Eczema

What causes eczema?

Eczema can occur at any age, although usually, it affects children. Under normal circumstances, your skin retains plenty of moisture to help safeguard your skin from foreign invaders and outside irritants. When you have eczema, you have a gene variation that limits your skin’s ability to retain moisture and protect itself.

Even though medical researchers aren’t quite clear as to what causes eczema, they find several issues and risk factors linked between eczema sufferers. You may have eczema flare-ups due to:

• Food or environmental allergies
• History of hay fever or asthma
• Repeated skin infections
• Family history of eczema

Your risk of ongoing eczema issues also increases if you have poor sleep patterns or sleep disorders.

When should I see a dermatologist for eczema?

Atopic dermatitis can become overwhelmingly uncomfortable and leave you feeling like you have to scratch all the time. You should schedule an eczema evaluation at Integrated Dermatology of North Raleigh if you or your child experience:

• Overly dry skin
• Reddish or brownish patches
• Thickened or scaly patches
• Raw or severely sensitive skin

Eczema can cause issues anywhere on your body, including your hands, feet, ankles, chest, and bends of your elbows and knees. Scratching at eczema can damage your skin and lead to sores, which can leave you vulnerable to secondary issues, like skin infections.

Fortunately, with the help of the dedicated dermatologists at Integrated Dermatology of North Raleigh, you won’t have to worry about eczema taking over your life.

How is eczema treated?

Your eczema treatment plan just depends on the severity of your symptoms and your personal medical history. Treating and preventing eczema can include:

• Light therapy
• Wet dressings
• Itch-control creams
• Oral corticosteroids
• Specialized moisturizers
• Oral or topical antibiotics

It’s common to need to combine several of these remedies (and possibly others) to help you get on top of your eczema. Rest assured, the team at Integrated Dermatology of North Raleigh works with you to find the best possible eczema treatment for your needs.

Schedule your eczema evaluation at Integrated Dermatology of North Raleigh today. You can request your eczema appointment either online or over the phone.