Eczema 101: Everything You Need to Know, From Causes to Treatment

Eczema is a common skin condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It affects both children and adults and can cause intense itching, dry and cracked skin, and significantly affect self-esteem.

But the good news is that having eczema is not a life sentence. There are various ways to treat this skin condition, including medications, light therapy, and skincare products. At Beyond MedPlus, we offer tested and effective skincare products that will treat eczema while leaving you with radiant skin.

So, in this guide, we explore everything you need to know about eczema, from its causes to the best ways of treating it. Thus helping you reclaim your comfort and confidence.

What Is Eczema?

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a common skin condition that causes your skin to become dry, itchy, and irritated. This condition reduces the functioning strength of your skin’s barrier, which is responsible for retaining moisture in your skin and protecting your body from external elements.

A number of factors, including environmental temperature, skin irritants, and stress, can trigger eczema. Other factors that cause Eczema will be discussed later in this guide.

Types of Eczema

There are various types of eczema, each with unique elements or factors that could affect your skin’s barrier function. The types of eczema include:

• Atopic Dermatitis: This eczema causes dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. It mostly appears in children but can occur at any age.
• Contact Dermatitis: Contact dermatitis, also known as allergic contact dermatitis, is eczema caused by exposure to allergens, chemicals, and other skin irritants. They often cause skin reddening, blistering, and a burning sensation.
• Dyshidrotic Eczema: This type of eczema often causes tiny, itchy blisters on the palms, fingers, and soles of the feet. It is usually called pompholyx.
• Nummular Eczema: This type of eczema causes itchy, circular patches of inflamed skin. It is also known as discoid dermatitis.
• Seborrheic dermatitis: This is a chronic form of eczema that results in inflamed and scaly skin, especially on the face, scalp, and chest.

It’s possible to have more than one type of eczema at the same time or at different times in your life. Hence, you must speak with a dermatologist who can help diagnose your condition and prescribe the right treatment.

Symptoms of Eczema

The symptoms of eczema often appear in the following ways:

• Skin rash.
• Dry skin.
• Thick, leathery patches of skin.
• Bumps on your skin.
• Itchy skin.
• Flaky, scaly or crusty skin.
• Swelling.

The symptoms of eczema could become visible anywhere on your skin. However, there are places where you’ll mostly notice them on your hands, neck, knees, elbows, face (especially the cheeks), feet, lips, ankles, and in or around the ears.

Other less common areas where eczema could occur include the breast, penis, and folds of skin near the vagina.

What Causes Eczema?

A combination of genetic and environmental factors often causes eczema:

Genetic Factors

• Individuals with a family history of eczema, asthma, or allergic rhinitis have a higher risk of developing eczema.
• One other cause of eczema is the genetic mutation in the filaggrin gene. This mutation can weaken the skin’s barrier, thus increasing its sensitivity and making it more prone to eczema.

Environmental Factors

The common environmental triggers of eczema include:

• Irritants and Allergens: Sometimes, coming in contact with irritants and allergens in the environment, such as soaps, detergents, plants, chemicals, and fabrics, can cause eczema.
• Temperature: Dry weather, heat, and cold can also cause the appearance of eczema on your skin.
• Allergies: If you're allergic to certain foods or seasons or have allergies to pollen, pet dander, and dust mites, you may likely experience eczema.
• Skin Infection: Bacteria infections like staph infections often show signs of secondary infections of eczema.
• Hormonal Changes: Hormonal changes during pregnancy and menstruation can also cause eczema.
• Stress: Your mental health, as well as emotional stress, can affect the health of your skin. So, if you have a high level of stress and anxiety, it could trigger eczema flare-ups.

How to Cure Eczema

Skincare experts and dermatologists use various means and methods to treat eczema. However, the treatment used is always unique to each individual and what triggered the eczema. Some treatments for eczema may include:

• Use gentle and sensitive skin moisturizers daily, especially when you have dry skin. Ensure you apply moisturizers prescribed by your skincare therapist and apply them when your skin is damp, preferably after a bath or shower. You can also check our skincare collections for moisturizers that can help treat eczema.
• Topical medications, such as topical steroids recommended by your skincare provider, can also be applied to your skin.
• Oral medications, such as anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, or corticosteroids, can be taken to reduce itchiness and swelling.
• Immunosuppressant drugs can also help regulate and stimulate your immune system to combat inflammation caused by eczema.
• Dermatologists could perform light therapy to improve the appearance of your skin and remove blemishes.
• Finally, personal hygiene is important. Take care of your body and avoid triggers that could cause eczema.

Conclusion

Living with eczema doesn’t have to be a constant struggle. Understanding what triggers the symptoms, practicing a consistent skincare routine, and working with a skincare therapist can help manage your symptoms and significantly improve the appearance of your skin.

Remember that finding the right treatment plan is important to achieving your desired blemish-free skin. At Beyond MedPlus, we offer a variety of skincare products that can help treat eczema and other skin conditions you may be experiencing. Visit our website or contact us so we can recommend the best skincare routine for you.