Eczema

The word eczema is used to describe all kinds of red, blistering, oozing, scaly, brownish, thickened, and itching skin conditions. Examples of eczema include dermatitis, allergic contact eczema, seborrheic eczema, and nummular eczema.

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Atopic Eczema The word “atopic” describes a group of allergic or associated diseases that often affect several members of a family. These families may have allergies such as hay fever and asthma but also have skin eruptions called atopic dermatitis.

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The disease can occur at any age but is most common in infants to young adults. The skin rash is very itchy and sometimes disfiguring. The condition usually improves in childhood or sometime before the age of 25. About sixty percent of patients have some degree of dermatitis and some suffer throughout life. These cases can cause frustration to both the patient and the physician.

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The Dermatologists at Kathleen Hutton MD & Associates in Newport Beach will provide advice on how to relieve this condition such as avoiding rough, scratchy or tight clothing, rapid changes of temperature and any activity that provokes sweating. Seek advice from your dermatologist about proper bathing and moisturizing, and dealing with emotional upsets which make the condition worse.

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Our dermatologist can prescribe external medications such as corticosteroids creams or ointments or tar creams, and internal medications such as antihistamines to control the itching. Oral antibiotics will be prescribed if there is also a secondary infection. For severe cases, your dermatologist may recommend ultraviolet light therapy.