Following are some of the things that can make eczema worse:
- soap
- grass
- sand
- pets
- germs
- being too hot
- certain foods
If people with eczema avoid these things and use eczema creams, their skin will feel much better.
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2 AnswersA
Jumo Health answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe best treatment for eczema will probably include creams and moisturizers. Moisturizer makes the skin stronger, and cream from the doctor helps make the angry, red itch go away. Keeping skin clean is really important, too. It’s important to put lots of moisturizer all over the body, and then to put cream on the parts that are angry, red and itchy. If the creams don't work, a doctor can prescribe special medicine.
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Sigma Nursing answeredSee All 7 AnswersEczema (dermatitis) is a skin disease that commonly causes a red, itchy rash, though there are several types of eczema. It may also result in blisters that ooze, or scaling and scabbing of the skin. The most common is atopic dermatitis, which causes inflammation of the top layers of skin. It's common among those who suffer from asthma, hay fever or food allergies. Other types of eczema include:
- contact dermatitis - caused by contact with a specific material
- seborrhic dermatitis - affects your face and scalp
- nummular dermatitis - irritation appears in round spots
- generalized exfoliative dermatitis - affects the entire surface of your skin
- stasis dermatitis - caused by pooling blood in your lower legs
- localized scratch dermatitis - caused by incessant scratching
- perioral dermatitis - affects your mouth and chin
- pompholyx - may affect your palms, the soles of your feet or your fingers
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1 AnswerA
Dr. Daniel R. Spogen, MD , Family Medicine, answered on behalf of Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family MedicineEczema cannot be prevented but eczema flares can be prevented with the following:
- daily moisturizers
- limiting baths, showers and swimming
- avoiding exposure to chemicals
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3 AnswersA
Dr. Tanya R. Altmann, MD , Pediatrics, answeredSee All 3 AnswersEczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic, allergic skin condition. It is most common in infants and young children with a family history of asthma and allergies. Patchy areas of skin become dry, itchy, and irritated. In more serious cases, there may also be redness, swelling, cracking, weeping, crusting, or scaling. Eczema can be triggered by any number of factors, including food, soap, detergent, temperature changes, sweating, or other things that irritate or dry out the skin. For some children, flare-ups are few and far between. Others may be faced with ongoing symptoms that can vary considerably in severity, ranging from mild to quite widespread. -
3 AnswersA
Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredSee All 3 Answers
Psoriasis and eczema might look similar, but they are different skin conditions. To learn more about psoriasis and eczema, watch this video by Dr. Oz.
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2 AnswersA
Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredSee All 2 AnswersTo prevent outbreaks of eczema, follow your doctor's recommendations for avoiding triggers and caring for your skin. Common eczema triggers include emotional stress, hormonal changes, temperature extremes, and exposure to irritants such as wool, smoke, animal dander, perfumes, and strong soaps or detergents.
Talking with your doctor may help you identify your eczema triggers. In addition, your doctor may prescribe medications to prevent eczema flares. He may also suggest avoiding hot baths and applying moisturizer while the skin is still damp. -
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Dr. Lawrence T. Chiaramonte, MD , Allergy & Immunology, answeredSee All 2 AnswersLotions containing alcohol should not be used because the alcohol will dry the skin. Also steer away from lubricants that contain lanolin, which is derived from sheep and thus may be allergenic, and paraben, a preservative that may sensitize the skin. The CVS pharmacy brand of lubricating cream is a good value and works well. For children with more severe atopic dermatitis, topical steroid creams prescribed by your physician can provide relief from symptoms and should be applied to the skin that has a visible rash as often as three or four times a day.
It is important not to apply steroid creams to unaffected areas -- it increases adverse effects -- or to the face without specific instruction from your allergist. Usually, a milder corticosteroid is used on the face as the rash improves. Your physician will prescribe the appropriate form of topical steroid. Other medications that may be helpful include antihistamines, which make the skin less itchy and, sometimes, antibiotics to clear an infection. The rashes of eczema result not from the disease itself, but from staph germs that infect the skin from the child's nails. -
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Dr. Tanya R. Altmann, MD , Pediatrics, answeredSee All 3 AnswersWhile eczema itself is a condition that can’t technically be cured, children often outgrow it. In the meantime, it is entirely possible to treat eczema and prevent its symptoms from recurring.
First, stay away from anything that you know causes the rash in your child. Often though, it isn’t one specific thing, but a combination of things that can trigger the eczema.
Decreasing all allergenic or drying substances in your child’s environment can help and is not as daunting as it may seem. For example, use laundry
detergent that is free of perfume and dye. At the same time, steer clear of fabric softeners; they are not recommended for children with eczema. Similarly, soap should be mild and unscented.
Remember that water, especially if it is soapy, can dry the skin. Instead of rubbing your child’s skin dry after a short bath, gently pat it and slather a mild, unscented ointment or thick cream all over. It’s best to get the ointment or cream on within 3 minutes of getting out of the bath before the water evaporates and dries the skin even more.
Use ointment or cream twice a day on your little one to keep skin hydrated and to better prevent bad, uncomfortable flare-ups.
When your child’s eczema worsens, talk to your pediatrician, as there are many steroid and nonsteroid creams that can be used on a regular or an as-needed basis. If your child is up all night itching and scratching (which
can increase infection as well as delay healing), your pediatrician may recommend an antihistamine.
Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya Answers Parents' Top 101 Questions About Babies and Toddlers -
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See All 2 AnswersThere are a couple of natural remedies that may help with the treatment of eczema, or atopic dermatitis. The application of an emollient lotion after baths has shown to be beneficial in keeping moisture in the skin. As well as emulsifying oils added to warm bath water. Evening primrose oil has been used for the treatment of eczema and is likely the best known natural remedy. There have been conflicting reports on its usefulness; however the majority of studies have shown some benefit. It can take 4-8 weeks but you may get improvement in itching, crusting and redness.