How to deal with atopic eczema?

When does atopic eczema appear and what does it look like?

Atopic eczema first appears in infancy. In an infant, it manifests itself with dry, itchy and red patches, most often on the cheeks, head and sometimes on the thighs. In toddlers, it appears on the bends of the elbows and knees. Later, mainly on the hands, palms and interdigital area.

In an adult, atopic eczema appears for the first time quite rarely. It can appear anywhere on the body. It most often affects the palms and fingers, neck and face, around the eyes, less often the back or legs. The trigger for eczema in adulthood is often stress and poor lifestyle. But sometimes all it takes is a change of cosmetics or perfume to wake up the allergy. The dry and fragile skin of atopics is very sensitive, the trigger for eczema can be any of about three thousand contact allergens.

When does atopic eczema go away?

The symptoms of atopic eczema often disappear after the seventh year of life. Unfortunately, about ten percent of children carry it well into adolescence. In adulthood, it reappears in about five percent of people with atopy. With few exceptions, with effective treatment and prevention, a condition in which eczema does not manifest can be achieved.

How to treat the symptoms of atopic eczema?

For atopic eczema, only the symptoms can still be treated. At the first local manifestations of red and itchy skin, ordinary sugar is usually enough to soothe it. Pour two tablespoons of lukewarm water into a small bowl and add enough sugar until it almost stops dissolving. This supersaturated solution is rubbed over the reddened area. The sugar reduces itching and disinfects. This is followed by hydration in an oatmeal broth, or cold compresses soaked in strong black tea are also helpful. For more severe irritations, it is better to reach for over-the-counter creams or prescription medications. Severe irritation with watery blisters or cracking or peeling skin requires a visit to a skin doctor. Atopic deposits are most easily managed with prescription corticosteroids. With short-term use, side effects are usually not apparent. With frequent repetition, however, the skin weakens. And the skin becomes irritated more quickly.

The three pillars of preventing the symptoms of atopic eczema

Food: High levels of histamine in the body provoke an inappropriate immune response. By limiting foods that produce histamine, the reaction is moderated.

Skin hydration: atopic skin is dry, peels and forms micro-cracks. This opens the door to particles of substances that irritate and inflame the skin. The most important thing is to choose the right cream. Non-perfumed moisturisers should be used to moisturise. Always test for irritation. As a rule of thumb, the fewer ingredients a product contains, the less likely it is that any of them will irritate the skin. Even natural cosmetics are not without risk, as many extracts may be unsuitable for an allergy sufferer. Regular moisturizing and softening helps the skin to maintain an impermeable skin barrier.

Skin protection: an inherently weakened skin barrier does not perform its defensive function as effectively as a healthy one. Therefore it needs to be helped. There are various barrier creams. They can be oily, form coatings or microfilms. Again, before you buy a large pack, buy as small as possible and test for several days in a row on the sensitive area. The one recommended and tested by experts is Dermaguard emulsion cream. It not only effectively moisturizes the skin, but creates a fine, invisible, non-greasy and non-perfumed microfilm on the skin. This protects the skin barrier from irritants for up to six hours.