Understanding and Managing Eczema: Causes, Symptoms & Relief

In today’s world, skin troubles are not new! Almost everyone, irrespective of age or gender, is afflicted with some or the other skin problem. Eczema is one such skin problem with an estimated prevalence of more than 10% among general population.

What is Eczema?

Eczema literally means a type of skin condition where the skin boils out. This leads to development of itchy, red, dry and cracked skin. Atopic Eczema is the most common form of eczema and it mostly occurs in children till about the age of 5 years. But in some cases, it continues well into the adult life too.

Causes of Eczema:

Eczema’s exact causes are unknown and there is no complete cure that has been discovered till date. However, treatment aims to control itching and control the symptoms, the main ones being dryness, itchiness, redness and swelling on the skin.

Main reasons of eczema are:

• Eczema affects the immune system of a person which may lead to sudden skin responses. When the eczema victim comes into contact with anything at all, the problem erupts. This doesn’t mean that the person only suffers because of physical contact. Sometimes the person may show severe reactions even without any intermittent contact. Eczema is troublesome as the contact of almost any substance such as clothing, detergents, soaps, grass, food products, allergens, combination of elements or even dust will take humidity away from the skin and further worsen the condition.
• Another major reason to suffer from eczema may be heredity. In cases where parents are suffering or have suffered from eczema, there are 80% chances for their children to develop it too.
• Emotions like anger and frustration can also lead to heightened symptoms of eczema.
• Extreme hot or cold weather can be intolerable for those who have a tendency to suffer from eczema. People suffer from eczema when the level of humidity is high in the atmosphere and suffer from dryness of skin when the levels of humidity drop down.

Factors Flaring Symptoms of Eczema:

Eczema is a hereditary disease of the auto-immune system but there are certain factors that can make the symptoms of this skin disease even worse. These are called triggers and they are listed below.

• For a lot of people who suffer with eczema, exposure to wool or man-made fibers can cause a bad flare
• Perfumes
• Makeup
• Dust and sand
• Cleaners and soaps
• Chlorine
• Cigarette smoke
• Bacterial Infection
• Cold or flu
• Prolonged exposure to water
• Taking a shower for too long
• Taking a shower with very hot water
• Not using a lotion or skin lubricant after a shower
• Low humidity in winter
• Living in areas that are dry all year long

Prevention:

In cases like eczema where there is no permanent cure, it is better to stay away from irritants that cause troublesome flares in the first place. Keep away from things that can irritate your skin such as cleaners, detergents, certain soaps and clothing etc.

1. Moisturize:

Use moisturizer on your skin every day as this can help in keeping the skin soft and hydrated.Using a moisturizer is the best way to keep eczema under control. It is important to moisturize after washing and bathing. Unscented moisturizer is better for skin that way. Thick creams and ointments provide better protection to your skin.

2. Don’t Scratch:

Eczema does cause itchiness, but scratching can lead to more itching.Even if it itches, don’t scratch. Itching can further irritate your skin and can cause a break. It can also crack the skin further, which is generally followed by an infection.

Also, scratching causes skin damage. You can try using cold compresses, baths, medications and frequent moisturizing to ease scratching.

3. Identify the Triggers:

Take your own time and identify the triggers to avoid or limit your exposure to those items. Triggers are what make your condition even worse. It is essential that you avoid exposure to them as much as possible.

Many things can trigger an eczema flare up; it can be due to dust mites or scented soaps. The director of Cambio Dermatology in Southwest Florida, Andrea Cambio says, “You should eliminate all products with fragrance – including soaps, perfumes, cosmetics and scented body lotions – from your routine.”

Look for unscented mild products without additives and chemicals. Other potential triggers can be household cleaners, pet dander, grass, gasoline, chemicals, dust, mites and some foods. If you are not aware which food is causing allergy you can go for an allergy test.

PREV POST PAGE 1 2NEXT