Eczema Symptoms - Controlled but Never Cured

Eczema is a skin problem often occurring in infants and young children where there is the appearance of dry skin and many other eczema symptoms like itching, rashes, inflammation, redness, etc. There are several types of eczema of which the common types include atopic eczema, contact dermatitis, xerotic eczema, seborrhoeic eczema, etc. Many of these types of eczema exhibit common symptoms and even the treatment modalities for them are very similar.

Symptoms seen in Eczema

Eczema episodes might present symptoms that last for a few days. But in some patients, they remain over a long period of time. These cases of eczema are classified as chronic conditions of eczema and the others who have symptoms for a short duration as acute cases of eczema.

One of the most common symptoms of eczema is dryness of skin. The dryness of the skin might be quite generalized or be restricted to certain areas. Usually, the symptoms of Eczema are more common in the upper parts of the body and in areas like ankles, knees and elbows. In infants, mostly the upper parts of the body are only involved and the symptoms most commonly appear on the head and neck areas.

Preventive Measures

The dryness of the skin leads to itching. The itching can also be precipitated by certain trigger factors that are associated with some kinds of food, fabrics like synthetic fabrics and the like, other systemic problems like digestive dysfunction and acidity, environmental factors like dust mites and other allergens, sweating, use of perfumes, soaps and detergents that can irritate the skin, etc.

When certain areas of the skin begin to feel dry and itchy, the person will tend to scratch these areas leading to redness of these areas and rashes begin to appear in the skin. Constant scratching of these areas can lead to bleeding and other symptoms like oozing from these areas. Also, this can make the skin in these areas to become more thickened and crusty.

Another important symptom seen in eczema is the redness and inflammation of the affected areas of the skin. Also, sometimes these areas can get infected and pus might get accumulated in these areas. Blisters filled with pus are a common symptom in infected cases of eczema. Blisters of different sizes are also seen in other cases of eczema although these blisters are filled with a clear fluid.

Although there is no known cure for Eczema at present, Eczema symptoms can be prevented by following some lifestyle changes like keeping the skin regularly moisturized, avoiding certain environmental triggers like dust mites and pollen, avoiding foods that trigger the symptoms, avoiding the use of harsh soaps and detergents, reducing sweating by avoiding taking up rigorous activities and changes in temperature, avoiding wearing of synthetic and other fabrics that irritate the skin, etc.

As seen, Eczema symptoms cannot be cured but can be kept under control. In addition to preventive measures there are certain other prescribed measures that can be followed if the symptoms are severe and necessitate treatment.