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It is best to avoid getting too hot as heat dries out the skin and can potentially make eczema symptoms worse. This includes taking long hot baths.³

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While eczema may not be directly caused by stress, it is considered a factor that may worsen its symptoms.³

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The skin has natural oils on its surface that prevent it from drying out. Most soaps remove these oils, making your already dry skin, worse. The defective barrier also makes you more vulnerable to other aggravating factors that irritate your skin.³

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Not tapering more potent steroid medication

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Not tapering more potent steroid medication

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Your doctor may prescribe a potent steroid (see management) to get your eczema flares under control.  These cannot be stopped without tapering to weaker steroids. Not doing so may lead to a withdrawal flare.³ Generally, taper from Red (super potent), to orange (potent) to yellow (weak). Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

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Cotton is preferable for those with eczema. It is smooth (causing less skin irritation), breathable and cool.³

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Certain household cleaning detergents may irritate the skin and cause eczema to flare up.³

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Itching is the main complaint of those suffering from atopic eczema.³

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The most common rash found in atopic eczema is a dry, scaly, red rash.³

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Atopic eczema usually affects the crease at the elbow and behind the knees. The face, neck, ankles, wrist, scalp and other sites may also be affected.³

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The skin becomes thick and leathery due to prolonged itching, scratching. This is a sign of longstanding atopic eczema.³

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People suffering from one atopic disease are more likely to suffer from others or develop others later in life. These include asthma and hay fever.³

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If you have itchy skin plus 3 or more of the following, you may have Atopic Eczema. Consult your doctor for a formal diagnosis.³

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Research has shown that adolescents living with Atopic Eczema are more likely to experience self-reported depression and suicide-related thoughts and behaviours.⁵ This may be related to problems with sleep due to itching, lack of social acceptance, and feelings of helplessness.⁵ Other emotional effects include anger, anxiety and insecurity.⁶

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Our hope is that this platform can serve as and become and community of support and understanding. Feel free to share your story in the comments below, and to engage with one another. Let this be a safe space - you may remain anonymous if you wish, just do not log in before posting a comment!

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When certain individuals are exposed to certain common allergens or irritants, their body's immune system (which is what keeps us healthy) tends to have an exaggerated response.¹ The cause for this is unknown, but these individuals tend to have a genetic predisposition, which means they may have been born with certain genetic differences that give them a greater risk of being atopic.¹ For this reason, atopic conditions such as eczema, hayfever and asthma tend to run in families.

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This website was created by a group of medical students, with the aim of providing essential information and education to the general population, as well as allowing a platform of support between persons affected by the above condition. It in no way is a substitute for the opinion of a qualified health professional, nor is it a means for self-diagnosis. We also take no responsibility for the stories, opinions and/or suggestions shared in the comments, and cannot verify the origin of any information not added by us. All of the information added by us has been cited accordingly.

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Regular soap removes the protective barrier that your skin provides and can worsen eczema. These are options of substances that can be used to wash your body with 3 :

Aqueous cream- readily available without a prescription at stores

Emulsifying ointment

Cetomacrogol cream

Soft paraffin

Moisturizers (emollients) must be used frequently to prevent drying out of the skin:

Vaseline

Emulsifying ointment

Cetomacrogol

Glycerine with Vaseline

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Your doctor will first prescribe potent (strong) steroids to apply on the affected areas and taper it down to weaker steroids when your condition improves 3 .

Face: Mylocort (Hydrocortisone Acetate)

Body: if wet lesion- steroid ointments; if dry lesion- steroid creams

These steroids are used in conjunction with the moisturizers mentioned above. The picture below is used again to remind you of the strength of different steroids from most potent (red) to least potent (yellow).

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An easy way to measure the required amount, so that your medication lasts the whole month, is to use the finger tip unit. Spread some topical steroid onto the tip of your finger and the number of these units needed to cover each body part is shown below.

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Your doctor may prescribe oral medications for you if the topical medications described above need supplementation . These include ⁴:

Antihistamines (medications that reduce the itch)

Antibiotics: this is only used if there is infection casued by flare of disease or secondary infections.

Immunomodulators: this is a big term for medications that help normalise the immune system.

Probiotics: evidence shows that it decreases the amount of IgE production (as mentioned in Introduction)

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These include ⁴:
- Education:

avoid the triggers whenever possible and applicable (see triggers section)

dietary restrictions are not usually recommended

avoid activities that cause excessive sweating

avoid swimming in outdoor pools, including public pools

refrain from scratching as this just worsens the itch and can cause secondary bacterial infections

if you often get bacterial infections of your eczema: shower using a antiseptic wash and wash your hair with povidine-iodine shampoo, change your under clothes and bed linen as often as possible and cut nails short so as to prevent sores from scratching

- Counselling:

Atopic eczema is a very mentally triggering disease. If at any point you feel overwhelmed or unstable please consult your doctor who can appropriately refer you if necessary. (refer to psychological impact section for more info)

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Atopic Eczema is also referred to as Atopic Dermatitis. 'Atopic' meaning allergy, 'derm' meaning skin and 'itis" meaning inflammation.

THE SHORT
People with Atopic Eczema have dysfunctional skin barriers which are easily bypassed and hypersensitive immune cells. ² Allergens pass through your susceptible skin, activating your body's immune cells resulting in dry, scaly and itchy skin.²

THE LONG
Atopic eczema is the result of your  your skin being easily susceptible to environmental damage and your immune system attacking itself in what is called a hypersensitivity reaction. ² There are four types. and Atopic Eczema is type 1. Allergens are things that cause allergic reactions. Environmental allergens such as flower pollen can pass through your susceptibility skin and to immune cells where they become activated and produce antibodies to fight off the allergens. The antibody produced is called IgE and are stored until you are exposed to the allergen a second time.² The next time pollen enters your skin, your body will be better prepared to get rid of it. When the IgE binds to the pollen, things that cause inflammation (pro inflammatory molecules) are released. These cause your blood vessels to dilate and become leaky allowing more immune cells to travel to the skin resulting in inflammation of the skin.² Inflammation is when something becomes hot, red, painful and swollen. The inflamed skin is leaky and allows more allergens to enter and water to leave. This is why your skin becomes dry, scaly and itchy. It is important NOT to scratch because it will result in your skin breaking and its barriers becoming more dysfunctional and allowing more allergens in.²