Your doctors, pharmacists, nurses and dermatologists will be your best advice for the treatment of eczema.

In addition to prescribing the relevant treatment for your eczema, your doctor can give you advice on other ways to help control your eczema. If you are having difficulty controlling your eczema, your doctor may arrange for you to see a skin specialist (dermatologist). Always tell your doctor about any products you may have purchased yourself for your eczema, such as emollients, antihistamines, etc. Read more »

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You should avoid anything that irritates your eczema. Many common irritants can be reduced or avoided by following the advice below:

• You should wear cotton clothes or clothes with plenty of cotton in them. Wool and synthetic fabrics may irritate eczema. Clothes are best washed with a non-biological powder or liquid. Fabric conditioners should be avoided.
• The house dust mite is an allergen and may cause eczema. They live in bedding, soft furniture, carpets and curtains. House dust mites can be reduced by daily vacuuming, damp dusting, airing your mattresses regularly, and washing all bedding and soft toys at least 6o°C. Soft toys in bed should be kept to a minimum. If your child has any favourite soft toys they can also be put in a bag in the freezer for several hours to kill house dust mites. Read more »

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Antihistamine tablets are available which can help reduce itching. Some have a sedative effect and may help you to sleep better at night. They should not be taken during the day as they may interfere with work and driving. You should talk to your doctor about this.

Specialist hospital treatments include light therapy (PUVA) and some drugs. Some specialist treatments may require your admission to the day care unit or ward. Read more »

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Topical immunomodulators are available as a cream or ointment, which are applied to the skin to dampen down the immune system and help reduce inflammation. This kind of treatment should only be used in exceptional cases where topical steroids do not work, and it should not be used in children younger than 2 years. Topical immunomodulators should never be used in infected eczema. They should only be started by a doctor experienced in the treatment of atopic eczema.

The immunomodulators are currently under specific investigations due to the potential risk of skin cancer.  Read more »

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Topical steroids are available as ointments, creams or gels. These treatments have been around for years and if used correctly can be used safely.

Topical steroids are available in different strengths (mild, moderate, etc.). You may be given different steroids to use on different areas of your body. Your doctor will advice you on your treatments and any side effects that you need to look for. If in doubt, ask.

How To Topical Steroid And Antibiotic Combination Therapy To Help Eczema? Read more »

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If you have eczema your doctor may prescribe emollients for you. You can also buy many of them at your local pharmacy. Remember that many moisturisers on the shop shelves are not recommended as they may contain perfumes and other ingredients that will irritate your eczema.

A general principle is the drier the skin the more greasy the moisturiser needs to be. Be careful as some creams may also contain preservatives which may irritate your eczema. You can ask your doctor about this. Read more »

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In some eczemas, for example atopic dermatitis, a daily emollient bath is essential for cleansing and moisturising your skin (your doctor will advice you on whether you should do this). Bathing cleans your skin and makes it more comfortable by removing dead skin cells and reducing the number of bacteria. Make sure the bath water is warm rather than hot.

Cosmetic bathing products may be irritating and may make your eczema worse. If your eczema is infected, bath oils with antiseptics are helpful to some people. Remember to use these for short time only and then return to using plain bath oils. Read more »

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Eczema can flare up for no apparent reason, or for lots of reasons. You will probably develop an idea of the things that make your eczema worse. If you are aware of some of the common reasons for your skin getting worse, you may be able to avoid them. It can, however, be difficult to pinpoint everything which triggers your eczema. Keeping a diary can help.

How does itching and scratching affect my eczema?

Eczema is a very itchy skin condition. The itch is worse when your skin is dry or your eczema flares. Scratching is what everyone does when they have an itch. Scratching will damage the skin and actually make it more itchy. Therefore, Read more »

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One person out of ten has eczema at some time in their life. You cannot catch eczema from touching someone with eczema as it is not contagious. It is not passed on from person to person. All age groups can be affected, although certain types of eczema are more common at different stages in life:

Atopic eczema

Can flare up quickly and then calm down, or be almost constant showing little change and progressing slowly. The skin is dry, red and itchy. It usually starts in the first few months of life but can develop at any time. About 75% of children grow out of it by puberty. It is slightly more common in boys than in girls.  Read more »

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Dry skin is a major sign and symptom of eczema.The two pictures illustrate the outer layer of the skin (epidermis). The skin is represented as a brick wall, where the bricks are the skin cells and the mortar filling the spaces in-between is fat (lipids).

Normal skin barrier function (no eczema)

• moisture is retained in the skin
• irritants are kept out
• the skin has a high water content and a good balance of the natural lipids
• the skin is well hydrated and supple

Breakdown of the skin barrier (eczema)

• moisture escapes
• the skin is dry and brittle and cracks easily
• irritants and bacteria can get into the skin causing redness, inflammation and itchy skin

The pictures show why the skin becomes dry when you have eczema. The brick-like structure of the skin is now broken and the barrier is more like a stone wall with lots of holes between the bricks. The situation is made worse by scratching which damages the surface of the skin even further. Treatment is aimed at restoring the skin barrier to prevent water loss and reducing the inflammation and irritation.

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