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Pay BillUnderstanding Your Eczema: Different Types and Remedies
The symptoms of eczema represent one of the main reasons that people across the country visit their dermatologist. While it is not a life-threatening condition, eczema can cause sufferers discomfort, sometimes pain, and often embarrassment. Those who’ve experienced the symptoms frequently grapple with their confidence levels during times of flareup. Even though there is no cure for the condition, there are ways to manage your eczema and control the frequency and severity of outbreaks. An important part of coping with your eczema is to first understand what type of eczema you have.
We deal with patients of all ages, from all walks of life trying to better understand and thus manage the symptoms of eczema. A key thing to remember is not to scratch; yes, not scratching can be a very difficult thing to do, but keep in mind that scratching can ultimately lead to a worsening of the rash and then potential permanent scarring. Depending on the kind of eczema from which you are suffering, there are an array of treatment methods out there that can help bring you relief.
What Type of Eczema Do You Have?
Atopic dermatitis is the most common form of eczema that we see is. This is characterized by patches of red itchy skin that often develop in the creases of your elbows and knees but can also occur in other areas as well. With atopic dermatitis, the skin has difficulty retaining moisture and the skin’s immune system is insufficient when it comes to dealing with external elements, allergens and irritants. Generally beginning before the age of five, atopic dermatitis is a chronic condition marked by occasional flareups. Triggers for such flareups can be anything from certain types of food, to weather, to various kinds of soaps.
Dyshidrotic eczema is another commonly occurring form of this skin condition. More apt to afflict women, dyshidrotic eczema is usually confined to the hands and feet and is characterized by small blisters containing fluid. As with any type of dermatitis, the key again is not to scratch as this can make matters worse. Like we see with atopic dermatitis, various external elements can cause an outbreak, as well as having damp hands and feet; even stress has been known to hasten flareups.
Nummular Eczema often displays, round, coin-shaped spots on the skin’s surface. This is generally the result of an allergic reaction to some external element and it can also arise from another underlying form of eczema.
Hand eczema as its name suggests, affects the hands. Those involved in jobs in which their hands are frequently in motion tend to suffer from hand eczema more so than others; so, for instance, hair dressers or those who wear latex gloves on a regular basis. Dry, painful and scaly patches of skin generally occur with this form of eczema.
Eczema Treatments are Available
While there are certain lotions and medications that you can use, you want to approach the treatment of eczema in a more holistic way. Lifestyle plays a huge factor in the frequency and intensity of outbreaks. Consulting with a qualified NYC dermatology provider at Schweiger Dermatology is a great first step to coping with your eczema and taking back your life. He/she will sit down with you and review your daily skin habits and make adjustments to better the health of your skin. From a day-to-day perspective, they will take the time to learn about how you live and how that consequently may be aggravating your particular type of eczema. They can then assess what types of things you can do outside of topical ointments and oral medications that will also help bring you relief from the symptoms of eczema. Learn more about the eczema treatments available at Schweiger Dermatology.
