What Is Eczema And How Is It Treated?

00:00 - What is eczema?
00:14 - When does eczema appear?
00:29 - Who gets eczema
00:40 - Eczema and filaggrin
00:54 - Differences between eczema in children and adults
01:22 - Where does eczema appear?
01:38 - Tests for eczema
01:46 - 8 different types of eczema
01:50 - Causes of atopic dermatitis
02:05 - Contact dermatitis
02:39 - Seborrheic dermatitis
02:52 - Neurodermatitis
03:18 - Stasis dermatitis
03:39 - Hand eczema
03:51 - Treatments for eczema
04:06 - Light therapy
Eczema is a common skin condition that causes itchy, red, dry, and irritated skin. The type of eczema you have can determine what type of rash you develop and where on your body it occurs.
What causes eczema?
The cause of eczema isn’t completely understood. However, researchers think that it’s triggered by an overactive immune system.
Eczema tends to flare when your skin is exposed to external irritants, which cause your immune system to overreact. We’ve listed common triggers for flare-ups below.
Additionally, researchers have found that some people with eczema don’t make enough of a protein called filaggrin (filament aggregating protein). This protein is responsible for helping your skin stay moisturized and healthy.
Eczema triggers:
An eczema flare-up happens when one or more eczema symptoms appear on the skin. According to the National Health Service (NHS), research has shown that external and internal factors can contribute to flares of eczema. Common triggers include:
chemicals or preservatives found in cleansers and detergents
scented products
cigarette smoke
external allergens such as pollens, mold, dust, or dust mites
rough scratchy material, like wool
synthetic fabrics
sweating
temperature changes
stress
food allergies
animal dander
upper respiratory infections
There are a number of different types of eczema, including the following:
What are the symptoms of eczema?
The main symptom of eczema is itchy, dry, rough, flaky, inflamed, and irritated skin. It can flare up, subside, and then flare up again.
Eczema can occur anywhere but usually affects the arms, inner elbows, backs of the knees, cheeks, and scalp. It’s not contagious and sometimes becomes less severe with age.
Other symptoms include:
intense itching
red or brownish-gray patches
small, raised bumps that ooze fluid when scratched
crusty patches of dried yellowish ooze, which can signal infection
thickened, scaly skin
sore or raw-feeling skin
Many people find their symptoms get worse at night, making it difficult to sleep. Scratching eczema further irritates and inflames the skin. This can cause infections that must be treated with antibiotics.
How is eczema treated?
A dermatologist, allergist, or primary care doctor can help you identify the correct treatment for eczema. The right treatment for you will depend on the type and severity of your eczema. You might find it helpful to combine more than one treatment.
Options include:
Medications
Oral over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines can relieve itching. They work by blocking allergic reactions triggered by histamine. However, they can cause drowsiness, so it’s best to take them when you don’t need to be alert.
Examples include:
cetirizine (Zyrtec)
diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
fexofenadine (Allegra)
loratadine (Claritin)
Cortisone (steroid) creams and ointments can relieve itching and scaling. But they can have side effects after long-term use, including:
thinning of the skin
irritation
discoloration
Low potency steroids, like hydrocortisone, are available OTC and can help treat mild eczema. High potency steroids for moderate or severe eczema can be prescribed by a doctor.
A doctor might prescribe oral corticosteroids when topical hydrocortisone isn’t helping, These can cause serious side effects, including bone loss.
To treat an infection, a doctor may prescribe a topical or oral antibiotic.
Immunosuppressants are prescription medications that prevent your immune system from overreacting. This prevents flare-ups of eczema. Side effects include an increased risk of developing cancer, infection, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.
Therapies
Light therapy, or phototherapy, uses ultraviolet light or sunlamps to help prevent immune system responses that trigger eczema. It requires a series of treatments and can help reduce or clear up eczema. It can also prevent bacterial skin infections.
Healthline content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice. See a licensed medical professional for diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Opinions expressed in this video may not reflect those of Healthline Media.
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