What is Eczema?
Eczema, also known as Atopic Dermatitis, is an inflammatory skin condition. The symptoms can have an effect on your daily life and include rashes, usually on the arms and back of the knee but can appear anywhere, dry and flaky skin, bumps, peeling and redness. When your skin comes in contact with an irritant, your immune system creates inflammation to try to rid the body of the irritant. This causes the flare up of Eczema.
Identifying Eczema Triggers
You may notice that the rashes caused by Eczema come and go. You may have seen patterns in the flare ups. It is important to recognize your triggers and will help when planning your Eczema treatment.
Eczema triggers include:
- Products that cause skin allergies: soaps, detergents, makeup, etc.
- Your environment: dry or humid/hot weather, pollutants or smoke
- Mental and emotional health: stress, anxiety and/or depression
What are the treatments?
Over-The-Counter
It is very important to follow the instructions on OTC medications carefully and correctly. Some OTC medications can cause reactions for people who have other conditions or on other medications. If you are concerned about the potential risk associated with OTC medications, give us a call to schedule an appointment.
- Antihistamines – These OTC medications, such as Benadryl, Zyrtec, and Allegra, can help reduce the immune response to the allergies causing the Eczema flare up.
- Pain Relievers – If you are experiencing burning or pain with your Eczema flare up, OTC pain relievers, such as Tylenol, ibuprofen or Aleve can help.
- Topical Hydrocortisone – These are low potency steroids that come in many forms including ointments and creams. They help to reduce irritation and itching.
Prescriptions
- Topicals – If over the counter creams are not working for you, you can ask your doctor about trying a prescription cream or ointment. There are four main types; Topical JAK inhibitor, Topical calcineurin inhibitors, Topical PDE4 inhibitors, and Topical steroids
- Biologics (injectables) – These medications treat Eczema at the immune system level by using human DNA.
- Oral medications – There are a few different types of oral medicines that doctors can prescribe for Eczema, the most common being Immunosuppressants, JAK inhibitors, Traditional systemic medications, and Steroids
- Phototherapy – Also known as light therapy, uses different wavelengths of ultraviolet light to reduce itching and inflammation.
When to visit your dermatologist for Eczema?
If your skin condition is becoming painful and unmanageable, it may be time to make an appointment with a dermatologist to see if prescription Eczema treatment medications are right for you . Fill out the web form or contact our team today!
Unsure if your insurance will cover your visit? Check out our insurance coverage page for a list of accepted insurance companies so you know beforehand if you’re covered.
