Eczema

Eczema is a type of irritation of your skin (atopic dermatitis) that is mostly inherited. Eczema causes your skin to be itchy, break out in a dry rash and become darker. It is usually a result of the inability of your skin to protect itself from damage from irritants (e.g. certain foods, laundry detergents) and extreme hot or cold weather conditions. A defect in one of your genes can be the cause of this inability of the skin to protect itself. Eczema has no cure, but treatment and some changes in habits can reduce symptoms.

The symptoms of eczema may range from mild to severe. Some of the symptoms include:

• The affected area may often feel itchy and this itching may be worse at night.
• Your skin may become swollen and painful from excessive scratching.
• You may have dark patches on the affected areas of the skin.
• The affected skin may be scaly or may break.

Eczema is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including allergens, foods, hormones, stress and irritants like soap or cosmetics.

Eczema is mostly caused by a defect in one of your genes. The following may increase your risk of having frequent episodes of eczema:

• If your skin is usually dry.
• If you have allergic reactions to some jewellery and some other irritants (e.g. laundry detergent, certain foods, hot or cold weather) that you are exposed to.
• If you have had eczema before or you have a family member with eczema.

To prevent further complications, you should see your healthcare provider:

• If the itching does not go away and becomes so severe that it stops you from doing normal daily activities.
• If you notice other symptoms such as pus-filled bumps or high fever while you have an itch.

You can't prevent eczema, but you can prevent flare-ups. Identifying and avoiding the triggers that cause the flare-ups is the most effective way to do this. You can also reduce flare-ups by employing the self-care practices recommended under treatment.

Self-Care Tips

• You may need to apply creams or body oils while your skin is still damp to keep your skin moisturised.
• You can take a warm bath at least twice daily with mild soaps that are not heavily scented or medicated.
• You can pat your skin dry gently after a bath rather than scrubbing your skin with a towel.
• You can also use Sudocrem on the skin of children to relieve the symptoms of eczema.
• Use hypoallergenic skin moisturizers. Do not use sulphur treatments.

Medical Treatment

The treatment for eczema is aimed at healing the affected skin area and preventing further complications.

• Your healthcare provider may recommend medicines that help you treat the itching and reduce the swelling. These may include creams or ointments.
• If there is a skin infection, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics or antifungal medicines to take care of the infection.
• Your healthcare provider may recommend changes in your lifestyle, such as changing your bath soap to a milder one that does not irritate your skin (hypoallergenic).

Many people assume that eczemas are caused by dirt and lack of personal hygiene, this is not true. Many people go to extreme lengths to avoid dirt and uncleanliness and may expose themselves to cleaning agents and other irritants, making the eczema worse. Don't feel bad about your eczema since it is out of your control, and you cannot infect other people with it.

Self-care to improve your symptoms is the most effective way in the long term to manage this condition. Try to keep an exposure diary to help you identify substances (irritants) that make your condition worse, so you can avoid them. You may not be able to identify all the substances that irritate your skin, but avoiding those you know can markedly improve how often you have symptoms.