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Atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is also referred to as atopic eczema. It is a condition where the skin is inflamed and can result in itchiness, swelling and cracked skin. It is thought of as an allergic response. It is a very common problem in both children and adults. In children, the problem mainly affects the backs of the knees and the elbows and in adults, it mainly affects the hands and feet.
Atopic dermatitis can occur for many reasons. It is thought that people that live in cities or in dry areas will suffer with it more. Certain chemicals can affect the skin, there could be a dysfunction in the immune system, or it could run in the family. Stress is also a major factor, not the cause but it could worsen the condition and weather conditions have an impact on it too. Atopic dermatitis is also linked to hay fever.

ATOPIC DERMATITIS SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis include dry skin, severe itching which may be continuous and go on all day and night and swollen skin. Other symptoms included bumps on the skin that may weep if you scratch them too hard or red/brown patches on the skin especially on the hands, feet, scalp and eyelids.

Treatments

This condition can be persistent, even with treatments and can return in flare ups. You might have to try several treatments before you find one that works for you but it can still take a while to control. Make sure to know the conditions early so you can treat it before it gets worse. If home care doesn’t help your doctor may recommend medication or therapies in order to treat it.

Medication

  • Creams — these can control the itching and help to repair the skin that has been damaged. There are several different types of creams for atopic dermatitis. Most likely you will be prescribed a corticosteroid cream or ointment and will be directed to apply onto skin after moisturizing. The other creams consist of calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus (Protopic) and primecrolimus (Elidel) which affect your immune system. They help to control the skins reaction when applied directly after moisturizing. It’s recommended to avoid the sun when using these creams.
  • Drugs — these are used to fight off infection. It might in the form of an antibiotic cream if your skin ends up with a bacterial infection, open sores or cracks. It might be recommended to also take oral antibiotics in order to treat the infection, but only for a short time.
  • Oral drugs — these are used to control the inflammation that can occur with atopic dermatitis. Your doctor may prescribe you with oral corticosteroids like prednisone.
  • Injection — this is used for severe cases as is new to dermatology. A monoclonal antibody — duplilumab (Dupixent) is injected into the skin. It is reserved for this who don’t respond well to other treatments.

Therapies

  • Wet dressings — for severe atopic dermatitis, this is an intensive but effective treatment. It involves wrapping the affected area with corticosteroids and wet bandages. It can be done in a hospital environment as it requires nursing experiences. You can ask your doctor how to do it at home.
  • Light therapy — for those who don’t respond to topical treatments or who flare up again quickly after other treatments. It is phototherapy which involves the exposure of skin to controlled amounts of natural sunlight. Artificial ultraviolet A or narrow band ultraviolet B can be used alongside medication or alone.
  • Habit-breaking — using therapies such as relaxation, behavior modification and biofeedback can help those who have a habit of scratching, causing their atopic dermatitis to worsen aggressively. If you can break the habit, it’s likely treatments will be more effective.

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