Eczema
The word 'eczema' is used to describe any chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by red, blistering, oozing or dry, scaly, thickened lesions. Many doctors use this term interchangeably with dermatitis.
Symptoms:
The symptoms of eczema vary depending on the type. Atopic eczema symptoms include:
- Red skin
- Dry skin
- Itchy skin
- Small water blisters on the skin, particularly on the hands and feet - or the skin can become wet and weepy if it gets infected
- Scaly areas of skin in places that are scratched frequently - this is known as lichenification
Atopic eczema usually affects the backs of the knees and the front of the elbows as well as the chest, face and neck.
Common types of eczema are:
- Atopic dermatitis: ( As described earlier in the section)
- Contact dermatitis: ( As described earlier in the section)
- Seborrhoeic dermatitis: This is a common chronic skin condition characterised by the appearance of waxy scales on the skin and reddened areas, occurring on the areas of the skin where there is a presence of large oil glands (the middle of the face, behind the ears, and especially on the scalp. Infants and adults of middle age are most affected by it.
- Exfoliative dermatitis: This is characterised by eruptions which show a great amount of scaling and flaking.
- Stasis dermatitis: This type of eczema occurs in the portions of the body where the blood circulation is very poor, like around the ankles and has a great tendency to form ulcers. It is often associated with some circulatory disorder like varicose veins etc.
- Numular dermatitis: The eruptions are coin shaped in this type of eczema.
- Neuro dermatitis: This is used to describe eczema, which are primarily psycho-somatic in nature i.e. stress is the main cause.
Causes
You cannot catch eczema. It does not spread from one person to another.
The exact cause of atopic eczema isn't fully understood at present. People do have a genetic, or inherited, tendency to develop the condition however. Atopy means a family tendency to a variety of allergic conditions, including asthma, hay fever and eczema.
Sometimes, the symptoms "flare up" for no obvious reason. But you may notice certain triggers that set off your, or your child's, eczema including:
- chemicals, detergents, soap or shampoo
- inhaled irritants such as pollen or house dust mites
- infections with bacteria or viruses
- certain foods in people that have food allergies, although this is quite rare
- dry skin
- being "run down", if you are ill with a cold, for example
- changes in hormone levels - eczema can be worse in women before their monthly period
- stress
Eczema management
Drug treatments are only part of the treatment for eczema. Eczema also needs to be managed by dealing with the things that make it worse.
Identifying and avoiding the things that trigger your, or your child's, eczema are an essential part of your overall treatment plan. Keeping a diary to record anything that triggers eczema can help you to discover a pattern.
If your, or your child's, eczema is triggered by certain foods you should ask your doctor for advice on how to deal with this. Excluding foods may not have any effect and can lead to a deficiency of essential nutrients, calcium or protein. It should only be considered for children under the supervision of a doctor or dietitian.
With good management and appropriate treatment, most people are able to control their atopic eczema.