The term "eczema" has its origin in the Greek word "ekzein", which means to effervesce or bubble or boil over. It is estimated that over 30 million Americans suffer from this chronic skin disease. Dry, sensitive skin, intense itching, red patches and recurring rash are some of the symptoms associated with eczema. But if you thought that eczema sufferers' woes are only skin deep, you are wrong, and here's why... A study conducted by Northwestern Medicine has found that adults who have eczema have higher rates of smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages and obesity than people who don't have the disease. In addition, eczema sufferers are less likely to exercise because their condition may worsen as a result of triggers such as sweat and heat. The plethora of bad health habits gives the eczema sufferers a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol as well as diabetes. They also have higher rates of insomnia, reveals the study. As part of the study, the researchers analysed data for 27,157 and 34,525 adults aged 18 to 85 years from the 2010 and 2012 National Health Interview Survey, respectively. According to the study results, patients with eczema had 54% … Continue reading →

About 30 million Americans suffer from eczema, a painful, itchy skin condition that can be hard to treat and miserable to live with. Now the Food and Drug Administration has fast-tracked testing of a promising new drug treatment that could offer patients new hope. Daniela Velasco is one of the patients taking part in testing the drug, called Dupilumab, at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, and she's amazed by the difference it has made. Velasco suffered from flare-ups so severe they kept her awake at night. Now she says her skin looks healthy for the first time in four years. "It was such a quick change, so dramatic," she told CBS News. "Like from being extremely miserable to like, 'Whoa, this is what it feels like to be normal again!'" The itchy, red patches on her legs cleared up within 10 days. Doctors say 85 percent of the patients taking the drug in the study experienced similar results. Dupilumab, which is administered by injection, was developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanofi. It was recently designated a "Breakthrough Therapy" by the FDA to accelerate the testing process and speed its way towards approval. The drug was developed based … Continue reading →

Daniela Velasco's skin looks healthy for the first time in 4 years. "You see that it's quite normal now. It's unbelievable." Velasco suffers with severe eczema. The painful, itchy flareups would keep her up all night. "The itch doesn't go away." In August, Velasco joined a study at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York that's testing a new drug called Dupilumab. She says the skin on her legs went from this...to this in just 10 days. "Literally, they were disappearing, the wounds were closing. And it was such a quick change, so dramatic. Like from being extremely miserable to like, woah, this is what it feels like to be normal again." 85 percent of the patients in the study taking the drug experienced similar results. Dr. Emma GuttmanYassky lead the research which found eczema is an immune driven disease. The rest is here: FDA Fast-Tracks Eczema Drug … Continue reading →