Category: Eczema

Many people with dry skin have trouble distinguishing between a patch of dry skin and an eczema flare. While it typically occurs in people with dry skin, it’s a distinct condition that requires specific treatment. By understanding the difference between dry skin and eczema, you can more effectively receive the care that you need to regain hydrated, healthy skin. 

Eczema

Eczema is a skin condition that leads to rough, red, and scaly patches of skin. In severe cases of eczema, the skin may bleed and crust over. This condition occurs when the skin can’t retain enough water to self-moisturize, which disrupts the skin’s protective barrier. Harmful bacteria can quickly reach the skin when this barrier is compromised.  Continue reading “How to Tell the Difference Between Dry Skin and Eczema” →

Surprising Things in Your Home that Contribute to Eczema Flares

Did you know that your lifestyle and everyday things around your home could be contributing to your eczema flares? The exact cause of eczema is not always known, but it is known that some things will make symptoms worse. Ready to tackle and prevent those eczema flares? Look for these hazards in your home.

Extreme heat or cold temperatures

When you become very hot or very cold, the itching and irritation on your skin can increase dramatically. It is best to have artificial cooling in the summer months, as well as some dry heat during cold snaps when the air can get very cool. 

Atopic dermatitis, also called eczema, is actually a very common skin condition, especially in infants and children. Some adults also have atopic dermatitis, but often the condition clears up as one gets older. This is not a serious skin condition, and it is very treatable. Here is what you need to know about atopic dermatitis and how it is treated.

What Is Atopic Dermatitis?

Atopic dermatitis is also known as eczema, and it is a skin condition that causes dry and very itchy skin. Often, the condition leads to open sores due to scratching because the itch can be nearly unbearable. The predisposition for atopic dermatitis is hereditary, although not everyone will have it even if it runs in the family. 

3 Ways Eczema Affects Your Childs Life

Eczema may just seem like an annoyance, but it affects many children each year. The ways that eczema affects your child may not be apparent at first. It is important that you seek treatment for your child’s eczema so that your child will be safe, healthy, and happy. Here are some of the ways that eczema affects your child’s life that you may not have considered.

Poor Grades

Many children with untreated eczema have poor grades in school. The itchiness and discomfort of the eczema rash can make them fidgety and distracted. This can cause them to act out in class and be disciplined for disrupting the class when really they just cannot sit still. It can also lead to them missing important information for assignments or failing to grasp new concepts.

Control Eczema with Diet

There are a lot of treatment options available for eczema, but many people do not realize that you can avoid flare ups entirely with changes to your diet and control eczema. While some flares may occur even with the right diet, eating certain foods while avoiding others can lessen the frequency of eczema flares. Follow these dietary restrictions to give yourself a higher level of comfort.

Foods to Eat

Research has found that a healthy diet that includes these foods will help you stave off eczema flare ups. If you have allergies that contribute to your eczema flares, eating these foods may not eliminate your symptoms altogether. A healthy diet can, however, help you feel better and keep flares to a minimum.

Fatty fish, such as salmon, is laced with omega 3 fatty acids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. It is generally recommended for good health to get 250 mg of omega 3s per day. This can help reduce the effects of your eczema.

There are also some foods that act as natural anti-inflammatories and antihistamines. These foods include apples, blueberries, cherries, broccoli, spinach, and kale. In general, focusing on a diet packed with fruits and vegetables will help reduce inflammation in the body.

Probiotics can also help. These can be found in foods like sourdough bread, miso soup, and soft cheeses. You can also get probiotic supplements, and some yogurts are fortified with probiotics.

Foods to Avoid

There are some foods that have been shown to cause or contribute to eczema flare ups. Certain food allergies can contribute to eczema symptoms. While not everyone will have these food allergies, some of the most common allergies related to eczema include:

• Cow’s milk
• Eggs
• Soy
• Gluten
• Nuts
• Fish
• Shellfish

If you aren’t sure if you have any of these food allergies, you should talk to your doctor about allergy testing. You could have a food allergy even if you do not present symptoms such as hives or difficulty breathing. Through careful allergy testing, we can determine if food allergies exist that could be affecting your eczema. Contact us today for allergy testing in Florida.

How to Identify Eczema and Psoriasis

Your skin is red, irritated, and peeling, but why? You could be one of the millions of Americans dealing with a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis. Don’t worry though, clear skin isn’t out of your reach!

It’s not always easy to distinguish between irritating skin conditions, but learning to recognize the differences and quickly seeking treatment from a qualified dermatologist are both vital steps on the path to clear and healthy skin.

An Introduction to Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a very common condition that causes a person’s immune system to instruct skin cells to duplicate and grow faster than they naturally should. This excess of skin cells prevents dead skin from falling off like it should. Instead, old, dead, and damaged skin cells accumulate on the skin and cause red, itchy blotches.

You may have plaque psoriasis if you have raised, reddish patches on the skin. While many patches appear on the knees, elbows, lower back, and scalp, they can develop anywhere on the body. They feel itchy, but scratching them only causes them to grow thicker.   Continue reading “Do You Have a Chronic Skin Condition? How to Identify Eczema and Psoriasis” →

Is Bacteria The Trick to Treating Eczema?

Eczema has long been the enigma of the skin and allergy world. Those who suffer from eczema don’t always know why, and products and treatments don’t always deliver results. Until now! According to recent research by Dr. Ian Myles, it is possible to use the power of healthy, helpful bacteria living naturally on the skin to treat eczema. Here is everything you should know about this groundbreaking discovery.

Why Does Eczema Develop?

Eczema is considered an inflammatory skin condition that causes the skin to become dry, itchy, red, and even scaly. It occurs because the skin does not have the fats and oils needed to self-moisturize and sustain a protective barrier. Without that barrier, harmful bacteria can easily cause reactions in the skin that lead to the signature redness, cracking, and scaling.

Continue reading “Is Bacteria The Trick to Treating Eczema?” →

Your Child’s Eczema

It’s common to experience dry and itchy skin, especially during the winter months, but eczema is a skin condition on an entirely different level. Eczema presents itself in the form of red, scaly, and patchy skin that can even bleed and crust over in serious cases. It can impact anyone at any age, but children are the most common sufferers of eczema.

While eczema occurs when the skin lacks its normal fats and oils, there are many different triggers that can lead to the condition showing on the skin. Some parents have noticed that their child’s eczema seems correlated to the pets in their home. Is it possible that a pet allergy could be the culprit of your own son’s or daughter’s eczema? Continue reading “Could Your Pet Be Contributing to Your Child’s Eczema?” →

Handle Your Eczema

Eczema is a common skin condition, but it’s also one that is challenging to treat. The good news is that you don’t have to let that red, scaly, patchy skin define your appearance. With the right treatment guided by a professional allergist, you can handle your eczema and reclaim clear, healthy skin.

A Quick Introduction to Eczema

Eczema is a skin condition that develops when your skin lacks the normal amounts of fats and oils needed to automatically self-moisturize. When your skin has trouble retaining water, fats and oils, it loses its protective barrier and becomes vulnerable to harmful bacteria that are known to breakdown the skin. Even seemingly safe products like soap can harm the skin without its natural barrier in place. Continue reading “How to Handle Your Eczema” →