If you suffer from eczema you are not alone. Eczema is a skin condition that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. The intensity of eczema cases is varied form the mild and inobvious, to the extreme and dibilitating. Therefore, eczema treatment options cover a wide range of intensities and variations also. They range from simply modifying hygiene practices to the last resort use of ultraviolet light treatment. Eczema treatment options are available for all types of sufferers.
It is vital to learn the different eczema treatment options on the market today in order to make an appropriate selection. Medical research regarding eczema treatment is an ongoing process with advancements in research and technology coming forward every day. Currently eczema is not curable, but can be controlled through eczema treatment techniques, and often held in a state of remission.
A first line of defense against eczema is to modify and step up your hygiene routine. People with eczema are highly susceptible to harsh, drying soaps. Pay special care to the use of 'bargain' laundry detergents, as your clothing being saturated with irratants can aggrevate the condition. Soaps can reduce the amount of moisture in your skin, moisturizers can help replace it. Skin moisture is crucial and with dry skin comes an eczema flare-up. Hot water can also dry out your skin, so opt for a cool bath. In short, the less exposure to hot water the better.
Make heavy moisturizers a part of your daily routine. Apply moisture cream or
ointments immediately and liberally after taking your shower or bath. This is the best time to retain moisture in your skin. You can also apply hydrocortisone cream to eczema areas. This home eczema treatment routine will benefit and help keep mild cases of eczema under control.
If you have tried home eczema treatment, but your eczema flare-ups continue to be
bothersome, head to your Dermatologist. They can prescribe more potent moisturizers, creams, and ointments to apply to your skin. They can ascertain the cause of your eczema and prescribe anti-inflammatory and allergy medicines as well.
Check to see if a food allergy could be the cause of your eczema. You can then modify your intake and eliminate that food from your diet. If skin irritants are to blame for your eczema then you can remove the irritants from your environment or wear protective clothing. Sometimes experimentation is the only way to identify them. Allergy shots are also a possible eczema treatment option. It is critical to remove the source of your eczema for effective eczema treatment.
The previous eczema treatment options do not work for a minority of eczema cases.
These chronic, extreme eczema sufferers can turn to ultraviolet light eczema treatment. This type of eczema treatment is a last resort and should be discussed with a physician.
Eczema treatment options are available and will help any eczema sufferer manage their condition. Consult with your family doctor or Dermatologist for more information. They can make a diagnosis and recommend an eczema treatment plan specifically geared towards your case.
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Friday, June 5, 2009
Eczema: Getting the Facts (by Lori Stryker)
People from all walks of life and all ages live with eczema; however, it typically appears in infants. Also called contact dermatitis, eczema is actually a group of skin conditions. Although it may sometimes look like a contagious condition, eczema is not contagious.
Symptoms related to eczema depend on the causes and severity of the form of eczema. A person with mild eczema has dry, hot, and itchy skin. Severe eczema causes the skin to crack, bleed, and often takes a long time to heal. Inflammation in the area is common depending on the type of eczema.
Type of eczema
More information
Atopic eczema
- Most common form of eczema; affects children and adults.Symptoms include:
- extreme itchiness
- dryness of the skin
- redness
- inflammation
Irritant contact dermatitis
- Occurs when skin becomes irritated by detergents and other chemicals (e.g. perfumes, soaps, bubble bath powder and more).
Varicose eczema
- Affects skin on the lower legs and is caused by poor circulation of blood.
Allergic contact dermatitis
- Body's immune system attacks a substance in the skin.
- Symptoms are similar to those listed for atopic eczema.
Infantile seborrhoeic eczema
- Found on infants under one year old.
- Often looks unpleasant but does not affect the infant's comfort and may appear on the scalp or bottom.
Discoid eczema
- Typically associated with adults.
- Found on upper body and lower legs.
Dealing with eczema
In order to deal with eczema, you need to figure out what type of eczema you have. A doctor can help a person living with eczema or someone caring for a child with eczema manage the condition.
Diagnosis of eczema is not simple. A doctor must look at the person's medical history, when they first recognized the condition and what triggers the condition. Some people with atopic dermatitis have allergies and may need allergy testing, especially if treatment with medication is not working.
Reducing the number and frequency of outbreaks is the goal of any eczema treatment. To reach this goal, a person living with eczema may need to:
- make certain lifestyle changes (e.g. avoid certain irritating products)
- use medication to control the outbreaks
- kidneys
- follow a regular skin care routine
Lifestyle changes are often useful in reducing and preventing the symptoms of eczema. However, some of these lifestyle changes work for some people and not others. Some changes to consider include:
- wearing cotton clothing and using cotton bedding to reduce the itchiness associated with the condition. Synthetic fibres don't allow the skin to breathe and wool can irritate the skin.
- using biological laundry detergents, also avoid using fabric softeners. Synthetic laundry detergents, and fabric softeners may increase itchiness and cause a person to scratch more often. As a result, not using them may help reduce the skin's itchiness.
- vacuuming, dusting, and changing bedding regularly. This is extremely important because it reduces the number of house dust mites and the droppings from dust mites that are found in bedding, mattresses, curtains, and carpets.
- possible changes to the foods you eat. Even though the link between diet and eczema is not conclusive, making changes to certain foods consumed in some severe cases of eczema, especially in babies and young children seems beneficial. Always ask your doctor before making dietary changes to ensure the foods eaten will include all necessary nutrients for growth and development.
Common treatments for people with eczema require moisturization of the skin and use of medications, if necessary. Treatment is usually based on a person's age, health, medical history as well as the type and severity of eczema. Possible treatments consist of:
- lotions and creams: These products are applied directly on the skin to keep in as much moisture as possible. Using organic lotions and creams may be a good alternative to non-organic moisturizers since the non-organic moisturizers contain synthetic chemicals that may cause an outbreak. Moisturizing the skin after showering helps lock in moisture.
- medications such as topical steroids, oral steroids, and topical immunomodulators: Prescription and non-prescription corticosteroids come in the form of creams and ointments that can be applied to the skin. Prescription corticosteroids are more potent than non-prescription ointments but both have potential side effects, especially if used for long periods of time. Oral steroids are usually prescribed for severe outbreaks. Topical immunomodulators do not contain steroids and are available by prescription to treat atopic eczema.
Other tips that may help people with eczema improve the skin's condition include:
- keeping nails short
- avoiding sudden changes in temperatures (e.g. going from cold environments to hot environments)
- relaxing to reduce stress
References:
- www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/whatis.aspl
- www.eczema.org
- www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/treatment.aspl
- www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/preventing.aspl
- http://www.naturalmake-up.ca
Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences.
You may use this article but any modification or publication of this article for fiancial gain must be approved of by the author. The author's name, Lori Stryker and her company's name, The Organic Make-up Company, needs to by noted when used.
Symptoms related to eczema depend on the causes and severity of the form of eczema. A person with mild eczema has dry, hot, and itchy skin. Severe eczema causes the skin to crack, bleed, and often takes a long time to heal. Inflammation in the area is common depending on the type of eczema.
Type of eczema
More information
Atopic eczema
- Most common form of eczema; affects children and adults.Symptoms include:
- extreme itchiness
- dryness of the skin
- redness
- inflammation
Irritant contact dermatitis
- Occurs when skin becomes irritated by detergents and other chemicals (e.g. perfumes, soaps, bubble bath powder and more).
Varicose eczema
- Affects skin on the lower legs and is caused by poor circulation of blood.
Allergic contact dermatitis
- Body's immune system attacks a substance in the skin.
- Symptoms are similar to those listed for atopic eczema.
Infantile seborrhoeic eczema
- Found on infants under one year old.
- Often looks unpleasant but does not affect the infant's comfort and may appear on the scalp or bottom.
Discoid eczema
- Typically associated with adults.
- Found on upper body and lower legs.
Dealing with eczema
In order to deal with eczema, you need to figure out what type of eczema you have. A doctor can help a person living with eczema or someone caring for a child with eczema manage the condition.
Diagnosis of eczema is not simple. A doctor must look at the person's medical history, when they first recognized the condition and what triggers the condition. Some people with atopic dermatitis have allergies and may need allergy testing, especially if treatment with medication is not working.
Reducing the number and frequency of outbreaks is the goal of any eczema treatment. To reach this goal, a person living with eczema may need to:
- make certain lifestyle changes (e.g. avoid certain irritating products)
- use medication to control the outbreaks
- kidneys
- follow a regular skin care routine
Lifestyle changes are often useful in reducing and preventing the symptoms of eczema. However, some of these lifestyle changes work for some people and not others. Some changes to consider include:
- wearing cotton clothing and using cotton bedding to reduce the itchiness associated with the condition. Synthetic fibres don't allow the skin to breathe and wool can irritate the skin.
- using biological laundry detergents, also avoid using fabric softeners. Synthetic laundry detergents, and fabric softeners may increase itchiness and cause a person to scratch more often. As a result, not using them may help reduce the skin's itchiness.
- vacuuming, dusting, and changing bedding regularly. This is extremely important because it reduces the number of house dust mites and the droppings from dust mites that are found in bedding, mattresses, curtains, and carpets.
- possible changes to the foods you eat. Even though the link between diet and eczema is not conclusive, making changes to certain foods consumed in some severe cases of eczema, especially in babies and young children seems beneficial. Always ask your doctor before making dietary changes to ensure the foods eaten will include all necessary nutrients for growth and development.
Common treatments for people with eczema require moisturization of the skin and use of medications, if necessary. Treatment is usually based on a person's age, health, medical history as well as the type and severity of eczema. Possible treatments consist of:
- lotions and creams: These products are applied directly on the skin to keep in as much moisture as possible. Using organic lotions and creams may be a good alternative to non-organic moisturizers since the non-organic moisturizers contain synthetic chemicals that may cause an outbreak. Moisturizing the skin after showering helps lock in moisture.
- medications such as topical steroids, oral steroids, and topical immunomodulators: Prescription and non-prescription corticosteroids come in the form of creams and ointments that can be applied to the skin. Prescription corticosteroids are more potent than non-prescription ointments but both have potential side effects, especially if used for long periods of time. Oral steroids are usually prescribed for severe outbreaks. Topical immunomodulators do not contain steroids and are available by prescription to treat atopic eczema.
Other tips that may help people with eczema improve the skin's condition include:
- keeping nails short
- avoiding sudden changes in temperatures (e.g. going from cold environments to hot environments)
- relaxing to reduce stress
References:
- www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/whatis.aspl
- www.eczema.org
- www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/treatment.aspl
- www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/preventing.aspl
- http://www.naturalmake-up.ca
Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences.
You may use this article but any modification or publication of this article for fiancial gain must be approved of by the author. The author's name, Lori Stryker and her company's name, The Organic Make-up Company, needs to by noted when used.
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