4 things to know about eczema – WRAL.com

By UNC Health Talk

Editor's note: This article originally appeared on UNC Health Talk.

Have you noticed a dry, red rash on your babys cheeks, arms or legs? Chances are, your little one has eczema. A condition that makes skin red and itchy, eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is most common in children but can occur at any age.

Eczema is not contagious. Its cause is not known, but researchers think both genetic and environmental factors play a role. Heres what you need to know to manage eczema, whether its affecting your child or you.

Eczema tends to occur after 6 months of age and goes away by age 5 in half of children with eczema, says UNC Medical Center dermatologist Dr. Puneet Singh Jolly. However, for a small part of the population it can persist into adulthood or recur.

During infancy, eczema usually affects the face, backs of arms and fronts of legs. In older children and adults, it affects the fronts of arms and backs of legs.

Many children with eczema go on to have food allergies, seasonal allergies and asthma. In fact, up to 80 percent of kids with eczema develop allergies or asthma later in childhood.

This phenomenon is called the atopic triad. We think eczema, seasonal allergies and asthma share some common pathways, Dr. Jolly says. But just because your child has eczema doesnt mean he or she will have allergies or asthma. It just means theres a higher risk of it happening.

Dry skin can cause skin to itch. Scratching the skin can cause it to turn red, swell and itch even more, and the eczema worsens as a result. One way to help with this is to keep skin moisturized with a thick ointment like petroleum jelly or a thick cream.

When you moisturize, youre adding a barrier on top of the skin to prevent water loss from your skin, which keeps it from drying out, Dr. Jolly says.

He also suggests that lukewarm baths may help hydrate skin better than hot showers, especially in the winter when skin tends to be drier. When you are ready to get out, gently pat dry your skin and then lather on an ointment or cream. Then put on loose-fitting clothing.

This process locks in the moisture and can provide relief from the itching that comes with eczema, Dr. Jolly says.

Try these additional steps to reduce your risk of dry, itchy skin:

If regular moisturizing and other self-care steps dont help, a doctor may prescribe a topical steroid to help alleviate itching and swelling. These also can help repair the skin. If topical steroids are not effective, a doctor may prescribe other types of topical anti-inflammatory medications or stronger oral or injectable medications in severe cases.

In addition, your or your childs doctor may prescribe an antibiotic cream if the skin has a bacterial infection, an open sore or cracks. A short course of oral antibiotics may be necessary to treat any infections.

More here:
4 things to know about eczema - WRAL.com