October 4, 2007

A Primer on Eczema

Tip! There are several other types of eczema. Contact eczema is characterized by a localized skin reaction to either an allergen, such as poison ivy, or to an irritant compound such as detergent.

Eczema is one of the very rampant skin diseases that affect people all over the world who are allergic to certain skin allergens.

Eczema occurs with some other atopic or skin diseases, whose exact infected locations can not be really traced. Some of these diseases include asthma, hay fever and conjunctivitis.

Eczema is often chronic and symptoms and manifestations can further and continually develop, continue to exist or disappear over some period of time. When you say chronic, it means the disease is treatable but not curable.

There are several forms of treatment or medications for eczema. Treatments like ointments and other forms are generally used to ease or relieve the itchiness caused by eczema. These are also used to reduce or diminish the affected area in the skin.

Eczema is often mistaken for psoriasis, which is another chronic another skin disease.

Tip! There are many of you suffering from eczema and are wondering what in the world actually causes eczema. There is one type of eczema called atopic eczema which is thought to be gotten through heredity.

Eczema shows up or affects infants whose ages may range from one month to six months. In the united States alone, 60% of people diagnosed with eczema have had experienced their first onset of the skin disease when they were just a year old.

About 90% of eczema infected patients in third world countries got the skin disease when they were about 5 years old and below. There are cases of eczema onset during adolescent years but they are very uncommon and rare.

Symptoms of eczema

Be aware that manifestation or symptoms of this itchy and uncomfortable skin disease vary with age.

Overall, eczema is characterized by the presence of lesions which occur or can be found in different areas of the body, depending on age.

Tip! If you face an eczema inflamed cycle, you may need to treat it with more than just Vaseline. The recommended suggestion is to buy an over the counter cortisone cream.

For example, an infant has eczema if he has lesions in the extensor surfaces, the face or in the trunk. For young children, they are found in ankles and wrists. In adults, these lesions may be found in the upper chest, in the neck, in the face and in the genitals or sex organs.

Eczema in infants and children show up through rashes occurring during warmer weather. These rashes will surely worsen with the climate change from warm to winter or colder climate.

Skin areas infected with eczema also are characterized by unusual and unaesthetic skin drying.

Treating eczema

Modern medicine believes that eczema may be worsened or complicated by stress or emotional and psychological anxieties.

The dryness in the infected area in the skin can be practically reduced by avoiding and preventing further contact with the allergen that may have caused or triggered eczema.

Also, moisturizers are available and easily accessible in local drug stores and retail chains. But remember, it is important to seek a doctor’s or a dermatologist’s prescription and consultation first. Self-treatment or self-prescription should be avoided for it may only worsen the skin disease.

Use of strong and harsh soaps must also be reduced to help prevent further drying of the skin. Most soaps today have chemicals that wash away and put out the natural oil produced by the skin. These natural oils contain substances that will help prevent skin drying.

Tip! There is no cure currently available for eczema but there are a range of treatments aimed at minimizing the symptoms of the skin disease. Topical creams and skin care products are useful but the key to managing the disease is the identification of chemicals, allergens and detergents that exacerbate the disease.

Eczema Prevention

Of course, jut like other skin diseases, the most basic and general prevention is hygiene.

Avoid skin contact with allergens like skin irritating chemicals, solvents and clothes. As much as possible, also avoid too much exposure to extreme climates like very high or very low temperatures.

It can be hard to explain but emotional stress can also be a factor causing eczema so as much as possible avoid it, as well as exposure to excessive or little tobacco smoke.

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Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
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Charlene J. Nuble 2006.

For answers to All your frequently asked questions about eczema, please go to: http://eczema.allergyanswers.net/ or go to: http://allergyanswers.net/ http://allergyanswers.blogspot.com/

Tip! Firstly, there are several different types of eczema and accordingly there is a range of causes and triggers. Atopic eczema is considered to be genetically related and is therefore thought to be a hereditary condition.

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