Eczema marks the spot with dry skin

Eczema Week, September 22-28, focuses our attention on our body’s largest and most visible organ – our skin.
Given the importance our society places on physical appearance, it’s small wonder that any change in the way our skin looks or feels can cause us great concern.

Sometimes a skin problem is the first sign of a more serious condition that needs proper and thorough investigation. Childhood infections like measles and chickenpox may only come to notice by way of the rash that accompanies the other more obscure symptoms; and those super-sensitive people among us may find that contact with various substances will cause irritating skin allergies. However, skin problems often result from, or are made worse by, lack of care and attention.

Pharmacies around Australia providing the Self Care health information, now have available the newly updated fact card titled Skin Rash. It explains how most skin problems can be effectively treated to stop symptoms such as itch, redness and swelling.

Of course, skin rashes need to be correctly diagnosed so that the cause is identified and removed, and the right treatment is used.

Eczema and dermatitis are two general terms which mean very much the same thing – inflammation of the skin. Medically speaking there are two major forms of eczema: contact eczema and atopic eczema.

As the name suggests, contact eczema results from direct contact with an irritant substance – often a chemical substance such as detergent, shampoo, cosmetics or the metal in jewellery. Redness, minor swelling, oozing and itching might all be features of contact eczema.

The cause of atopic eczema is not so easy to define. It tends to occur in families and is more likely to affect people who also have asthma or hayfever. Atopic eczema may be made worse by stress. Sometimes, it may be itchy, red and inflamed with small weeping blisters; sometimes it may be dry and scaly, usually in the creases of the elbows, knees and wrists.

In fact when the skin becomes dry the irritation from all causes of skin rash seems to be so much worse. As a general rule, we tend to spend too much time in the bath or shower; we have the water too hot and we use cleansers that are too harsh.
If you have eczema or dermatitis, avoid the use of soaps altogether; use soap substitutes such as Cetaphil, Sebamed or QV Wash and simple moisturising creams such as sorbolene or aqueous cream or the specially formulated QV cream or lotion.

The addition of tar or oatmeal products (like Pinetarsol and Dermaveen) to the bath will help relieve the itch and irritation; and hydrocortisone cream (such as Dermaid) which are now available without prescription are also very effective to reduce the swelling and redness as well as the itch.

If your skin is extra sensitive to chemicals, use cotton gloves next to the skin, and then rubber or vinyl gloves over the top, when washing or during housework. Once the rash is under control, the application of a barrier cream will help prevent its recurrence. Ask your pharmacist for a recommendation.