Effective treatments for atopic eczema

Atopic eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a form of eczema, which is the most common. This health condition results in the skin becoming itchy, dry, red, or cracked. Atopic eczema is generally more prevalent among children and often tend to develop before they turn 1 year old. However, this form of eczema can also develop in adults.

This disease is generally a chronic or a long-term condition. However, it can significantly improve, or completely clear, in certain children while they become older.

Remedies for easing the symptoms

Atopic eczema treatment is known to help to ease the symptoms of the disease. There exists no known cure so far for the disease. However, most children who suffer from atopic eczema, find that the symptoms improve naturally as they become older.

The primary atopic eczema treatments include:

• Emollients or moisturizers
• These are to be used every day, to prevent the skin from becoming dry.
• Topical corticosteroids
• These include ointments and creams used for reducing the redness and swelling during the flare-ups.

There are also other kinds of treatment such as:

• Tacrolimus or topical pimecrolimus for eczema affecting the sensitive sites of the body, and thus, not impacted by any simpler form of treatment.
• Antihistamines for extreme itching.
• Specially designed bodysuits or bandages, to let the body heal beneath.
• Certain treatments that are more powerful and are offered by a skin specialist or a dermatologist.

Reduce skin damage by not itching
Atopic eczema is usually itchy. The disease can also cause the temptation to scratch certain affected areas on your skin. However, scratching generally causes damage to the skin, and can further result in more eczema occurring.

Atopic eczema causes the skin to thicken if the patient chronically scratches. The affected patches turn leathery. More scratching may also result in bleeding as well as increase the chances of the skin to get scarred or infected. You should cover the skin with light clothes and reduce the chances of damage.

Reducing scratching helps in atopic eczema treatment. Patients must try reducing scratching to the best extent possible. If you suffer from the skin condition, you should gently rub the skin with the fingers instead. For babies suffering from atopic eczema, anti-scratch medication can prevent them from damaging their skin. You should also ensure that your nails are clean and short, to lessen skin damage due to unintentional scratching.

Avoiding triggers

Your physician will have a consultation session with you, to determine what can trigger your eczema. This is a primary step in atopic eczema treatment. However, eczema can tend to get worse or better for no particular reason as such.

Once you get to know the triggers, you must try avoiding those to the best extent possible, such as:

• If particular fabrics cause irritation to the skin, you should avoid wearing those and wear soft, finely woven clothes or natural fabrics, like cotton.
• If heat worsens your eczema, you should keep your rooms cool, particularly your bedroom.
• You should avoid using detergents or soaps which can badly affect the skin, and use substitutes for those soaps instead.

Changes in diet

Certain food is known to trigger atopic eczema. Avoiding eggs and cows’ milk aids in atopic eczema treatment. Before making changes in the diet, you should consult your physician regarding your skin condition.

If your doctor suffers any food allergy, you are likely to be recommended a dietician or a nutritionist. The dietician will help you work a way out, to avoid the certain food you may be allergic to. They will at the same time, ensure that you get the nutrition that you require.

Atopic eczema treatment mostly involves hospital specialists, such as a dermatologist, an immunologist, or a pediatrician. If you are breastfeeding your baby who has atopic eczema, you should seek medical help and advice before incorporating any change in your everyday diet.

Moisturizing Treatments

Moisturizing atopic eczema treatments, known as emollients, are directly applied to the skin, to lessen the loss of water and to cover it with protective layers. These moisturizers are usually used to manage scaly or dry skin conditions such as atopic eczema.

Besides making your skin less scaly or dry, this atopic eczema treatment has a significant anti-swelling role. Emollients are known to effectively reduce the number and frequency of eczema flare-ups that you may experience.

There are different types of emollients available. Your physician may advise you to use a combination of two or more emollients. Different emollients are commonly used as atopic eczema treatment methods which include ointments for dry skin, lotions or creams for skin which is less dry, and emollients to be used as substitutes for soap.

Set up a consultation session with your doctor without delay if you experience any symptoms of atopic eczema.