Skin Disorders

Skin disorders cover a wide range of conditions, some benign, some very serious, and some even a sign of another underlying illness. A skin disorder not only affects your physical health, but also your emotional well-being.

Skin Care › Skin Disorders › Eczema

Eczema Treatment (With Pictures)

Eczema (pronounced: ek -zeh-ma) is a group of skin conditions that cause skin to become irritated. Eczema is a form of dermatitis , a skin irritation characterized by red, flaky skin, sometimes with cracks or tiny blisters . It is extremely itchy, but scratching damages the fragile skin and exacerbates the problem so it is important for people with eczema to try to leave the area alone.

Causes of Eczema

There are many causes of eczema, but the most common is a general allergic over-sensitivity, called atopy. This sort of eczema is known as atopic eczema, and it is linked with asthma and hay fever. These conditions often run together in a family. Another possible cause of eczema is contact with substances that irritate the skin chemically, called irritant contact dermatitis. This is caused by direct contact between the skin and the substance, which might be adetergent, soap, diesel or engine oil, strong chemical, cleaner, etc. Skin affected by eczema is often dry and cracked, the protective outer layer of skin damaged. As a result, skin affected by eczema loses a lot of water, which interferes with the natural healing process.

Types of Eczema Atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis) Varicose eczema Discoid eczema Nummular eczema Stasis dermatitis Asteatotic eczema Hand eczema

Signs and symptoms of Eczema

Eczema leads to itching and redness, and may make the skin dry and flaky. Sometimes itchy blisters form. The surface of the skin may become moist and crusty if these blisters burst, or when scratching damages the skin. Atopic eczema is often worse in the folds of the skin where the limbs bend. The itch is intense, but scratching only makes the symptoms worse. Eczema makes the skin more sensitive, so you may notice that you are more irritated by cosmetics, soaps, detergents, etc. Eczema in infants is most commonly seen as a patch below the chin or cradle cap. Here are some common symptoms of eczema :-

• Blisters
• Crusts
• Thickening
• Redness
• Itch

Treament to cure Eczema

Although there is no cure for eczema, many available treatments can ease or eliminate the symptoms associated with the illness. Both topical and oral medications have the ability to reduce existing rashes and prevent future flare-ups or outbreaks, which is the goal of treatment. For severe cases of eczema, topical and oral medications may be used together. The following are some treatment options for eczema:

• The ultraviolet light waves found in sunlight have been shown to benefit certain skin disorders, including eczema. Phototherapy uses ultraviolet light, either ultraviolet A (UVA) or ultraviolet B (UVB), from special lamps to treat people with severe eczema
• Oral antibiotics may be used for skin infections that arise at the site of an eczema flare-up
• Topical steroids are often used in addition to moisturizers if eczema symptoms do not improve and the affected area becomes severely irritated and swollen.
• Topical immunomodulators (TIMs) is a new class of drugs for the treatment of eczema. One drug in this class-tacrolimus-has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of moderately severe eczema.
• Moisturizers are recommended for all types of eczema because they promote rehydration of dry, cracked areas. Such products include Aquaphor, Eucerin, Moisturel, mineral oil and baby oil.

Prevention tips

• Avoid rough, scratchy, tight clothing and woolens
• Using medication as prescribed
• Avoid frequent use of soaps, hot water, and other cleansing procedures that tend to remove natural oil from the skin.
• Never use any kind of lotion, soap, or fragrance unless your doctor tells you to or it's allergen free
• Avoid using washcloths, sponges, or loofahs.
• Making lifestyle modifications to prevent flare-ups.