Teen Health: Eczema

With all the stress involved with being a teenager the last thing that you need to deal with is an obnoxious skin condition. Unfortunately many teens suffer from Eczema, a disease that causes hot itchy skin and encompasses a variety of different skin conditions. Eczema is thought to be genetic, so if you do have it there isn't much you can do to get rid of it permanently, but there are many treatment options. The disorder looks different for everyone, but in general it involves dry itchy skin that can develop patches that crack and bleed if not treated quickly.

Eczema is not contagious so if you do suffer from eczema you don't have to worry about spreading it to other people. Many teenagers are embarrassed by flare ups and try to hide the symptoms. Bright red patches of skin can appear on your arms, face, or legs. Eczema itself is not an allergy but other types of allergies may contribute to flare ups.

Prevention:

Environmental factors such as temperature, chemicals in your clothing, make-up, or lotion, and stress can affect your eczema. Severe Eczema can cause cracked skin and makes you more prone to infections by opening the skin to other bacteria. You can limit the number of flare ups you have by taking some preventative steps.

Drink plenty of water. Eczema involves very dry skin and drinking water not only hydrates your body but it will hydrate your skin as well. Moisturize daily or more as needed with a fragrance free cream. Lotions are simply watered down creams and often contain chemicals that can irritate your skin. Creams are thicker and are generally sold in a tub. Cetaphil and Eucerin are good choices for daily use.

It is especially important to apply cream after your skin has been in contact with water after a shower or swimming. Evaporating water will dry your skin. Pat your skin dry as quickly as possible and moisturize. Extremes in temperature such as summer heat or freezing winter air will dry your skin as well. Protect your skin from the elements as much as possible and use extra moisturizer when you have been exposed for too long.

Avoid anything with added chemicals or fragrances. This is important not only for moisturizers but for makeup as well. Use hypoallergenic makeup when possible and be sure and wash it off at the end of the day with a gentle, non-drying cleanser. Your clothes can contain irritants that can trigger an eczema flare up. Choose fragrance free detergents and skip the dryer sheets. Wear 100% cotton whenever possible.

Stress management is important for your overall well being and your skin is especially sensitive to your anxiety levels. Just as stress can exasperate acne, it can affect your eczema as well. While it would be nice to tell you just to avoid all stressful situations but unfortunately in our world that isn't very realistic. Practice healthy coping methods and do what you can to keep your stress levels under control.

Treatment:

There is no cure for eczema. Despite all your diligent preventative care, you are bound to have flare ups from time to time. Steroid creams and lubricants can be used to treat eczema for short periods of time. They are very effective but you must find the treatment that works best for your skin. You may have to try several options before finding the one that works for you. Often, eczema is isolated to a small area but if you have a flare up over a larger area frequent, short, bathing can jump start the healing process.

I know you are shaking your head and thinking, but water is bad for eczema. It is, unless you use it the right way. Soaking for short periods of time (10 minutes or less) and immediately applying a steroid cream or lubricant and your daily cream can soften your skin and restore the balance of moisture. Frequent or severe flare ups may require a trip to the dermatologist.