by Carla Martorello

Created on: October 09, 2008   Last Updated: May 22, 2010

There is a rather considerable number of people around the world who suffer from a skin condition called eczema. Are you one of them? Whether you are or not, and even if you are not sure or don't even know you are, you should definitely keep reading because you are about to learn a lot about this condition. What's more, you can learn different ways in which you can better your condition, and therefore your life.

Do you have swelling, redness and itching in your skin from time to time? Do you get patches on the skin that are extremely itchy, dry and red? Then you have eczema. But don't worry; it is not dangerous or contagious. It can be; however, very irritating.

Eczema occurs more often in infants, and the condition soothes as they get older. Nevertheless, many adults suffer from it as well. Why do people get it? There is no known cause for it, but it appears to be an abnormal response of the body's immune system. When an irritating substance comes in contact with a person with eczema, itching, redness and swelling occurs. It has also been noted that there is a connection between people (and families) with allergies and eczema. Usually, people who have eczema also suffer from allergic rhinitis and asthma. Why?

Eczema, asthma and allergies are all part of a condition called atopy. Atopy is a hereditary disorder characterized by immediate allergic reactions to certain substances due to the presence of inflammatory cells (white blood cells) in the skin, nasal passages and lungs of the person affected. These cells will react whenever the immune system breaks out, causing inflammation. This inflammation results in swelling and irritation, which causes the skin to itch and redden in eczema, wheezing and coughing in asthma, and sneezing, having a runny nose and itchy eyes in allergies. This is why Singulair is sometimes prescribed for eczema. Singulair is a prescription medicine used to control symptoms of both asthma and allergies, and therefore eczema as well.

The bad news is there's still no cure for eczema (also known as dermatitis). However, there are many treatments for eczema. The most common treatment is the application of moisturizers to keep the skin as moist as possible since eczema is usually dry and itchy. It is recommended to apply the moisturizer right after bathing to keep the moisture from the bath in the skin. To relieve the intense itching caused by eczema, cold compresses directly to itchy skin are recommended because it soothes the skin. However, in more severe cases corticosteroid creams (a.k.a. eczema creams) and ointments are prescribed.

Another popular eczema treatment is phototherapy. This method exposes the patient to ultraviolet (UV) lights for a specific amount of time; these lights affect the immune system preventing the exaggerated immune responses that cause inflammation. These are just the most common treatments out there, but there are many other types of treatment available for eczema; be sure to ask your dermatologist about all of them.

All in all, the best treatment for eczema is prevention. One of the most important things to do is to keep your skin moisturized at all times. Moreover, you should know what things you are allergic to, like pollen, molds, some food, pet dander, soaps, smoke, etc., and stay away from them! Try also to avoid sudden changes in temperature, as well as sweating, and also scratchy materials like wool, for example. And very importantly, try to reduce stress! This is a typical cause for a flare-up.

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