By Donna Newnham
Eczema is a skin condition that is irritating, unsightly and often painful as well as embarrassing and demoralizing for the sufferer. Those who have never had the condition will no know the strain of the constant itch, the hassle of having to check everything that is likely to come in contact with your skin and the hopelessness that comes from another attack - usually when you need to look your best.
There are several types of eczema:
Atopic eczema - this is the commonest type of eczema, usually running in families, and shows up as dry, red, flaky and inflamed skin that is incredibly itchy. The skin becomes fragile and if scratched, can break and become infected.
Infantile seborrhoeic eczema - this usually shows up in children under a year old and is otherwise known as cradle cap. Although unsightly it does not seem to cause any discomfort or illness and will normally clear up on it's own within a few months.
Allergic contact dermatitis - this happens when the bodys immune system reacts with something the skin comes in contact with regularly, and normally develops over a period of time. Common allergens are nickel, (which is found in jeans buttons and earrings), perfumes and rubber.
Irritant contact dermatitis - normally from contact with chemicals or other everyday materials which cause irritation. Washing up liquid, household cleaners and other detergents are the most common culprits.
Varicose eczema - usually effects the lower legs of older people with poor circulation, normally occurring around the ankle as itchy, speckled and inflamed skin. If left untreated this can cause skin ulcers.
Discoid eczema - this is normally found in adults and shows up as itchy and weepy coin shaped areas on the body and legs. If you think you or your child has eczema it is really important that you have it diagnosed correctly, possibly with a referral to a dermatologist. You may be advised to try emollients and hydrocortisone creams to manage the problem, but there are a few things you can do at home to help as well:
Keep your skin moisturized - this will help relieve the itching.
Keep an eye on the detergents you use at home, especially washing powder. Try to use non-bio products as they cause less irritation to the skin.
Try not to scratch. This is difficult to do, especially with small children, even small amounts of scratching can lead to infection.
Use cotton clothes and bedding as they help keep the skin cool.
Reduce the effect of house dust mites with regular vacuuming, damp dusting and bed airing.
Don't bathe in hot water - this will dry the skin further and irritate the skin.
If you have central heating in your house make sure that you use humidifiers on the radiators to stop the air from drying out too much as this will encourage your skin to dry out.
Eczema is a problem that affects a lot of people, especially children. as a mother of a child suffering from eczema I know the difficulties faced by a sufferer. If you would like some more information about eczema please visit my lens at http://www.squidoo.com/copingwithexcema
http://eczemadiet.url-site.com/
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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 8:06 AM
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