What Is Eczema
Eczema, also known as Atopic Dermatitis, is a dry, itchy skin condition that affects both children and adults. It is more common in children, and is more likely to appear if you also suffer from asthma and hay fever, or if there is a history of Eczema in your family. Your family doctor will be able to diagnose Eczema with a visual inspection and a discussion of your health history; no lab tests are needed.
Symptoms
Eczema symptoms can vary depending on how mild of severe your condition is. For many people with mild eczema, they only experience a small patch of dry, itchy skin from time to time. For the most severe cases, eczema will be widespread across the body, constantly itchy and even painful, and if it becomes infected, may even result in a fever.
Research
Research into Atopic Dermatitis has been progressing steadily and there are now proven techniques for managing the condition. So far, there is no “cure”, but with proper management of your medication and overall health, you will be able to bring your condition down to a level where it has very little impact on your day-to-day life. This is called “quality of life” and is a metric that doctors and researchers measure to determine if a treatment or medication is proving successful.
Treatment
Although there is not currently a cure for Eczema, symptoms can be managed effectively with a combinations of medications, lifestyle changes and proper skin care.
1. Moisturisers
These hydrate your skin, reducing the itching sensation. They also form a protective layer on top of your skin which can protected the damaged area, giving it time to heal. Moisturisers are the number 1 most important tool in your kit when treating Eczema.
2. Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are often called “steroids” for short, but they are not the same steroids that you might associate with bodybuilders and other high-performance athletes (anabolic steroids). Corticosteroids reduce inflammation in your body and can be used to treat several conditions; since many of the symptoms of eczema are essentially an inflammation response of your immune system, corticosteroids can be an effective treatment. They are available either orally (as a tablet) or topically (as a cream or ointment). In general you should aim to use the lowest strength that is effective for your condition, and prefer topical over oral. Always follow the guidance of a healthcare professional as steroids can have dangerous consequences if used incorrectly.
3. Immunosuppressants
As with many other conditions, most of the problematic symptoms of Eczema are actually an overreaction of the immune system. It is strongly preferable to correct the cause of the reaction if at all possible, but when that doesn’t work, it is also possible to dampen the body’s immune response with so called “immunosuppressants”. As with steroids, there are both oral and topical treatments available here, and in general topical is preferred because it is more targeted and has more limited side effects.
4. Phototherapy
Although not appropriate for everyone, one form of therapy sometimes used to treat skin conditions including Eczema is Phototherapy, also called Light Therapy or UV Light Therapy. It involves exposing the patient to ultraviolet light in short, controlled bursts under the supervision of a dermatologist. If successful, this treatment can improve overall condition of the patient, reducing itching, inflammation and redness.
5. Wet wraps
If your skin is particularly dried out, you may be advised to try a treatment technique called “wet wraps”. This involves you applying an extremely thick layer of moisturiser (basically, as much as you can - you should not be able to see your skin underneath. Then on top of your moisturiser, pull on your fabric “wrap” that your pharmacy provides. This will keep the moisturiser in place all day/night long, and can have a marked increase in effectiveness versus moisturiser without the wrap. The big downside is that these wraps can be unpleasant to wear, and if they disrupt your sleep then may not be a suitable option. As will all possible treatments, you should discuss with your healthcare provider to get an informed opinion for your personal circumstances.