Eczema is an acute or chronic inflammation of the skin that causes symptoms such as itching, swelling and redness, which can be caused by an allergy. This skin disease has no cure but can be controlled with the treatment indicated by the dermatologist.
This inflammation can happen at all ages, but it is more frequent in children and health professionals who tend to wash their hands with antiseptic soap very often, which can hurt the skin.
Most common types
Eczema can be classified according to its cause into:
- Contact eczema or contact dermatitis: Contact eczema is characterized by an injury to the skin that occurs due to contact with an aggressive agent, which can be a synthetic fabric or enamel, for example. This eczema is of allergic cause, is not contagious and must be treated with the use of antihistamines to relieve itching and creams with corticosteroids. In this case, it is important to avoid contact with the triggering agent of the condition. Learn more about contact dermatitis and how to treat it. Infantile eczema : Infantile eczema manifests itself especially after the baby's 3 months, lasting until adolescence, but some may remain with eczema until adulthood. Treatment is done with corticosteroids or antihistamines, according to the pediatrician's guidance. In addition, it is important to keep your skin hydrated. Atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis: Atopic eczema is an inflammation of the skin, usually of an allergic origin, characterized by the presence of different lesions such as plaques or small reddish lumps that itch a lot. Treatment is established by the dermatologist and is usually done with creams or ointments with corticosteroids. See how to identify and treat topical dermatitis. Nummular eczema or nummular dermatitis: This type of eczema is usually related to excessive dryness of the skin, due to cold or dry weather, for example. Nummular eczema is characterized by the presence of red, round patches on the skin that itch. Often the treatment of nummular eczema involves the use of antibiotics, as there are great chances of the person developing infections. Learn more about nummular dermatitis.
Eczema is an inflammation that is usually characterized by the presence of red itchy patches on the body, which then leads to the appearance of bubbles containing water, characterizing the acute stage of the disease. In the chronic phase, these bubbles burst and release their contents and, after a while, dry forming crusts, in addition to increasing the thickness of the skin.
How to identify eczema
Eczema usually arises in people who have very dry skin and is identified from the following characteristics:
- Redness on the spot; Itching; Presence of blisters on the skin; Swelling; Peeling of the skin; Presence of crusts.
In babies and children eczema is more common on the cheeks, arms and legs, but in adults the symptoms can appear anywhere on the body.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for eczema is determined by the dermatologist and depends on the type of injury, severity and age of the person, and can be done with the use of an antiallergic remedy to calm the itch and facilitate sleep, ointment or cream with corticoid remedies, such as hydrocortisone and antibiotics for bacterial infections.
During treatment it is important to keep your skin hydrated, as dry skin is one of the risk factors for worsening symptoms. See what is a good home remedy for eczema.
