Anti Aging Skin Care » Skin Allergy » Eczema

Eczema

• Atopic eczema: Atopic eczema are hereditary and often runs in families. It generally appears as a itchy rash localized on face and scalp, inside of elbows, behind knees, and buttocks. It is very common type of eczema in developed countries, and rising. Most often it appears in kids.
• Contact dermatitis: It has two types- allergic and irritant. Allergid dermatitis is due to the skin's reaction to some allergen, such as poison ivy or nickel or some chemicals, while irritant dermatitis is resulting from direct reaction to, say, a solvent. About three fourths of contact eczema are of the irritant type. Contact dermatitis can occur at any age.
• Xerotic eczema: Due to xerotic eczema the skin becomes dry. The condition becomes worse in dry winter weather. The limbs and trunk are get most often affected. Xerotic eczema is very common among the older population.
• Seborrheic dermatitis: The symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis includes a dry or greasy scaling of the scalp and eyebrows. While the scaly pimples and red patches may appear in some other places on body. In newborns it appears as a thick, yellow crusty scalp rash called cradle cap, which seems related to lack of biotin, and is often curable.

Causes
Nobody knows exactly why eczema occurs. Atopic dermatitis often has non-skin allergies and linked with hay fever and asthma. Contact dermatitis do have true skin allergies, these allergies are caused due to skin's contact with the allergens like detergents, soaps, diesel or engine oils, cleaners, chemicals found in cosmetics or poisonous plants, such as poison ivy. It may cause due to allergy to nickel, rubbers. Varicose veins can lead to a form of eczema known as varicose or gravitational eczema, affecting the lower legs.

Diagnosis
Your doctor will diagnose by examining you. If it is found that it needs some further tests, you are tested for blood tests, patch tests - where little patches of different substances are stuck to your skin for a few days, to see if you react to any of them and other allergy tests.

Treatment
There is essentially no cure for eczema. Normally when you stop scratching some of the eczemas completely disappears without any treatment. However, a number of approaches are available which help to minimize your symptoms.

• If your eczema is a contact dermatitis or a result of a specific allergy, then just avoid the thing which causes allergy.
• Oral antihistamines helps to reduce the itch.
• Moisturizing your skin: keep your skin moisturized. To help to replenish your skin's natural protective oils use creams, ointments and shower and bath oils. Washing dries out the skin and make eczema worse. Make use of an emollient cream as a substitute for soap, and you can apply it liberally at other times during the day.
• When your eczema becomes worse, your doctor may prescribe you a cream or ointment containing a topical steroid. These topical steroids help to reduce inflammation and itch. Different strengths of steroids are available use the lowest strength that the skin requires at the time to minimize the risk of possible side effects of using steroids.
• Steroid treatment is not effective to atopic eczema, instead of that immunomodulators (calcineurin inhibitors, eg tacrolimus and pimecrolimus) are used. It is given as an ointment and may give the side effect as burning sensation. It is used under the supervision of your doctor.
• Other treatments include antibiotics, some older fashioned remedies, evening primrose oil supplements are used for eczema, and are a safe treatment, but have not consistently proved to be effective in research trials.
• If your skin is not responding well to any medication, your doctor will probably ask a skin specialist (dermatologist) to see you.

• Do not scratch when you feel itchy.
• Moisturize your skin two times daily.
• Avoid exposure to chemicals and strong detergents specially women's. Make use of protective gloves while using such products.
• Use mild soaps or soap less cleansers.
• If you found that your skin is allergic to a specific substance, then its better to avoid using it.
• Do not use any skin products or laundry products with added fragrances.
• Do not expose your skin to very cold or hot air.
• Humidify dry air (for example your bedroom).