Product that Heals Eczema or Dermatitis without Side Effects
Eczema and dermatitis information and how to treat this skin disease.
(PRWEB) March 18, 2005 -- What is eczema and products on the market that
help!
What is eczema? Eczema—also known as dermatitis—is a red, itchy
rash on the upper layers of the skin. It’s not contagious. Once you have eczema,
it’s likely to reappear again and again throughout your life. There are many
types of eczema. The most common are contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and
chronic dermatitis. Most dermatitis rashes look about the same. They usually
itch, most are red, and many have blisters, swelling, oozing, scabbing, and
scaling.
Contact dermatitis occurs when you touch something that causes
a reaction. The reaction can be either an irritation or an allergic reaction.
Just about anything—including water—can cause irritation. But the most common
culprits include chemicals in cosmetics, fragrances, certain metals, and clothes
(wool).
Atopic dermatitis is a hereditary condition. It’s most common in
babies and children and in people with a family history of allergies or asthma.
Like contact dermatitis, irritants such as chemicals, fragrances and wool can
trigger symptoms. Exposure to tobacco smoke, emotional stress and changes in
temperature can also make atopic dermatitis worse.
The first step to
treating eczema is to eliminate contact with what might be causing it. For
example, if a new laundry detergent causes a rash, switch to a different
detergent. If eczema is triggered by stress, stress reduction techniques such as
yoga and meditation may help minimize the outbreak. Frequent bathing and rubbing
your skin with a towel can make the eczema worse. Try bathing less frequently
and gently patting yourself dry afterward. Use mild, unscented soaps such as Oil
of Olay or Freederm soap or a waterless cleanser like Cetaphil. Keeping the skin
well hydrated and moisturized is also very important.
Scratching can
break the skin and lead to infections, so try to resist the urge to scratch.
Also, keep fingernails short. Longer nails may have more dirt under them,
increasing the risk of infection if you do break the skin.
Various drug
treatments for dermatitis are available, including herbal remedies and
over-the-counter antihistamines and creams. Also, prescription treatments are
available for rashes that become infected.
What’s the difference between
eczema and atopic dermatitis?
Eczema is a general term encompassing
various inflamed skin conditions. One of the most common forms of eczema is
atopic dermatitis (or "atopic eczema"). Approximately 10 percent to 20 percent
of the world population is affected by this chronic, relapsing, and very itchy
rash at some point during childhood. Fortunately, many children with eczema find
that the disease clears and often disappears with age.
In general, atopic
dermatitis will come and go, often based on external factors. Although its cause
is unknown, the condition appears to be an abnormal response of the body’s
immune system. In people with eczema, the inflammatory response to irritating
substances overacts, causing itching and scratching. Eczema is not contagious
and, like many diseases, currently cannot be cured. However, for most patients
the condition may be managed well with treatment and avoidance of
triggers.
What does eczema look and feel like?
Although eczema may
look different from person to person, it is most often characterized by dry,
red, extremely itchy patches on the skin. Eczema is sometimes referred to as
"the itch that rashes," since the itch, when scratched, results in the
appearance of the rash.
Eczema can occur on just about any part of the
body; however, in infants, eczema typically occurs on the forehead, cheeks,
forearms, legs, scalp, and neck. In children and adults, eczema typically occurs
on the face, neck, and the insides of the elbows, knees, and ankles. In some
people, eczema may "bubble up" and ooze. In others, the condition may appear
more scaly, dry, and red. Chronic scratching causes the skin to take on a
leathery texture because the skin thickens (lichenification).
Please
click here to see more pictures of people affected by eczema.
What makes
patients with eczema itch?
Many substances have been identified as itch
"triggers" in patients with eczema, and triggers are not the same for every
person. Many times it is difficult to identify the exact trigger that causes a
flare-up. For some, it seems that rough or coarse materials coming into contact
with the skin causes itchiness. For others, feeling too hot and/or sweating will
cause an outbreak. Other people find that certain soaps, detergents,
disinfectants, contact with juices from fresh fruits and meats, dust mites, and
animal saliva and danders may trigger itching. Upper respiratory infections
(caused by viruses) may also be triggers. Stress can also sometimes aggravate an
existing flare-up.
Who gets eczema?
Eczema occurs in both children and
adults, but usually appears during infancy. Although there is no known cause for
the disease, it often affects people with a family history of
allergies.
Those who are genetically predisposed and then exposed to
environmental triggers may develop eczema. Many people who have eczema also
suffer from allergic rhinitis and asthma, or have family members who
do.
How common is eczema?
The National Institutes of Health estimates
that 15 million people in the United States have some form of eczema. About 10
percent to 20 percent of all infants have eczema; however, in nearly half of
these children, the disease will improve greatly by the time they are between
five and 15 years of age. Others will have some form of the disease throughout
their lives.
How can eczema be prevented?
Eczema outbreaks can usually
be avoided with some simple precautions. The following suggestions may help to
reduce the severity and frequency of flare-ups:
Moisturize frequently
- Avoid sudden changes in temperature or humidity
- Avoid sweating or
overheating
- Reduce stress
- Avoid scratchy materials (e.g., wool or
other irritants)
- Avoid harsh soaps, detergents, and solvents
- Avoid
environmental factors that trigger allergies (e.g., pollens, molds, mites, and
animal dander)
- Be aware of any foods that may cause an outbreak and avoid
those foods
How can eczema be treated?
While eczema cannot be cured,
most cases can be controlled by:
- Making lifestyle modifications to prevent
flare-ups
- Seeing a dermatologist for treatment
- Using medication as
prescribed
This approach tends to prevent inflammation and itching and
keeps eczema from getting worse. Dermatologists recommend that treatment be
sought at the onset of signs and symptoms. When therapy begins early, it often
reduces severity and duration.
Diagnosis
Effective treatment requires
a correct diagnosis; however, it is not always easy to distinguish one type of
eczema from another or from similar skin conditions. Dermatologists have the
medical training and experience needed to determine if eczema is present — and
if present, which type. To diagnose eczema, dermatologists examine the skin and
ask about:
- When the skin condition first appeared
- Signs and
symptoms, such as long-term pruritus (itching) or recurring dermatitis
(inflammation of the skin)
- Certain circumstances that may aggravate the
condition, such as excessively dry air or emotional stress
- Family medical
history, including questions about close blood relatives who have asthma, hay
fever, or eczema
- Personal medical history
- In some cases, a skin
biopsy may be performed to rule out other causes.
Allergies are more
common in individuals with atopic dermatitis, and allergy testing may be
considered when a patient has:
Significant indications of allergies, such
as gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea and colic in
infants) or hives
Been poorly responsive or unresponsive to treatment
If a food allergy is suspected, testing for allergic reactions to eggs,
milk, peanuts, soy, wheat, fish, and tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, cashews) are
usually performed as these foods are responsible for 85% of all food allergies.
A positive allergy test does not confirm the food allergy. A suspected food
allergy must be subjected to a "challenge." A challenge is conducted by having
the patient eat the suspected food and observing the patient for a reaction.
Even a challenge does not guarantee that the food is the trigger because: 1)
another trigger may be present and causing the reaction or 2) the patient’s
reaction may be delayed. Consequently, allergy testing has limited value.
However, it is useful for eliminating foods that cause immediate and severe
reactions or welts.
Dermatologists may use a “patch test” to determine if
the patient has allergic contact dermatitis, a type of eczema that develops when
the person has an allergic reaction to a substance that contacts the skin. The
reaction generally occurs a few hours after the substance contacts the skin and
settles down within a few days if the substance does not contact the skin again.
A patch test exposes the patient’s skin to minute amounts of substances that may
have caused the reaction. When the test is positive, the dermatologist must
determine if the chemical caused the dermatitis and if so, if it is the primary
cause or an aggravating factor. Further testing may be
necessary.
Treatment
Once eczema is diagnosed, a treatment plan will
be made based on:
- Type and severity of the eczema present
- Age,
health, and medical history (including presence of other conditions)
-
History of previous treatment
The primary goal of treatment is to
relieve discomfort by controlling the signs and symptoms. Since eczema is
usually dry and itchy, most treatment plans involve applying lotions, creams or
ointments to keep the skin as moist as possible. The treatment plan also may
require lifestyle modifications and using medication as directed. A topical
(applied to the skin) medication may be prescribed to help relieve itching and
inflammation. If the skin is infected, a topical or oral antibiotic will be
prescribed to kill the bacteria causing the infection. For severe itching,
sedative antihistamines are sometimes used. These are available in both
prescription and over-the-counter varieties.
Certain types of severe
eczema may be treated with phototherapy. Stronger systemic medications, such as
corticosteroids, that may be prescribed to treat severe eczema that has been
unresponsive to treatment.
Since so many factors affect why a person
develops eczema, a treatment plan that works for one person may not effectively
control eczema in another person. Sometimes it takes a bit of detective work to
find an effective treatment plan.
What can be done for children with
eczema?
Children are unique patients because it may be difficult for them to
resist scratching their eczema, thereby making the condition worse. Fortunately,
for mild to moderate cases, the application of moisturizer on a regular basis
can be very helpful. And, in most cases, the eczema will disappear as the child
ages. In the meantime, avoid as many eczema triggers as possible. Keep your
child’s skin moist. After bathing, apply moisturizer within three minutes to
retain the moisture in the skin. Avoid sudden temperature changes. Keep your
child’s bedroom and play areas free of dust mites (a common trigger). Use mild
soaps – both on your child’s skin and on your child’s clothing. Dress your child
in breathable, preferably cotton, clothing. The best product we have found on
the market without the side effects of elidel and protopic is a product called
Freederm HC. The website is http://www.freederm.com .
If these methods fail to help
your child, you should seek further advice from a dermatologist. After
consultation, an over-the-counter cream, a prescription cream, ointment,
antihistamines, or antibiotics may be advised. Regardless, most children will
see improvement as time goes by.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/3/prweb219290.htm