Treatment Options Available For Eczema

Fortunately there are many ways in which you can treat eczema and other dry skin conditions…

Emollient Therapy

This is an important treatment for eczema and dry skin. It can be used on its own or used alongside the other treatments.

Emollient Therapy
	Emollients are medical moisturisers that smooth, soften, hydrate and protect the skin. Emollients: Provide an oily layer on the skin’s surface that slows water loss (occlusion). Penetrate the upper layers of the skin to repair the mortar.

Hydromol cream is Active Emollient Therapy. It also replenishes the natural moisturising factor to actively hydrate the skin.

Emollients are essentially oil-based products that smooth, soften, hydrate and protect the skin. They can be applied directly to the skin or used in the bath. By creating an oily layer on the skin a barrier is formed. This slows water loss from the skin. Emollients also help repair the mortar that binds all the skin cells together. Emollients are therefore able to help repair the skin's natural barrier that is damaged in eczema. This is explained further in the "eczema" section.

Avoid Exacerbating Factors

Before using any treatment make sure you first identify anything that makes your condition worse. Avoiding these exacerbating factors will help manage your condition.

Potential exacerbating factors:

• Soaps / Bubble Bath

Some ingredients in these products can further dry and irritate the skin. Try alternatives such as Emollient creams as a good soap substitute and bath emollient instead of bubble bath.

• Wool / Synthetics

Some constituents in clothes and bedlinen can aggravate the condition. Make sure you avoid all contact with the material that you find aggravates you. Try to stick to cotton and special "anti-allergy" bedlinen.

• Biological Washing Powders / Conditioners

These contain ingredients that may aggravate the skin. There are non-biological alternatives.

• Stress

90% of people report their condition gets worse when they are stressed. Try to stay relaxed and keep a positive attitude. This is also true of the people around you such as friends and family.

• Scratching

Itching may seem like a natural response to the condition but it can make the condition worse, as it further breaks down the barrier of the skin. Stop the itch-scratch cycle by keeping fingernails short. Children can be prevented from scratching by forming a physical barrier between their hands and the inflammed skin. Bandages are often used.

• Heat

If the skin is inflammed there will already be a lot of heat in the skin so try to keep yourself cool.

Topical Corticosteroids

There are a wide variety of steroid creams available. They all work by reducing the inflammation of the skin. Your doctor / nurse / pharmacist will be able to advice you further on this method of treatment.

Immunomodulators

This is a relatively new class of treatments that are prescribed once it is found that you are unresponsive to other conventional treatments. Your doctor / nurse / pharmacist will be able to advice you further on this method of treatment.

Wet Wrapping

This is useful for children, particularly those who are experiencing a flare-up. It is very effective but is time and energy consuming. The child bathes in a bath emollient, applies direct to the skin after the bath and then water soaked bandages are applied all over the skins surface, followed by dry bandages over the top. Your doctor / nurse / pharmacist will be able to advice you further on this method of treatment.