All about Eczema
December 16th 2007 -
If your skin is dry, itchy, red and sore you might be a victim of Eczema. In severe condition, the situation may end up with bleeding and ulceration. It is reported that around seven million of people are suffering from this condition in
Eczema is a group of inflammatory skin disorder that may manifest itself through symptoms mentioned above. Here it is imperative to mention that none of conditions categorized as Eczema are contagious.
Types of Eczema
There are several different types of Eczema and most common among this group is atopic or allergic Eczema and it runs in families, other types include contact dermatitis, Seborrhoeic eczema, Varicose eczema and Discoid eczema. All these types of eczema have different reasons of occurrence hence require different treatment modalities and it leaves proper diagnosis as single most important thing as for as treatment is concerned.
Symptoms
The main symptom in eczema is itching and in most of the cases this leads to worsening of the situation due to scratching and in severe cases the skin may bleed and turns red and dry. Eczema can occur any where in the body and the symptoms may very from person to person.
Treatment
In most of the cases the eczema subsides by the age of 25 years and to that time management of the condition is required. In course of treatment of eczema, most important consideration to avoid factors that trigger this discomfort. Some physicians agree that emollient creams, lotions and soap substitute can with help flare-ups by preventing the drying of the skin that triggers the itching. Steroid creams and lotion can also help by lessening the inflammation. They work by tuning down the body’s immune response to triggering factors. In some cases, where necessary, oral steroids are also prescribed. Apart from this where infection is seen, antibiotics may be given.
Prevention
In case of atopic eczema, there is no cure because it is due to genetic factors. In other cases we can prevent the flare ups by washing gently with soap substitutes. Not only this but avoiding any factor that results in dryness of the skin is important. Girls and ladies particularly need to stay conscious with applying make up that can leave the skin dry.