Eczema, dermatitis … What do we know about skin diseases?

Some of you have probably met with a disease that initially occurs in children under two years of age, and, fortunately, is already passing by adolescence. Eczema is a disease that affects the skin, accompanied by itching and dry skin. According to statistics, 15-20% of children suffer from eczema.

The second name of this disease is atopic dermatitis. You can “catch” this type of dermatitis when allergens enter the respiratory organs (for example, pollen, animal hair components, dust) or to the organs involved in the digestive process (substances that cause food allergies). Dermatitis can accompany a person throughout life, but usually it develops and passes in childhood, up to 3 years. Atopic dermatitis manifests itself in the form of red irritations on the surface layers of the epidermis. At the same time, the skin begins to dry, itch, and subsequently on the lesions you can observe the appearance of a weep (serous fluid from bursting papules) with an admixture of blood droplets. Very often eczema dermatitis   atopic, occurs on the hands, face and neck, on the elbows and in the popliteal region. The infection negatively affects the body during the period of the disease, penetrating the body through the affected areas of the skin.

How does the disease begin?

Specialists involved in the study of chronic skin diseases cannot accurately determine the cause of eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, etc. A special role in this process is assigned to the genetic factor – that is, the disease is more hereditary. The calm course of the disease, the stage of remission, does not cause any trouble to the patient, but can be interrupted at any time by a sudden exacerbation. Often, an exacerbation is associated with the body’s response to provoking factors (stress, illness, etc.) or contact of the skin with allergen substances.

Household chemicals, shampoos, bath foams or even soap can act as an allergen. In case of exacerbations, doctors advise changing the brand of washing powder or shampoo, as this can help improve the patient’s condition. By the way, some have allergic reactions to jewelry (more precisely, to the metals contained in them).

Following atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis may occur in a patient. In advanced cases, if untreated, eczema and dermatitis can spread over the entire surface of the skin, which gives the patient unbearable pain of a physical and psychological nature.  

Treatment methods

Treatment of the disease depends on its severity. Usually, for eczematous pathologies, ointments containing hormones, lotions or creams with a softening effect are prescribed – this is for a mild course of the disease. External preparations are recommended to be applied to affected areas of the skin several times a day, thereby ensuring optimal hydration of dry skin.

If a complex, severe form of the disease suddenly develops due to the penetration of various kinds of infections into the lesion foci, an eczema patient is prescribed a course of taking antibiotics.

Before buying any drug, a specialist consultation is required, since all drugs are different, have a different spectrum of actions and may not produce the desired effect in any case. In addition, corticosteroids, hormones, and traditional medicine are strongly not recommended for use independently, without the appointment of a doctor. This is a mandatory rule and the key to successful treatment of the disease.

Take care of your health, take care of yourself! Be healthy!

event_note March 28, 2020

account_box Winona Tse MD

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