Eczema is a common skin condition that affects various parts of the body. It usually starts with the skin becoming oozing, scaly, blistering, red, brownish and very itchy. Atopic eczema is one type of eczema. Atopic eczema is also referred to as atopic dermatitis. Atopic refers to the skin becoming inflamed and can also include the nose and the linings of the lungs. Atopic eczema like other allergies is often hereditary. Other allergies that are often passed down are asthma, hay fever and sensitive skin. It is common that if one person in the family has atopic eczema, then other family members (brothers, sisters, aunts, mothers, fathers and uncles) will also have a similar or the same skin condition.
Atopic eczema is very common among the worlds population with around 3% of the population in the US affected and ten% of infants worldwide affected by this particular skin condition. Atopic eczema can occur at anytime in some ones life, but it is more common in young adults and babies. Approximately 65 % of people who suffer from atopic eczema develop symptoms before their 1st birthday. The most common areas of breakout are on the ears, neck, arms, forehead and legs. It usually begins in one place on the body and then spreads to other areas.
There is no know instant cure for atopic eczema, however there are a range of treatment plans than can be used to fight the eczema. If you visit your doctor or dermatologist, one of the first things that they will suggest is a change of lifestyle. Your lifestyle may not be the major cause of the atopic eczema, but it will contribute to the common flare-ups and may also aggravate the lesions and blisters that you are trying to get rid of. The doctor or dermatologist will often conduct an allergy test to determine if you are coming into contact with any known allergens on a regular basis. These can include detergents of scented creams, soaps and lotions. Sufferers of atopic eczema will often have very dry skin. This may be caused by the eczema or may be a result of it. A common mistake made by some sufferers (usually woman) is to increase the number of and amount of lotions and creams they use on their skin. The mistake that they are making is using the popular scented and fragranced creams rather than unscented types. These types of creams and lotions can often trigger other allergies.
If you visit your doctor or dermatologist, they will usually give you a list of lotions or creams that you can apply to your skin that will soothe any burning sensations and ease the itchiness. You may be able to buy some of these over the counter, but some may be prescription only based drugs depending on the severity of the eczema. To treat your atopic eczema correctly it is important to see your doctor or dermatologist in the beginning stages of the eczema. The quicker you start a course of treatment the quicker you will start to recover. Remember, do not stress about your eczema as this is a key contributing factor to many eczema cases.
Nigel is a successful webmaster and publisher of a Serious Skin Care website. This site features articles and information about which foods cause eczema and the medical causes of eczema . You can also get a free report on Facial Skin Care Secrets.
