What is Eczema?
Eczema is a chronic skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes. There are several skin diseases that also fall under the category of eczema. All types of eczema cause itching and redness and some will even blister, weep or peel. GoogleHealth has some multiple pictures of this skin problem.
For information on the disease and how to manage it with medications, click on the National Eczema Association.
Symptoms:
- Blisters on the skin with oozing and crusting
- Dry, leathery skin areas
- Intense itching
- Rash, typically on knees or elbows for adults, multiple locations for kids
- Raw areas of the skin due to scratching
- Skin coloring changes
- Skin redness or inflammation around the blisters
What causes eczema?
Eczema is the result of a hypersensitive reaction of the skin which leads to chronic inflammation. This inflammation causes the skin to become itchy and scaly. Long-term irritation and scratching can cause the skin to thicken and have a leather-like texture.
Are there plants and vegetables to avoid?
According to the National Eczema Association, there are obvious things you should avoid to prevent rash and eczema such as poison ivy, poison oak, and stinging nettles. People with eczema should avoid all plants that have fuzzy leaves and stems. Some more common plants to avoid include “alliums,” which include garlic, chives, onions, and leeks, because they tend to contain allergens that can be irritating to the skin.
Other foods to avoid would be citric fruits, such as lemons, limes, and oranges, because they can cause phototoxicity problems. Mango rinds can also cause a rash, as well as saps from certain trees. Daisies (which are a member of a family that also includes dandelions, artichokes, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, and yarrow) contain a variety of allergens in their stems, leaves, and flowers. If touched with bare hands, they can produce a localized rash, and may also cause airborne contact dermatits.
Tulips and Poinsettias can also be very irritating mostly because of the sticky sap they exude. Always handle plants carefully and while wearing latex free gloves if you know you are sensitive to them.
The following can make eczema symptoms worse once you have it:
- Dry skin
- Exposure to environmental irritants
- Exposure to water
- Stress
- Temperature changes
When to call a doctor:
- Eczema does not respond to moisturizers or avoiding allergens
- Symptoms worsen or treatment is ineffective
- You have signs of infection (such as fever, redness, pain)
Medical Treatments:
- Avoid anything that makes your symptoms worse. This may include allergens and irritants such as wool and lanolin, or even food or plants.
- When washing or bathing, keep water contact as brief as possible and use a gentle, unscented soap. After bathing, it is important to trap the moisture in the skin by applying moisturizing cream on the skin while it is still damp. Dry skin will usually make the condition worse.
- Temperature changes and stress may cause sweating and aggravate the condition.
- Treat weeping lesions with soothing moisturizers, mild soaps, or wet dressings.
- Use mild anti-itch lotions or topical corticosteroids to soothe less severe or healing areas, or dry scaly lesions.
- You can treat chronic thickened areas with ointments or creams that contain tar compounds, powerful anti-inflammatory medicines, and ingredients that lubricate or soften the skin.
- Your health care provider may prescribe oral corticosteroids to reduce inflammation if the condition is severe.
- Medicines called topical immunomodulators (TIMs) may be prescribed in some cases. TIMs include tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel). These medications do not contain corticosteroids.
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