Tag: Eczematous Skin

Eczema Treatment for Kids Keeping the Skin Moisturized

As a parent, its extremely difficult to see your kid having to put up with the symptoms of eczema. This is where you need to make the most out of an eczema treatment. Your kid needs relief from his or her skins inflammation, scaling and itching the nasty symptoms of this skin disease.

The best way to help your kid from going through these symptoms is to know what triggers them. There are triggering factors which aggravate the symptoms or cause flare ups; being able to point them out and prevent them from causing flare ups do more to your kid with eczema than alleviating the symptoms when they are already there. Some of the known triggering factors may include exposure to: detergents, shampoos, dust mites, extremes in temperature, wool, polyester and others. Of course each kid afflicted with eczema may have other substances that their skin condition is reactive to, resulting to flare ups.

However, its not at all times that you can prevent your kids from coming in contact with such triggering factors. With this the case, its best to maintain your kids skin well-moisturized. Skin dryness makes his or her eczematous skin even itchier. Read on to get some important pointers on how to keep your kids skin well-moisturized.

It is recommended to give your kid a bath rather than as shower. Water from the shower head brushing against the eczematous skin will only irritate it. Many doctors advise giving your kid a bath daily for at least 10 minutes lukewarm water never hot water. Hot water will only aggravate the dryness of the skin. Do not shampoo his or her hair in the bath tub; its best to do the shampooing prior to soaking your kid in bath water. This is because some of the ingredients in the shampoo may irritate the skin. Use a mild, unscented moisturizing soap. When it comes to drying, pat the skin gently with towel and never rub it, especially on the affected areas.

Within 2-3 minutes after you give your kid afflicted with eczema a bath, you should moisturize the skin. Like mentioned earlier, itchiness is triggered by skin dryness. Immediately after bathing, do not expose your kid to flowing air because it will hasten water evaporation on the skin, resulting to dryness. There are many types of moisturizers you may use on your kids eczematous skin. Some of them are even formulated especially for the skin disease. However, a greasy ointment works best in moisturizing the skin. It takes a few trials to find one moisturizer that your kids eczema does not react to negatively. Its recommended to reapply moisturizers at least 2-3 times throughout the day.

During winter time, when the air is cold and dry, you must apply a more generous amount of moisturizer on your kids skin. Also, try to not expose affected areas to the frigid air to delay skin drying. During summer time, sweating also contributes to the worsening of the symptoms. It is best to have your kid stay mostly indoors, if possible. If your house has air conditioning, you should make sure that the skin is kept moisturized at all times. Also, you should install a humidifier.

Eczema treatment and prevention of flare ups is not at all that tricky, if you know the culprit. Just remember, the best way to minimize itching of the eczematous skin of your child is to prevent it from drying.

Eczema Treatment Different Methods

There are many things you can do to keep eczema under control. Prevention of flare ups is your first line of defense in eczema treatment. Although there is not much your doctor can do to actually cure the skin disease, because there is no known cure for it today, however, he or she can prescribe certain treatments or medications which can help relieve the symptoms.

Corticosteroid Creams

For milder cases, there are over-the-counter creams and ointments containing corticosteroids. But for moderate to severe cases, you will need a doctors prescription of a stronger variant. For many years now, corticosteroids a class of steroid hormones produced by the body for stress, immune and inflammatory responses have been a staple treatment for eczema. If the condition does not respond to topical corticosteroids successfully, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids taken orally or injected into the blood stream.

Topical Immunomodulators

Because of the side effects brought about by corticosteroids in the treatment of eczema, it was necessary for experts to look for an alternative treatment for the skin disease. Topical immunomodulators do not contain corticosteroids, so corticosteroids-related side effects such as thinning of the skin, dilatation of blood vessels, formation of stretch marks and infections are averted. They work by changing some of the functions of your bodys immune system so that inflammation of the eczematous skin is managed properly. But topical immunomodulators are mostly recommended for a short-term treatment course, application only on skin areas affected by eczema, and not intended to be used on children below 2 years of age or those who are immunocompromised.

Oral Antihistamines

Ask anyone afflicted with eczema and he or she will tell you that skin itching may just be the worst symptom to put up with. Scratching the eczematous skin will not help in fact it will only aggravate the situation by making the inflammation and the itchiness itself even worse. This is where oral antihistamines come to the rescue. Antihistamines are commonly used for the control of allergies; they work by suppressing the action of histamines, which is produced by your body as part of its natural defenses. Oral antihistamines will help relieve itching and can be very useful during night time to help you get some sleep despite of the symptom.

Ultraviolet Light Therapy

Ultraviolet light therapy is often employed for the treatment of various skin conditions such as psoriasis, vitiligo and eczema. The person afflicted with eczema is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light for a certain amount of time, and is usually as part of a total treatment course. Depending on the severity of the case, most patients require 20-30 sessions to see results.

For self-care treatment, moisturizing the eczematous skin well will greatly help in keeping the symptoms at bay especially itching. Itchiness is achieved when the affected skin gets dry. That is why anyone afflicted with the skin disease is recommended to apply moisturizers 2-3 times a day or even more, depending on certain factors such as the weather. There are a wide variety of moisturizers which you may use.

Usually they are in the form of lotions, ointments, creams and foams. You may also find some moisturizers containing extracts of herbs that are proven effective in relieving inflammation and itchiness. Aloe gel, chamomile, rosemary, witch hazel and walnut leaf extracts are some of the commonly known additives for moisturizers effective for eczema treatment.

Eczema Treatment Corticosteroids and the Side Effects

Theres really no known cure for eczema. An eczema treatment can only do as much as lessening the symptoms of the skin disease. What are these symptoms? Constant itching, redness, swelling, scaling and thickening of the affected skin areas are the most common. However, the symptoms experienced by vary from one person to the other, as well as where in the body eczema is found.

One of the best interventions done on someone with eczema is to prevent the development of symptoms by avoiding exposure to triggering factors. The mildest symptoms may of course be easily remedied by moisturizers and compresses, which are great for preventing skin dryness and itching. But once skin inflammation is already present, such remedies may become less effective in delivering the job.

The worst of eczema symptoms may be effectively managed by anti-inflammatory agents, such as steroid-based corticosteroids. Whether in prescription or nonprescription forms, corticosteroids are a widely used treatment for eczema. What are corticosteroids? They are related to a hormone naturally produced by the body, which is essential for the reduction of the bodys natural inflammatory response. Since the mid-1950, corticosteroids have been used for many inflammatory skin diseases, including eczema.

Different Forms of Corticosteroids

There are several forms in which corticosteroids are utilized for the treatment of eczema. They may be in topical forms, the kind of preparations applied onto the skin ointments, lotions, creams and foams. These kinds of corticosteroids preparations are often used for mild to moderate inflammation of the eczematous skin. For severe cases, doctors often prescribe oral and injected forms of corticosteroids. These forms are the last resort when the topical preparations fail to resolve the symptoms. They are not recommended for use by pregnant women afflicted with eczema. Studies have shown that certain birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palate may be linked to the use of systemic corticosteroids during pregnancy.

Potential Side Effects of Corticosteroids

Many people suffering from eczema and their families are apprehensive about the use of corticosteroids because of the potential side effects associated with the treatment. However, such fear may be lessened by working with a highly competent doctor who have had prescribed the treatment before to other patients, and got satisfactory results.

Still, as with any other treatment that deals with medications, no matter how effective it is, side effects are a major concern. Researches revealed that the side effects are related to the dosage and potency of corticosteroids used. Also, the mode of administration topical, oral or systemic as well as the length of treatment, patients age, and the site of the eczematous skin all contribute to the gravity of the side effects. What are these side effects? They include:

Cataract May be the result of high dosages of corticosteroids and topical application around the eye area for a long time.

Glaucoma This results from topical application of corticosteroids near or around the eye area, as well as when administered systemically.
Nausea and vomiting Found to result from taking oral preparations of corticosteroids. Such effects may be curtailed by taking the medication with food.

Osteoporosis Loss of bone density, especially among female patients who are undergoing long-term treatment.

Skin effects May include the development of stretch marks, acne, rashes, infections, dilatation of blood vessels; often result from employment of topical corticosteroids.

The key to safe and effective eczema treatment such as the use of corticosteroids is by using them under the supervision of a doctor. It is important that the doctor keeps a watchful eye of the patients during the treatment.

Eczema Treatment Conventional vs. Natural

Some of the symptoms of eczema include inflammation, reddening, itchiness and formation of blisters on the affected areas of the skin. An eczema treatment is designed not to cure eczema itself because there is actually no cure but to spare the person afflicted with the disease form such symptoms. Body parts where lesions are likely to occur include the face, elbows, at the back of the knees and the wrists.

The eczematous skin tends to be really dry, which contributes to the itching of the area. Although scratching might give the person afflicted with eczema a certain degree of relief, however, this is not really advisable. Scratching will only exacerbate the condition. When an eczematous skin is scratched, it thickens.

The symptoms are at their worst during flare ups. It may cause the person discomforts and many sleepless nights because of the severe itching. Because of this, it is wise for anyone afflicted with the skin disease to find out the triggering factors of flare ups. They include dust, yeast, cosmetics, detergents, solvents and many others. Stress is also a triggering factor. When a person is stressed, the immune system of the body is decreased, which leads to the susceptibility of the person with eczema to have flare ups.

One can opt for a conventional or natural mode of treatment for eczema. So is one better than the other for you? Read on as we compare known conventional and natural treatments for the skin disease.

Conventional corticosteroids

Creams containing corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammation, redness and itching of the eczematous skin. They basically contain the same bodily hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex. This hormone is secreted to control the inflammation process. Topically applied, corticosteroids do the same thing on the affected skin: inflammation, redness and itching are relieved. However, some people afflicted with eczema are fearful of using steroids as part of their treatment. It is because of the many side effects on the skin, such as:

* Thinning of the skin
* Dilation of blood vessels
* Formation of stretch marks
* Rashes
* Skin infections

When used for long periods, corticosteroids may also get accumulated in the body and cause some metabolic imbalances. One reason for this is the competition of the topically applied steroid and the one secreted by the body for the same receptors that make them do their job. Another reason is giving the kidney a hard time to get rid of it through urination. You see, even when a medication is applied topically, it is absorbed by the skin, and may get into the blood stream. That is why the use of topical corticosteroid creams have to be maintained at low doses, and for a short period of time.

Natural herbal and antioxidants

The herbal approach to treating the symptoms of eczema are generally milder and gives little or no side effects. There are many herbs known to be beneficial to anyone suffering from the skin disease. Such herbs may be used as teas, tinctures and topical treatments. They can either be used alone or in combination, to boost the potency. Some of the herbs used for treating eczema include:

* St. Johns Wort
* Chamomile
* Chickweed
* Yarrow
* Nettle
* Licorice

Antioxidants are also great natural eczema treatment, as they are for many other skin diseases. For instance, Sea Buckthorn and Grape seed oils contain loads of antioxidants such as selenium, beta carotene and vitamins A, C and E.