it varies from person to person, so if your skin is consistently dry in the hours following a shower, seek out alternate and maybe medicated options from your local pharmacy.
Daily activities:
Finally, keep in mind the influence that everyday actions can have. If you wash your hands at work after using the restroom, make sure you dry them thoroughly. Also, regular hand washing and drying can aggravate eczema on the hands, so a soap alternative is recommended.
Medical treatment of eczema:
If you have eczema symptoms, you should first seek treatment from your pharmacist, who can provide you with over-the-counter lotions and ointments from your local drugstore. Many lotions are available to help moisturize your skin and so alleviate eczema symptoms. However, because the effectiveness of each varies from patient to patient, you may need to test a few before finding one that works best for you. These emollient creams should be applied at least three to four times a day to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. Some creams can also be used as a soap alternative for bathing and hand washing. Many eczema flare-ups occur when people do not use these creams frequently enough, and this is one of the first things your doctor will advise you to do.
If your symptoms are severe, do not go away after a few weeks, or over-the-counter drugs have failed to help, you should contact a doctor. A doctor will first establish that you have eczema, and they may prescribe a steroid cream to treat it if it is extremely bothersome. In addition to any prescribed steroid cream, your doctor will usually advise you to continue using copious amounts of emollient lotions. If your eczema is especially bothersome and not responding to standard therapy, your doctor may have to send you to a specialist.