Eczema By Brenda Williams At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

It's itchy. It's scratchy. It's dry. It's annoying. It's something called Eczema, and it is a skin condition in which the skin is so dry that it actually causes the skin to become cracked and irritated. Broken down, eczema is just a fancy term for “severely dry skin”.

Also referred to as dermatitis, eczema can also refer to several different types of skin swelling. And while it is not dangerous, most types of eczema can cause redness or swelling at the site where it occurs. Most, if not all cases of eczema can be treated with some serious over the counter cream. However, for more severe cases (as if it wasn't already severe enough), you have to get one of those illegible notes from your doctor in order get a stronger cream to attack the issue.

I remember when I was younger how we found out that my little brother had eczema. His case was severe enough that he needed special cream to treat the issue (which was on his feet). In more severe cases of eczema, symptoms will include dryness, itching, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing or bleeding. Additionally, temporary skin discoloration can occur at the site with scarring at a minimum if not rarity. Typically, eczema occurs on the flexor aspects of joints and first made its appearance in young children towards the latter half of the 20th century.

While it has been suggested that eczema is often seen as a type of allergic reaction to the excrement from house dust mites, there are certainly other things that aggravate eczema in those who suffer from it. For instance, dermatologists typically suggest avoiding the following litany of activities which might exacerbate the issue. For example, avoid harsh detergents or soaps (such as Ivory) that tend to dry out th skin. When choosing a soap, try to choose one that has an oil or fat base such as goat milk soap. Eczema sufferers may also want to look into using unscented soap or a non-soap based cleanser. After getting out of the shower, eczema sufferers may want to consider using an after-shower moisturizer to help lock moisture in. Such basic items like petroleum jelly/Vaseline do just this. Baby oil may also be used. It is also advisable that those with sensitive be wary of how they dry their skin. For instance, you should “pat” yourself dry versus rubbing your skin as any abrasive movements will only provoke the existing situation.

For people who suffer from dermatitis, corticosteroids are often used because they are highly effective in reducing symptoms. For mild to moderate eczema, for example, a weak steroid such as hydrocortisone or desonide is used while more severe cases of eczema may use a higher potency steroid such as clobetasol propionate or fluocinonide. These types of medications will usually require a written prescription from a doctor, however.

If you suffer from eczema, you will also want to watch what you eat as many people have food allergies that show up in the form of dermatitis or other skin problems. Make sure that you read all food labels before consuming food, and most importantly, pay attention to when you start to notice symptoms occur.

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