Eczema comes and goes in painful, itchy flares, but with the right medical treatments and care, you can manage your condition and find relief. Nurse Tamara Washington of Elite NP Clinic in DeSoto, Texas provides several treatments for eczema patients in the local communities. You deserve to feel comfortable in your skin, and Nurse Washington makes it her mission to help you achieve that goal. Combat itchy, red, dry, and irritated skin with medical assistance. Request your appointment here on the website or call today.
Eczema
What is eczema?
Red, itchy skin is the hallmark symptom of the skin condition eczema (atopic dermatitis). It’s common in children, but it can happen at any age.
Typically, eczema is chronic and tends to appear in periodic flares that are sometimes accompanied by hay fever or asthma. Some people experience regular flares while others can go several years without a flare.
What are the symptoms of eczema?
Eczema symptoms can include:
- Red, itchy, dry skin
- Raw, sensitive skin
- Thickened skin with a scaly texture
- Small, raised bumps that can leak fluid or harden when scratched
- Brownish-gray patches on the hands, ankles, feet, wrists, neck, and other areas
What causes eczema?
Although healthy skin helps you hold on to moisture and protects you from external elements, such as irritants, allergens, and bacteria, eczema is linked to a gene variation that afflicts your skin’s ability to protect you, allowing your skin to be affected by these environmental factors.
In some cases, a food allergy could be behind your eczema. Food allergy testing and even a food elimination diet might be necessary to pinpoint allergies like soy, wheat, milk, dairy, gluten, and eggs.
The primary risk factor for eczema is a family history of the condition or related conditions. Eczema can lead to asthma and hay fever, chronic itchy skin that rarely ceases, and skin infections.
What are the treatments for eczema?
Nurse Washington usually diagnoses eczema with a simple examination of your skin and a review of your symptoms and family history.
There isn’t a definitive cure, but self-care measures and medical treatments can provide relief from pain, itching, and outbreaks.
The right course of treatment depends on the cause and severity of your eczema. Treatments include:
- Light therapy
- Anti-itch medications
- Antibiotics to fight infection
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Topical creams to control itching
- Moisturizers and sunscreens to soothe skin
- Wet-dressing therapy to bandage your skin with topical corticosteroids
- Medical topical creams that affect your immune system (calcineurin inhibitors)
For at-home relief, you could try:
- Using a humidifier
- Taking a warm bath
- Stress and anxiety reduction techniques
- Wearing soft, comfortable clothes
- Choosing mild soaps that don’t contain dyes or perfumes
Shorten your showers or baths, and dry off carefully, so you don’t dry out or irritate your skin. You should apply sunscreen and moisturizer regularly, and you might also want to try a medicated cream.
Nurse Washington can help you manage your eczema and prevent future flares. Call or request your appointment online to learn more.