Eczema

Eczema is a skin disease that will leave you with patches of skin that become rough and inflamed with blisters. The blisters can ooze and bleed which results in a lot of painful and itchy skin. It is a very common problem that is prone to developing in babies and children. There are many skin problems that can cause eczema that include Atopic dermatitis, scabies or fungal infections, amongst others. It can also be caused by the immune system not functioning properly, environment and certain activities that may result in the skin becoming more sensitive. It can also run in the family. However, eczema is not contagious even if you come into contact with someone that has it

SYMPTOMS OF ECZEMA

There are a lot of different symptoms to eczema, depending on what type you have but the most common symptom for all types is itchiness of the skin. For the majority, it is only mild but as it progresses it can be very extreme causing the skin to swell and bleed which will worsen the eczema. People will also suffer with dry skin, scaly patches, inflamed skin and dark patches on the skin. All these symptoms can be mild or intolerable depending on the type and severity of eczema.

Treatments

There is no cure for eczema and symptoms can differ between each person. Treatments for eczema are used to control and relieve the symptoms given by it and work differently for everyone. These can include medications and therapies.

Medication

Medication for eczema is usual found over-the-counter and are usually used to moisturise the skin but can also reduce symptoms like redness, rash, and itching. They can also be used to gentle clean the skin to avoid infection.

Creams — these are the most common kind of eczema treatment and can relieve pain, itching, redness and infection. They come in the form of corticosteroid cream or ointment that is applied to the skin after moisturizing. Other creams that can help are calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus (Protopic) and primecrolimus (Elidel) which control the skins reaction by affecting the immune system, as well as PDE4 inhibitors and skin barrier creams.
Antibiotics — these usually come in cream form for eczema and can treat infections that have developed in the skin.
Oral drugs — in order to control the inflammation, the can develop, drugs such as oral corticosteroids like prednisone can help.
Injections — for severe cases of eczema an injection of a monoclonal antibody called duplilumab (Dupixent). These injections consist of genetically engineered proteins and are administered intravenously (IV) through infusions to target specific areas of the immune system to stop the triggering of inflammation.

Therapies and Other Treatments

Phototherapy — this is a treatment in which the skin is exposed to controlled amounts of sunlight, artificial ultraviolet A, or narrow band ultraviolet B. This is recommended for those who don’t respond well to topical treatments or those who have flare ups after treatment.
Wet dressings — this treatment is for those who suffer from severe eczema and is intensive but effective. It involves wrapping the affected area with corticosteroid and wet bandages. Mostly this will be administered in a hospital environment as nursing experience is needed in order to perform the procedure. However, you can ask your doctor to teach you have to do it at home for ease.
Habit-breaking — eczema is very irritating and it can be extremely difficult to not to scratch the affected areas which will only cause it to get worse. Breaking the habit through the use of relaxation, behavior modification and biofeedback can help to stop the scratching. This can then allow other treatments to be more effective.

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