What is Eczema?
Eczema is the most common form of dermatitis and is often referred to as atopic eczema. It is an inflammatory skin condition which tends to be chronic - this means it re-occurs frequently and although it cannot be cured it can be controlled. A flare up of eczema involves the skin becoming itchy, reddened, cracked and dry.
Who gets Eczema?
Anyone can develop eczema although it is most common in children under 5 years. It may be outgrown or may, in a few cases continue into adulthood. Eczema is often associated with asthma and allergies such as hay fever and tends to run in families.
A flare up of eczema may be triggered by several different factors such as particular foods, chemicals, heat and even stress.
How is Eczema Treated?
As eczema involves very dry skin, the main treatment and means of controlling it involves intensive moisturising of the skin. It is important to develop and stick to a strict daily skincare routine. This can involve a good deal of time if your child has eczema but is worth the effort as it will reduce the intensity and frequency of eczema flare ups and also reduce the need for prescription treatments such as steroid creams.
Emollients are products which contain fatty substances which soften and soothe the skin. They form a film over the skin which reduces water loss and helps to keep moisture in the skin. This reduces itchiness. There are several emollient products on the market and it is usually necessary to try a few different products to find the one which is most effective in controlling your eczema. A good emollient is the backbone of eczema treatment and should be applied several times a day.
Although daily washing of the skin in a bath or shower is important as it removes dead skin cells and bacteria, soap, shower washes and products such as bubble bath should be avoided. Soap substitutes should be used instead. Soap substitutes recommended for eczema include emulsifying ointment, aqueous cream and silcocks base.
The emollient can be applied to wet skin and then rinsed off in the bath or shower or can be added to bath water. There are products available which can be added directly to the bath water or one of the soap substitutes can be used - just whisk a couple of tablespoons of the product in a jug of hot water and then add this to the bath.
An emollient should be applied after bathing or showering while the skin is warm. If you have been prescribed a treatment such as a steroid cream you should apply this directly after bathing or showering and then apply an emollient half an hour after this.
Emollient products tend to be heavy, greasy and unpleasant to use but are more effective than moisturising creams. A skincare regime for eczema should involve a combination of both an emollient and moisturising cream. A regime which is effective and manageable for most people involves using the emollient product at night after bathing/showering and a moisturising cream several times during the day.
If you develop a bad eczema flare up which is not responding to emollients or is infected it is important to visit your doctor.