Eczema atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis and eczema are quite inevitably linked together, as the two are symptomatic of skin disorders that involve rashes as well as scaly dry skin, and are part of the most common collection of skin problems that are treated today.  Atopic dermatitis is considered by most to be virtually interchangeable with the term eczema, and create a large amount of discomfort for those afflicted with this condition, making those typically shy even more so with a certain level of unfair guilt and social stigma attached to having eczema at all.

With atopic dermatitis, the telltale signs of the condition usually begin at an early age, and can flare-up all throughout adulthood even with treatment.  In most cases, the atopic eczema is hereditary and a chronic disorder that can lead to young babies to scream and cry in the helplessness that it feels like to have this affliction, but these flare-ups can be overcome simply with a doctor’s help, or dermatologist’s expertise to help diagnose a case more accurately.  With youngsters, a parent will want to consult the child’s pediatrician first, and then the parents will have a better way of dealing with the condition both personally and in treating their child well.

Many different irritants will this ailment worsen into the aforementioned flare-ups; like laundry detergents, some kinds of hand washing soaps, and materials that go into the making of some clothing.  There are also many other factors that can precipitate a flare-up such as stress and environmental irritants and allergies, and other conditions which lead to the flare-up can also be when the temperature gets too low or too hot, even when the person with eczema atopic dermatitis would happen to have a bacterial infection.  Many more than fifteen million Americans have this atopic eczema, it is estimated that twenty percent of infants and children experience symptoms of atopic dermatitis.

A complete medical history and physical examination is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis, children from a mother with severe allergic reactions can be prone to a sensitivity to eczema or atopic dermatitis, and a family history, blood tests and any history of asthma or allergy will help with further more accurate analysis.  It is advisable to take certain precautions to manage atopic eczema well; avoiding contact with the irritants determined by a physician’s guidance, taking baths and showers with lukewarm water, using emollients or lotions to rehydrate the areas of the skin so afflicted, and the reduction of stress.  It is important to note that where stress is a factor, this includes emotional duress, and might even be the source for lesser cases of eczema atopic dermatitis.

The prescription of many different medications will also help reduce the timing of flare-ups in the condition, as well as the amount of time that flare-up would last, but some of the stronger solutions listed are likely to only be recommended by a doctor or licensed dermatologist.  Such things as antihistamines, steroid creams, and oral antibiotics can be helpful to treating eczema in its’ severity.  Even such things as light therapy, under medical supervision, can be worthwhile but is not offered at all dermatology clinics.