ECZEMA What is Eczema

							ECZEMA
       What is Eczema?

• Long lasting, and recurring
  Skin condition
• Itching, scratching, drying skin,
• Red, scales, excoriated.
  Sometime may blistering and
  weeping.
• Eczema happen in all ages.
  Almost always begins in
  childhood, usually during
  infancy.
• May fade in childhood, or
  continue to life long.
• Affect men and women and all
  races equally.
  Eczema is not contagious.
 It is genetically determined.
It is an excessive reaction by
      the immune system.
Common places for infants
Cheeks, and ears, dry, red and
          cracks.
Cheeks red and dry
• Sometime
  eczema
  may
  associate
  with
  hayfever,
  and
  asthma.
Common places for
     children
 • Backs of
   knees, and
   ankles.
    Common places for children:
       insides of elbows.




• elbows
• Buttock area was
  spared because
  of wrapped with
  diaper and
  unable to
  scratch.
   Side
 effects
  from
 chronic
  use of
cortisone
    Chronic
scratching, skin
   becomes
thickening and
     scaly.
• Chronic scratching
  induced white scar
  areas.(hypopigmentat
  ion)
• Palm with
  small
  blistering
  lesions.
• Ears are another
  common places to be
  affected.
 Sometimes
 with round
red dry scaly
  lesions.
  Around lips, dry and chapped
 especially on kids who like to lick
• Another common
  condition.
• Both arms red, dry
  and scaly.
              Pityriasis alba
• Eczema appears with
  dry white spots on
  face.
• Not ringworm.
• White spots will
  disappear after
  regular moisturizing.
   There is no cure for eczema,
    but with proper care, eczema
    can be under good control.
      Triggering or worsening
                  factors
•   Dry skin
•   Irritants (rubbing, fumes,
    chemicals)
•   Allergens (pollen, dust mites,
    animal dander, or molds.)
•   Emotional stress
•   Heat and sweating
•   infection
           Home care
 Gentle  cleansing
 Avoid harsh soap, use products
  with perfume-free, and dye-free
 Good moisturizer

 Enough Fluid intake,

 Nutrition, balanced

 Emotion, stable
         Products such as…
 Non    soap cleansing---dove, cetaphil,
  oil of oly, aveeno.
 Moisturizer---- cetaphil cream, eucerin
  (plus) cream, DML cream, petroleum
  jelly, aquaphor ointment
 Clothing—cotton material, soft

 Laundry---cheer, all, dawny
What you can do?
 Pay attention to possible food
  or environmental allergies, or
  irritants. May refer for allergy
  clinic for evaluation.
 Good skin care and moisturizing

  is the key.
Pay attention to aggravating
factors
Eg. Environment, food, clothing,
  products.
Stop all the irritant right away
Call your doctor to evaluate
Use of medication
 over the counter, such as
 Aveeno anti-itch cream, Eucerin
 Aveeno oat meal bath
 All the products needed to be
  tested before apply to a larger
  area.
                  steroid
   Usage: anti-inflammation
   Benefit: decrease itch, and redness
   Side effects: atrophy, discoloration,
    and thinning skin. And rebound.
   Examples: over the counter
    hydrocortisone 1%, 0.5%
   Prescriptions needed for stronger
    strength.
   Use as needed only, max 2 weeks in
    a raw.
             antihistamine
Use: decrease itch
 Benefits: decrease itch

 Side effects: drowsiness, sleepy, “drugy”,
  dry mouth. Such as benadray, atarax
 May try non drowsy ones, such as claritin
  (Loratadine), or allegra
         Eczema resources
• www.nationaleczema.org
• www.aaa.org (american academy of
  dermatology)
• www.livingwithitch.org
• www.fda.gov (food and drug
  administration)
• www.cdc.gov (centers for disease and
  control and prevention)
Question?
Thank you