Eczema usually develops as a rash and typically appears dry and discolored on the surface of our skin. Scratching often leads to redness, crusting and scaly skin. Excessive scratching often results in more serious conditions such as skin damage, infection, and sleep loss. Eczema develops most frequently on the elbow and knees during the teenage and adult years. While patients have experienced it on the hands, feet, ankles, wrists, face, neck, and upper chest, these areas tend to be less common. There are several common types of diseases that may loosely be described as eczema, so it’s important to schedule an appointment and have us verify the condition. A few diseases which are commonly referred to as eczema, but may require different treatments, include:
Types of Eczema and Dermatitis
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
There are many chemicals in our environment which can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Examples include nickel, fragrances, hair dyes, preservatives, rubber, and latex products. The hallmark of allergic contact dermatitis is that only some people exposed to the allergen will develop dermatitis. If a rash that appears to be allergic contact dermatitis emerges, a careful history and physical may be all that is required to uncover the culprit. However in some cases, more extensive usage testing or patch testing may be needed in order to achieve an accurate diagnosis.
Atopic Dermatitis
Called “the scratch that itches,” atopic dermatitis is an immunologic disease of hyper-reactivity of the skin to many external substances. Scratching often leads to redness, swelling, cracking, blistering or “weeping” of clear fluid, and scaling of the skin. Atopic dermatitis is an inherited tendency and is associated with asthma and hay fever. Just as the appearance of eczema and the exacerbating factors vary from one person to another, so do the treatment options.
Hand Eczema
Any type of eczema that forms on the hands is considered hand eczema and may require a different treatment approach. Hand eczema is extremely common due to constant exposure to multiple irritants: air, water, harsh soaps, cleaning agents, chemicals and solvents.
Irritant Contact Dermatitis
Some compounds cause eczema on exposure because they are irritating and/or drying. Examples of these would be items such as harsh soaps, cleansers, or solvents. Unlike allergic contact reactions which only affect a small proportion of those exposed, a true irritant dermatitis will affect anybody who has adequate exposure to the chemical.
Neurodermatitis
This type of eczema starts as an itchy patch of skin that if scratched, can irritate the nerve endings in the skin. This increases the itchy sensation, eventually leading to the cycle of chronic itching.
Nummular Dermatitis
Nummular dermatitis creates coin-shaped marks which appear on the skin. Overtime, these spots become itchy and cause the area to become crusty or filled with pus. This chronic condition is usually experienced after a skin injury or insect bite.
Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis
In children red, itchy patches that often lead to cracking of the skin tend to develop on the cheeks, back of the knee and inside of the elbow. When atopic dermatitis develops in an infant or young child, the child tends to get better with age.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic dermatitis produces red, oily, scaly itchy patches on the scalp, eyebrows, sides of nose or ear caused by a yeast-like organism that lives on the skin. Seborrheic dermatitis is common in babies (commonly called cradle cap), but can be present in patients of any age.
Stasis Dermatitis
Stasis dermatitis arises when the skin becomes severely inflamed. The extreme skin inflammation is caused by the lack of blood flow in the veins of the leg. This can cause pooling of blood in the legs, which increases the difficulty of blood circulation to the heart. Those who suffer from stasis dermatitis will notice thin, brown areas of the skin, accompanied by itchy and swollen legs. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to get in touch with our expert dermatologists to determine the cause and help to narrow down your treatment options. Below are a few of the treatment options that we offer at Arizona Dermatology for eczema and eczema-related diseases.
No matter which type of eczema or dermatitis you have, it’s important to come see one of our board certified dermatologists to correctly identify the condition. Based on your symptoms, budget and needs, we will work with you to find the best treatment option for you:
Corticosteroid Creams or Ointments
Corticosteroid creams or ointments are commonly used to relieve people from scaling and extreme itching. Topical corticosteroid creams and ointments are available with or without a prescription, but may cause harmful side effects if not used correctly. Speaking with a skin care professional at Arizona Dermatology is recommended so that we can suggest the best option for your specific needs.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are often used to treat bacterial infections, open sores, or cracking in the skin caused by frequent scratching. A skin care professional from Arizona Dermatology can prescribe antibiotics for a length of time based on the condition of your skin issue and your specific needs. Taking the required antibiotics for the recommended time will continue to prevent infections from reoccurring. This means longer lasting results for you and your skin!
Oral Antihistamines
Oral antihistamines are ideal for those suffering with severe itching. Certain types of medications make you sleepy, helping not only to eliminate itching itself but also helping anyone whose sleep is affected by the continuous sensation to scratch. Finally get a good night’s sleep and relief from scratching by taking a simple oral antihistamine.
Oral or Injected Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are used for extreme cases of itching. Oral corticosteroids prescription or simple corticosteroid injections, are performed to reduce inflammation and control the severe itching sensation. Although this treatment is effective for eczema, it is used as a short-term solution due to potential long-term usage side effects.
Immunomodulators
Immunomodulators (Elidel, Protopic) are a classification of prescription-only medications used to maintain a normal skin texture and reduce the flaring symptoms of dermatitis. Immunomodulators are used as a topical treatment to help reduce inflammation and redness of the skin without the side effects of traditional corticosteroids. Due to safety data, this is the treatment of choice for children over the age of 2 and rashes in sensitive areas such as face and genitals.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy uses light to treat the skin by helping to reduce itching directly and inflammation effectively. By increasing the production of Vitamin D in the skin, itchy skin is soothed. This simple treatment has been used to increase the defensive systems in the body that fight off bacteria to limit the risk of infection, you may generate from scratching.
RAST Testing
Another option to help find the cause of your eczema is through RAST (radioallergosorbent) Testing. We can administer a blood test to determine environmental and food allergies that can be contributing to skin sensitivity. Discovering the origin of a patient’s eczema through RAST testing is a treatment option many people who suffer from chronic itching rely on today.
