What Are The Symptoms Of Eczema

What Are The Symptoms Of Atopic Eczema

Eczema can look and feel different for everyone. But it usually involves an itchy, scaly, rash that can show up on the face, hands, arms, legs and other parts of the body. It may look ashen white/gray, purple, or dark brown on darker skin tones. It may look red on lighter skin tones. Eczema is linked to dry skin. Scratching eczema can lead to broken skin with oozing and skin infections.

Eczema usually starts in babies. Eczema in babies can often show up on their faces. Children and adults also can have eczema. It can appear different at times or show up on different parts of the body. Eczema is usually linked to a personal or family history of allergies.

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What Causes Atopic Dermatitis

The exact cause of atopic dermatitis is not known. It runs in families, which suggests a genetic link. Its also linked to asthma and allergies. There is likely an alteration of the proteins in the skin that leads to atopic dermatitis.

Certain triggers can make atopic dermatitis worse. For example, stress, hot or cold temperature, dry conditions, certain fabrics, or detergents can cause a flare-up.

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What Are Eczema Symptoms Plus 5 Natural Treatments

By Jillian Levy, CHHC

• 5 Natural Eczema Treatments

Eczema symptoms, which commonly include skin dryness and itchiness, affect about 20 percent of children and up to 4 percent of adults. Eczema, along with related skin conditions like dermatitis and allergies, tends to develop most often among people who already have very dry, sensitive skin or a rundown immune system. In adults, symptoms are usually recurrent and more severe than in children, and research shows that infants and children can normally overcome eczema within the first several years of life.

While dermatologists normally choose to treat eczema symptoms with prescription topical creams and sometimes medications used to kill bacteria or alter immune responses, there are also natural treatments for eczema available. These include applying essential oils, reducing food allergies, making dietary improvements, and avoiding irritating skin care or beauty products.

What Are The Current Treatment Options For Adults With Eczema

There are various types of treatments to manage eczema. A doctor can go over the different options with you and create a treatment plan that works for your specific type of eczema and symptoms.

Treatments can include lifestyle changes, medications , and alternative treatments. Well discuss each of these options in more detail below.

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Eczema Coping Tips Reducing Skin Irritation

People with eczema have sensitive skin. Irritants such as heat or detergents can easily trigger a bout of eczema.Suggestions for reducing skin irritation include:

• Avoid overheating your skin. Wear several layers of clothing that you can remove, as required, instead of one heavy layer. Dont put too many blankets on your bed and avoid doonas.
• Dont use perfumed bubble bath or bath products labelled medicated.
• Wear soft, smooth materials next to your skin, preferably 100% cotton. Avoid scratchy materials, such as pure wool, polyester or acrylic. You could try a cotton and synthetic mix material this is fine for some people with eczema. Remove labels from clothing.
• Always wear protective gloves when using any type of chemical or detergent. You may want to wear cotton gloves inside rubber or PVC gloves.
• Avoid chlorinated pools. If you have to swim in a chlorinated pool, moisturise your skin well when you get out.

How Is Atopic Dermatitis Diagnosed

Your healthcare provider will ask about your health history and whether you have allergies or asthma. He or she will also ask about any family history of dermatitis, allergies, or asthma.

A healthcare provider can often diagnose atopic dermatitis by examining your skin. You may also have a patch test. This is used to find allergies by placing small amounts of allergens on the skin and watching for a response. A skin biopsy may also be done to rule out other causes of the rash.

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Diagnosis And When To See A Doctor

People who experience symptoms of eczema should see a doctor or dermatologist. Eczema can indicate a new allergy, so it is important to determine what is causing the reaction.

Eczema can also increase the likelihood of staph infections and have a severe effect on a personâs mental health. A doctor can recommend a treatment plan to manage symptoms and flare-ups.

There is no specific test to diagnose most types of eczema. The doctor will want to know the individualâs personal and family medical history. They will also ask about recent exposures to potential allergens and irritants. It is essential that people let the doctor know if they have hay fever or asthma.

The doctor may also ask about:

• any previous treatments for skin conditions
• any use of steroids

A physical examination of the rash will help the doctor to diagnose which type of eczema it is.

The doctor may also perform a patch test, which involves pricking a personâs skin with a needle that contains potential irritants and allergens. A patch test can determine whether or not someone has contact dermatitis.

There is no cure for eczema, so treatment involves managing the symptoms and trying to prevent further flare-ups.

Some treatment options for eczema include:

Some general tips that may help to prevent eczema flare-ups include:

How Is Eczema Diagnosed In Adults

In adults, its important not to diagnose eczema too quickly and ignore other possibilities. It may look like eczema, but other diseases, like skin cancer, may present similarly. So a thorough evaluation is necessary to rule out other serious conditions.

A primary care physician may be able to diagnose your eczema, but they might refer you to a dermatologist for specialized care.

Although theres no specific test to diagnose eczema, a healthcare professional may be able to identify your symptoms as eczema.

You may be asked questions about your:

• family history of allergies and eczema
• personal history of eczema
• skin care routine
• recent stressors

To rule out other conditions, a doctor may order a skin scraping or a small skin biopsy.

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Eczema Causes And Risk Factors

Eczema affects the visible, very outer part of the skin called the corneal layer. The corneal layer belongs to part of the skin called the epidermis, which sits on top of the middle layer and the innermost layer .

The corneal layer is important for keeping the body protected from things like microbes or harmful bacteria that can enter through cuts and penetrate into deeper layers of the skin. Because its a protective layer, the corneal is constantly renewing itself, shedding old damaged cells and growing new, healthy ones in their place. This process helps keep the barrier of the skin strong and resilient in healthy people without eczema but becomes disrupted in those with eczema due to inflammation.

When someone has eczema, the process of shedding and renewing corneal skin cells becomes disrupted. Reasons for this include:

Conventional Treatments For Eczema And Atopic Dermatitis

There is currently no cure for eczema, only ways to help manage eczema symptoms. Dermatologists recommend cleansing affected skin gently, avoiding irritating products, and sometimes talking to a doctor about dietary interventions or medications if necessary. When prescriptions are necessary to control eczema symptoms, treatments normally include some combination of:

• Skin ointments or cream: These are used to add more moisture to dry skin and usually generously applied at least twice a day.
• Soaps and shampoos for sensitive skin: Because many commercial beauty or cleansing products contain irritating synthetic scents and additives that dry skin, special kinds can be given out by dermatologists that cause less reactions.
• Medicated steroid creams: Steroid creams help reduce inflammation and therefore can lower itching or swelling. Because steroid creams can cause side effects at times and cannot be used by all patients, sometimes other ointments called pimecrolimus and tacrolimus are used as alternatives.
• Recently, researchers have been developing treatments that address underlying immune responses that cause skin inflammation. These target specific molecules in the origin or development of eczema, including immune antagonists called interleukin 4 receptors.

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Eczema Coping Tips Good Hygiene

Skin affected by eczema is more vulnerable to a range of infections, including impetigo, cold sores and warts. The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus may cause a secondary infection of impetigo, and possibly contribute to the symptoms of eczema.Suggestions for washing include:

• Take lukewarm baths or showers, and avoid really hot showers.
• Dont use ordinary soap, as the ingredients may aggravate your eczema. Wash your body with warm water alone. For armpits and groin, use soap-free products, such as sorbolene cream.
• Bath oils can help to moisturise your skin while bathing.
• When towelling dry, pat rather than rub your skin.

How Is Atopic Dermatitis Treated

Factors such as your age, overall health, and health history will help your healthcare provider find the best treatment for you.

There is no cure for atopic dermatitis. The goals of treatment are to reduce itching and inflammation of the skin, to keep the skin moist, and to prevent infection.

Your healthcare provider may also prescribe medicines in severe cases. The following are commonly used to treat atopic dermatitis:

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Food Allergy And Eczema Flare

• Food allergies are a factor in 30% of young children with severe eczema. This factor is mainly seen in babies.
• The main allergic foods are cow’s milk and eggs.
• The main symptoms are increased skin redness and itching. Some parents report these symptoms start during or soon after the feeding.
• The eczema becomes easier to control if you avoid the allergic food.

How Is Eczema Treated What Medications Are Used

Treating eczema can be difficult if the cause is something you cant control, like genetics. Fortunately, you may have some influence over your environment and stress levels. Do your best to figure out what triggers or worsens your eczema, and then avoid it. The goal is to reduce itching and discomfort and prevent infection and additional flare-ups.

Consider these treatment tips:

If your child has skin problems, such as eczema, you can:

• Avoid long, hot baths, which can dry the skin. Use lukewarm water instead and give your child sponge baths.
• Apply lotion immediately after bathing while the skin is still moist. This will help trap moisture in the skin.
• Keep the room temperature as regular as possible. Changes in room temperature and humidity can dry the skin.
• Keep your child dressed in cotton. Wool, silk and manmade fabrics such as polyester can irritate the skin.
• Use mild laundry soap and make sure that clothes are well rinsed.
• Watch for skin infections. Contact your healthcare provider if you notice an infection.
• Help them avoid rubbing or scratching the rash.
• Use moisturizers several times daily. In infants with eczema, moisturizing on a regular basis is extremely helpful.

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What Can I Expect If Ive Been Diagnosed With Eczema

Nearly half of children with eczema will outgrow the condition or experience great improvement by the time they reach puberty. Others will continue to have some form of the disease. For adults with eczema, the disease can be generally well-managed with good skin care and treatment, although flare-ups of symptoms can occur throughout life.

Favorite Alternative Medicine Resource

This NEA page offers information about how acupuncture, Ayurvedic medicine, natural oils, and other alternative treatments can help to ease eczema symptoms.

The National Eczema Association has an online store of sensitive skinfriendly products that bear the NEA Seal of Acceptance, meaning they are intended for people with moderate to severe skin conditions. Get moisturizers, cleansers, detergents, and other items designed to protect and not irritate your skin.

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Eczema Symptoms In People Of Color

In People of Color, an eczema rash may appear gray or brown. This can make outbreaks harder to see.

However, People of Color who get eczema may also get dark or light skin patches even after eczema symptoms go away. These can last a long time. Doctors call these patches hyperpigmentation and depigmentation or hypopigmentation.

A dermatologist can evaluate these patches, which may respond to treatments like steroid creams.

The following atopic dermatitis symptoms are common in babies under the age of 2:

• rashes on the scalp and cheeks
• rashes that bubble up before leaking fluid
• rashes that can cause extreme itchiness, which may interfere with sleeping

What Are The Treatments For Severe Hand Eczema

If your hand eczema is severe, discuss the possibility of a dermatology referral with your GP. The referral may be for diagnosing contact allergy or for treatment, which may include a short course of oral steroids or immunosuppressants . Alternatively, dermatology departments may recommend alitretinoin or phototherapy, as described below.

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Common Eczema Symptoms And Signs

Symptoms of eczema can either be short-term or chronic. Symptoms like itching or peeling tend to come and go, periodically causing flare-ups in response to things like stress and low immune function. Although signs of skin inflammation might clear up for periods of time, most patients experience recurrent symptoms, sometimes over the course of many years if the underlying causes are left untreated. Depending on the specific type of eczema someone has, eczema symptoms and signs can include:

Eczema symptoms in babies and children:

• When babies or children develop eczema, theyre most likely to have redness and dryness on their cheeks, head or chin, in addition to the backs of their arms and legs, chest, stomach, or parts of the back.
• Like in adults, children and babies are susceptible to forming eczema patches of red, sensitive skin on areas of the body that are usually rougher and dryer to begin with. If symptoms last into the teen years or adulthood, theyre likely to affect the palms, hands, elbows, feet or knees.
• Eczema is most likely to develop in babies within the first six months of life but usually clears up on its own as the immune system learns to adapt to and overcome skin inflammation.
• In about 50 percent to 70 percent of all young children or teens with eczema, symptoms will either greatly reduce or completely go away before the age of 15.

Favorite Resource For Diet Advice

Avoiding food allergy triggers may help you manage eczema, but sometimes you need help identifying precisely what the triggers are. This is where an elimination diet may help. This approach involves omitting a food you think is problematic and then reintroducing it to see what happens. We love this article with information from the dermatologist Peter Lio, MD, which delves into some of the misconceptions about the diet, as well as the link between eczema and what you eat.

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Causes Of Atopic Dermatitis

No one knows what causes atopic dermatitis however, researchers know that changes in the protective layer of the skin can cause it to lose moisture. This can cause the skin to become dry, leading to damage and inflammation in the skin. New research suggests that inflammation directly triggers sensations of itch which in turn cause the patient to scratch. This leads to further damage of the skin as well as increased risk for infection with bacteria.

Researchers do know that the following may contribute to the changes in the skin barrier, which critically regulates moisture:

• Changes in genes.
• Problems with the immune system.
• Exposure to certain things in the environment.

Diagnosing Food Allergy And Eczema Flare

• Your child’s doctor may suggest the steps listed below:
• Remove the suspected food or foods from your child’s diet for 2 weeks. The eczema should greatly improve.
• Then give your child that food when the eczema is under good control. This is called a “challenge.”
• If the food is causing flare-ups, the eczema should become itchy and red. The flare-up should occur quickly within 2 hours of eating the food.
• If this occurs, avoid giving this food to your child. Talk to your child’s doctor about the need for any food substitutes.
• If the eczema does not flare-up, your child isn’t allergic to that food.

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