This month is about sharing information so that people have a better understanding of eczema and its symptoms. Eczema is a condition where the skin is irritated, and the most common sign is itchy skin. There are several different types of eczema, with atopic eczema being the most common.
When do people get eczema?
Eczema is relatively common and can happen to newborns, teens, and adults. It’s more common if a parent has it that your children may get it at some point.
Causes of eczema?
If you are prone to eczema, sometimes dogs, cats, food allergies, different fabrics, and pollen may trigger you. Some typical household triggers are scented candles, skincare, and cleaning products. During these times, that eczema may become more acute. Eczema is a condition that is not considered contagious.
Many factors can contribute to eczema, but some people’s immune systems trigger a reaction to stress and the environment, some of which are inherited.
What are the symptoms of eczema?
Dry, itchy skin, cracked skin, scaly skin, raised bumps and thickened skin.
Some common areas of eczema are skin folds, like the inner arms or behind the knees, and on the scalp. In babies, eczema tends to present on the scalp or cheeks, and in kids and adults, it tends to be in the skin folds. Your symptoms from eczema may be completely different than your child’s, so it’s important to know what to look for to treat it appropriately. On lighter skin, eczema can have a reddish color; darker skin may appear ashy looking or grayish.
Treating Eczema
Treatments are going to be customized to treat your symptoms. Depending on the severity of your eczema, topical treatments can be medical-grade moisturizers, ointments, steroid creams, and holistic treatments. Avoid scratching the affected area, which could irritate it further.
Some treatments are taken orally, like antihistamines or allergy pills.
Some things to do to prevent flare-ups of eczema are:
It is cutting exposure to known triggers like not going out when pollen is high—wearing natural fabrics that won’t irritate the skin, and taking shorter showers with water that is more tepid than hot. Stress can cause flare-ups, so it’s essential to learn how to deal with that stress so it doesn’t affect your skin negatively. Learning meditation and yoga are ways to cut back on feelings of anxiety in your life.
Some foods can help with eczema, like limiting dairy in your diet. Trying the eczema elimination diet consists of removing certain foods from your diet and then adding them back in a little to find out if any food brings an eczema flare-up in the skin.
There are many treatments in the development stages for eczema, with some allowing participation in clinical trials. If you think you may have eczema make an appointment with your doctor, and you will most likely have a skin exam done of the affected area, along with a medical history review. Your doctor might run tests to rule out any other problems before the diagnosis. For more information on eczema, go to http://www.nationaleczema.org for more details.
Teresa
