- Main symptoms
- Treatment for exfoliative dermatitis
- Signs of improvement of exfoliative dermatitis
- Signs of worsening exfoliative dermatitis
Exfoliative dermatitis, or erythroderma, is an inflammation of the skin that causes scaling and redness in large areas of the body, such as the chest, arms, feet or legs, for example.
Generally, exfoliative dermatitis is caused by other chronic skin problems like psoriasis or eczema, however, the problem can also be caused by the overuse of medications like Penicillin, Phenytoin or barbiturate medications, for example.
Exfoliative dermatitis is curable and its treatment must be done during hospital stay, under the guidance of a dermatologist.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of exfoliative dermatitis include:
- Redness and irritation of the skin; Formation of crusts on the skin; Loss of hair in the affected areas; Fever above 38ยบ C and chills; Swollen lymph nodes; Feeling cold due to loss of heat in the affected areas.
Exfoliative dermatitis is a serious disease that leaves the body vulnerable to infections, as the skin, which is the tissue that protects the body from aggressive agents, is compromised and, in turn, does not do its duty. Thus, microorganisms can easily pass through it and reach the innermost tissues of the body, generating opportunistic infections.
Thus, when exfoliative dermatitis is suspected, it is recommended to go to the emergency room to assess the problem and start the appropriate treatment, avoiding the appearance of complications such as skin infections, generalized infection and even cardiac arrest.
Treatment for exfoliative dermatitis
Treatment for exfoliative dermatitis should be started as soon as possible in the hospital, so it is important to go to the emergency room as soon as the first symptoms appear.
Usually, the patient needs to be hospitalized for at least 3 days, to make fluids and medications directly into the vein, as well as to make oxygen. In addition, the doctor may also indicate:
- Avoid taking very hot baths, giving preference to baths with a cold shower; Eating a diet rich in protein, such as chicken, egg or fish, for example, as dermatitis causes loss of protein; Apply corticoid creams, such as Betamethasone or Dexamethasone, which should be applied to the skin about 3 times a day to relieve inflammation and itching; Apply emollient creams to hydrate the skin and reduce the peeling of the skin layers; Use antibiotics to fight infections that may be developing in the areas of skin peeling.
In cases where it is possible to identify the specific cause of exfoliative dermatitis, the doctor may also indicate another more suitable treatment. Thus, if the problem is caused by the use of a medication, that medication should be stopped and replaced with another one, for example.
Signs of improvement of exfoliative dermatitis
Signs of improvement in exfoliative dermatitis appear about 2 days after the start of treatment and include relief from itching, decreased body temperature and reduced skin peeling.
Signs of worsening exfoliative dermatitis
Signs of worsening exfoliative dermatitis appear when treatment is not done properly in the hospital and include skin wounds, increased body temperature, difficulty moving the affected limbs or burning skin, for example, especially caused by infection of the layers of skin.
