Living with eczema is such a challenging task. One day your skin feels fine, and the very next day it’s red, dry, and unbearably itchy. Most people don’t really know what is eczema and confuse it with other skin conditions, so in this guide, we will break it down for you: what eczema is, why eczema itches, why it happens, how to identify eczema, and other practical steps to manage eczema. The good thing is that eczema is not contagious, but it does affect millions around the world. It comes in many different forms, with the most common one being an eczema rash that appears as hand eczema, lip eczema, eye eczema, and ear eczema. Now let’s dive deep into eczema causes, eczema symptoms, and eczema treatment options to help you keep your skin healthy.
What Is Eczema?
Eczema is a group of skin conditions that cause itching, inflammation, and damage to your skin barrier. Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, normally makes your skin dry and sensitive to irritants. When the skin’s protective barrier weakens and is less able to hold moisture, it becomes vulnerable to irritants, allergens, and bacteria, which can lead to various skin problems, including eczema.
People with eczema normally have a recurrence of flare-ups with severe itching and rashes, which may cause skin infections when scratching. The exact cause is not completely known, but it is believed to be triggered by genetics, reactions of the immune system, and lifestyle triggers. Unlike other kinds of allergic rashes, eczema in most cases tends to be chronic for most, with flare-ups lasting for months or even years. So, it is important to understand the triggers of eczema and follow a daily care plan for lasting relief.
Common Types of Eczema
There are many known types of eczema. Below, we have listed the most commonly occurring types of eczema:
Atopic Dermatitis:
Atopic dermatitis is the most common type of eczema. The condition causes skin to become dry, red, itchy, and inflamed, with thickening or scaling when left untreated. It has a close association with genetics. It’s mostly related to allergies or asthma, and hay fever, which causes itchiness and swelling in affected areas.
Contact Dermatitis:
Contact dermatitis is a condition that presents itself when the skin comes into direct contact with an irritant or an allergenic substance. Red, blistering, and itchy patches start to appear on your skin and are caused by coming in direct contact with allergens or irritants. The symptoms tend to manifest on the parts that were in contact with the trigger, like hands, wrists, or face.
Dyshidrotic Eczema:
Dyshidrotic eczema is a kind of eczema that makes small blisters forming tiny and itchy blisters on your soles and palms. Caused by sweating, emotional stress, or even metal allergies. These blisters are highly itchy and can result in burning or pain. With time, they may become dry and peel, causing the skin to be sore and prone to infections.
Neurodermatitis:
Repeatedly scratching your skin leads to the formation of thick, rough, and scaly patches on your skin, such as around your neck, wrists, or forearms.
Nummular Eczema:
Discoid eczema or nummular eczema is identified by the formation of round, coin-shaped patches on your skin. These patches can be very itchy, scaly, and can ooze fluid or have a crust. Nummular eczema may occur in any part of the body, but it occurs mostly in the arms, legs, and torso. It looks like a burn, insect bite, or scrape. It affects more men than women and can aggravate the condition in dry or cold weather.
Seborrheic Dermatitis:
Seborrheic dermatitis is a form of eczema that occurs predominantly on the parts of the body that are oily. It’s similar to dandruff in appearance; however, it’s much more serious and mostly appears on areas like the scalp, face, and chest. It appears with white or yellowish flakes, causing severe itching and redness. Although the exact cause is not understood, stress, excessive growth of yeast on the skin, environmental factors, and hormones are contributing factors.
Stasis Dermatitis:
Venous dermatitis is a type of eczema in which your body parts become swollen and inflamed due to low blood circulation, especially in the lower body. The veins send the blood from the legs to the heart to get oxygen. In venous dermatitis, your veins can’t send blood back to the heart to get oxygen, which causes itching, swelling, and skin discoloration. It is usually common in older people aged 50 or above.
Common Causes of Eczema
Several causes can put risk of developing eczema. Genetics, environmental factors, and allergies weaken the skin barrier and cause itching and flare-ups. Here are some of the common causes that contribute to eczema:
Family History:
Some people are born with weaker skin barriers due to differences in certain proteins, which makes them more prone to eczema.
Imbalanced Immune System:
The immune system mistakenly takes irritants as a dangerous invader and encounters these irritants by developing inflammation as a defense mechanism, which causes redness and flare-ups.
Weakened Skin Barrier:
Dryness and direct contact with irritants cause your skin’s barrier to weaken, which is a symptom of eczema.
Allergens in Your Surroundings:
Most common types of allergens include dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and certain foods to avoid with eczema, which can easily trigger your eczema.
Irritating Products:
Products like soaps, harsh shampoos, detergents, strong fragrances, and some metals can trigger your flare-ups, so it’s best to avoid them.
Weather Changes:
Weather conditions like cold, dry winters or humidity can worsen your eczema.
Stress and Lifestyle:
Stressors like emotional stress, depression, poor sleep, or sudden and unseen changes in your lifestyle can trigger or worsen your flare-ups.
As eczema can stem from many factors, it explains why each individual has different experiences when it comes to being diagnosed with it.
What Are the Common Signs of Eczema?
Reading all the information above might make you think, "What does eczema look like?" Read below to find out the common signs of eczema.
Continuous Itching:
The most known symptoms of eczema, which disturb your overall comfort.
Dry and Scaly Patches:
Dehydrated skin followed by signs of dryness and scaly patches.
Discoloration on the Skin:
It’s one of the most well-known signs of eczema. Depending on your skin tone, eczema might appear in different colors, such as red, brown, or gray.
Formation of Blisters on Your Skin:
You might notice blisters on your skin, which usually have a strong crust and are intensely painful.
Thickened, Lichenified Skin:
Repeatedly scratching your skin leads to weakening its barrier and causes leathery, thick patches over time.
Swelling and Tenderness:
Increased swelling followed by pain.
Common Eczema Triggers You Should Avoid
Recognizing what triggers eczema helps you prevent flare-ups in the future. The common triggers of eczema that you should avoid are as follows:
Harsh Soaps and Detergents:
These products strip essential oils from your skin; therefore, replace them with gentle cleaners, which protect your skin’s essential oils.
Fragrances and Perfumes:
Scented products are most likely to trigger an allergic reaction or cause irritation in skin that is prone to eczema.
Pet Dander and Dust Mites:
If you’re a pet lover, such triggers can be challenging to avoid. A proper plan should be followed to avoid such common indoor triggers.
Cold, Dry Air, or Hot Humidity:
Such weather conditions can easily upset your skin’s moisture balance and provoke flares.
Stress and Poor Sleep:
Changes in emotions and poor mental health can directly affect your skin, causing inflammation and itching.
Certain Foods:
Most people are allergic to some kind of food. Most commonly, a dairy product can trigger flares. It’s best to do a patch test to find out which food products you’re allergic to.
Rough Fabrics and Sweat:
Outfits made of wool or tight synthetic materials can rub against your skin, causing irritation and trapping in moisture, which worsens your eczema.
It’s best to keep track of your own flare patterns. What you ate, what you wore, and most importantly, the weather, play a role in triggering eczema.
What Tests and Exams Are Used to Diagnose Eczema?
Your dermatologist will closely examine the irritated skin. They can often diagnose the type of eczema from the skin’s appearance. In some cases, your dermatologist will want to run a few tests to determine the cause or agitator, such as an allergy test, blood test, or skin biopsy.
Physical Examination & Medical History:
Your doctor will examine you for typical patterns/changes in your body and ask you about your allergies, family history, and triggers.
Patch Testing:
To identify the primary allergens a patch testing is an effective tool. Small portions of common allergens or irritants are placed on the skin in adhesive patches, typically on the back, to test the skin. If the skin responds to a substance, it is an indicator of allergy or sensitivity that could be causing eczema. This aids in determining certain triggers in order to avoid them and control flare-ups.
Allergy Testing (Skin or Blood Tests):
It’s useful when your skin’s condition is caused by either food or environmental changes.
Skin Biopsy:
Although rare, it might be conducted if your diagnosis is unclear and your triggers are still unknown.
Having a proper diagnosis by a professional helps you skip unnecessary treatments and focus more on the right strategies to recover from eczema.
Treatment for Eczema
Luckily, there are several treatment options for managing and reducing eczema:
Medication:
Depending on the severity of your eczema, your dermatologist may prescribe medication to help relieve the symptoms. These medications may include:
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Antihistamines
- Cortisone Creams or Ointments
- Low-Potency Steroids
- Oral Corticosteroids
- Antibiotics
- Immunosuppressants
Therapy:
Your dermatologist may recommend phototherapy, which utilizes ultraviolet light or sun lamps to help boost the immune system’s response and clear up eczema.
Lifestyle Changes:
If stress is triggering your eczema, you may want to consider lifestyle changes that can reduce stress, such as:
- Yoga
- Deep breathing exercises
- Meditation
- Listening to music
- Getting enough sleep
Alternative Treatments:
A proper, twice-daily skincare routine is the best treatment for eczema. You may want to incorporate some of these other alternative treatments:
- Aromatherapy
- Acupuncture
- Consuming green, oolong, or black tea
- Natural oils like coconut, borage, primrose, and sunflower
As always, it’s smart to consult with your dermatologist about which of these alternative treatments will work best for your type of eczema.
Simple and Effective Ways to Manage Eczema
If you're questioning how to treat eczema, here are some of the tried and tested methods to help you recover from this disorder and keep your skin calm and healthy.
- A gentle moisturizer and an eczema cream help the most.
- Apply doctor-recommended creams to reduce inflammation.
- If your disorder has worsened, it’s best to consult a doctor and undergo the treatments prescribed by them.
- Operations like UV light treatments can help in tackling your eczema.
- Avoid things that irritate your skin, and manage your stress by practicing gentle skincare, which can eventually make a huge difference over time.
For younger children, use products like Baby Eczema Cream to treat their disorder while strictly adhering to professional guidance.
Common Complications Associated with Eczema
Below are some of the issues that come with the skin condition eczema:
- Continuous scratching of one's own skin can lead to infection since microbes can penetrate easily through exposed skin.
- Your itchiness might worsen during the night, which disturbs your sleep cycle, leaving you tired all day.
- If not treated properly, your skin can become thick and sensitive over time.
- Flares from eczema cause discoloration, making your skin appear either darker or lighter than its natural skin tone.
- The severe eczema patches make you feel conscious about your appearance and might lose your confidence, which can cause anxiety and social embarrassment.
When Should You See a Doctor About Eczema?
It's high time to consult a doctor when you have serious, chronic, or disruptive symptoms of eczema that cause intense pain, or show signs of infection, and affect your daily life functioning and keep you awake at night. The doctor can perform certain tests to identify the irritants and allergens that may contribute to eczema. After proper evaluation doctor may prescribe oral medicine and topical creams that can soothe your skin and prevent further inflammation.
When selecting skincare products, opt for products that are gentle for the skin and, more importantly, doctor-approved, like the Best Eczema Cream or the trusty Eczema Cream by Soteri Skin.
Summary
So, what is eczema? It’s a general term for a skin disorder that causes itchiness, dryness, and irritation around the infected area. It’s either related to your genetics, your immune system, or the environment around you. Despite no cure, there are many proven ways to manage eczema, such as those discussed in this blog. By adding small habits in daily life, such as moisturizing, avoiding triggers, and using medical treatments, you can effectively keep your symptoms under control.
FAQs
What causes eczema?
Eczema occurs generally due to a number of reasons, with the primary reason being your genetics. Poor genes can cause your skin’s natural barrier to be sensitive, weaken your immune system, or make you prone to more allergens and irritants that can set off eczema.
How can I make eczema go away?
There’s no permanent cure for eczema; it can affect anyone at any time. However, avoiding the triggers and proper care can help you stay away from its symptoms for a long time. These practices include moisturizing your skin regularly, avoiding triggers, and using prescribed creams and ointments for prevention. Most importantly, it’s best to get yourself checked up by a doctor from time to time.
What does eczema look like?
Areas affected by eczema can appear as red, scaly, and itchy patches on people with lighter skin tones. On a darker skin tone, patches can appear as dark brown, purple, or gray due to discoloration. Depending on how severe your condition is, you might also witness blisters, causing your skin to thicken.
Does my body lack something if I have eczema?
If you are diagnosed with eczema, chances are that your skin might be unable to produce enough essential natural oils or certain proteins to help keep the skin naturally hydrated and strong. This is why it is highly recommended to keep your skin moisturized, as it helps restore your skin’s barrier.
