Atopic
eczema (also
known as
atopic
dermatitis)
is the most
common form
of eczema
and mainly
affects
children,
but can
often
continue
into
adulthood.
One in five
children in
the UK has
eczema, and
35% of cases
continue
past the age
of 16 years.
Eczema is
a long-term,
or chronic,
condition
that causes
the skin to
become
itchy, red,
dry and
cracked. In
some cases
the problem
area can
become
infected,
making
things
worse.
Scratching
the affected
area can
damage the
skin and
increase the
chance of
infection,
so this
should be
avoided
(although
resisting
the need to
scratch can
understandably
be very
difficult).
The
severity of
the
condition
can vary
from person
to person.
It can be
mild, but
severe cases
of eczema
can be very
sore with
badly
cracked and
bleeding
skin. The
most
commonly
affected
parts of the
body are
behind the
knees,
inside the
elbows, on
the side of
the neck and
around the
eyes and
ears. For
most people,
their eczema
will be okay
for a while
and then
flare up to
become much
worse,
requiring
additional
treatments.
The exact
causes of
atopic
eczema are
not known,
but it does
occur more
often in
people who
are prone to
allergies,
and also
those who
suffer from
other
problems
such as
asthma and
hay fever.
It has been
established
that eczema
runs in
families, so
genetics has
a part to
play in
whether or
not you’ll
be affected
by the
condition.
If you have
genes that
predispose
you to
eczema, the
condition
may then be
triggered by
allergens in
the
environment
such as
dust, house
dust mites
or pollen.
In many
cases, some
types of
food can act
as allergens
that trigger
eczema –
milk, eggs,
nuts and
wheat are
common
culprits.
However,
allergens
are not the
whole story,
as eczema
can also be
triggered by
other
factors
including
cold
weather,
rough
clothing,
harsh soaps,
washing too
much, stress
and sweating
a lot. In
general, it
does seem
that the
prevalence
of eczema is
on the
increase.
This may be
due to
changes in
the way we
live or the
environment
we live in,
but the
relative
importance
of each
factor is
not clear.
Eczema
cannot be
cured, but
many people
simply grow
out of it.
However,
when you are
suffering
from eczema,
it can be
both
physically
and
emotionally
uncomfortable,
so it’s good
that there
are
effective
treatments
to help
control the
symptoms.
The
Pharmacy2U
Online
Doctor
service can
provide a
wide range
of
prescription-strength
treatments
if
appropriate.
The
treatments
on offer are
discussed
below:
Emolients.
These are
moisturising
treatments
that soothe
the skin to
reduce
dryness,
cracking and
itching.
Emollients
are
frequently
used to
control the
symptoms,
and tend to
come as
creams,
ointments,
lotions or
bath
additives.
The best
form for you
will depend
on your skin
and the
severity of
eczema
symptoms,
but in
general,
ointments
are the best
for very dry
skin
(although
they’re the
most greasy
to use).
Emollients
are also
useful as a
substitute
for soap,
which can be
very drying
to the skin.
Click
here to
find out
more
|