1. What is the difference between eczema and atopic dermatitis?
Eczema is a general term for inflammation of the skin (redness, itching and swelling of the skin). Atopic dermatitis (also known as atopic eczema) is a common form of eczema that is associated with familial inheritance and immune imbalance, usually starting in infancy, and has certain clinical features. Eczema also includes contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and bruising dermatitis. In foreign countries, eczema in some cases refers to atopic dermatitis.
2. What is atopic dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is a common type of eczema. Most people (90%) begin to develop atopic dermatitis before the age of 5 years. Patients are accompanied by significant itching. Its development may be related to what dermatologists call “skin barrier function defects”. These barrier function defects make it easier for external substances to irritate the skin, leading to itching and inflammation.
3. What are the signs of atopic dermatitis?
Although atopic dermatitis manifests itself differently in different people, everyone has one common feature – itching. In fact, the symptoms of atopic dermatitis usually begin with itching before a variety of rash manifestations appear. In infancy, the rash usually appears on the cheeks and around the mouth. around age 2, atopic dermatitis often occurs on the hands, wrists, and legs. by age 4, the rash may appear in the elbow and N fossae.
The most common sites of involvement in children and adults include the face, neck and elbow fossae, knee extensors, and ankles. Regardless of where the rash occurs, it usually presents as dry, red, and intensely itchy skin. The dry skin may be fissured and bleeding, and some patients may even show small blisters and yellow water. Prolonged scratching can cause the skin to thicken and resemble old bark or leather. Dermatologists call this change “mossy”.
4. Is atopic dermatitis contagious?
It is not contagious. Atopic dermatitis is genetically related. Of course, some parents carry the genes associated with the development of atopic dermatitis, but they do not necessarily show signs of atopic dermatitis themselves.
5. My child has atopic dermatitis. Some days the skin is fine, and other days it flares up again. Why is this? Usually, atopic-like dermatitis is such that it can flare up repeatedly. You can avoid recurring dermatitis by taking proper care of the skin and avoiding triggers. Triggers are substances that can irritate the skin and trigger itching, such as sweating, sunlight, and spicy foods. Triggers are not the same for different people.
6.Will my child’s atopic dermatitis get better naturally?
It is generally believed that atopic dermatitis in infancy will improve naturally with age. However, not everyone is so lucky. Although most children’s symptoms largely resolve by school age, nearly one-third of patients do not completely resolve until they are 20 years old. In a small percentage of patients, the condition may last a lifetime. For most adult patients, the signs and symptoms will be much milder than in childhood.
If your child has atopic dermatitis, it is important to get the right care and treatment under the guidance of a dermatologist. Good early control of atopic dermatitis reduces the chances of its further exacerbation and the development of respiratory complications such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. On the contrary, patients with poor early control not only have recurrent rash symptoms, but also have increased chances of complications of rhinitis and asthma.
7. Can atopic dermatitis be cured?
No, it cannot. Despite the rapid progress of medical research in recent years, a cure for atopic dermatitis has not yet been found. The occurrence of atopic dermatitis involves complex factors such as genetics and the environment. It is believed that as research progresses, some new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent atopic dermatitis will eventually be found in the future.
The best advice for people currently trying to find relief from atopic dermatitis remains to be
Make lifestyle modifications to prevent recurrence;
Receive treatment under the supervision of a dermatologist;
Follow your dermatologist’s recommendations regarding skin care;
Use the medications prescribed by your doctor.
8. How to treat atopic dermatitis?
The basic treatment of atopic dermatitis includes proper skin care, regular use of emollients and identification and avoidance of atopic and non-atopic irritants. Nonspecific irritants include contact allergens (e.g., clothing containing synthetic materials or woolen garments), soap, hot water, etc. Patients should use appropriate water temperature and mild detergents in their daily life, and the pH of the detergent should preferably be between 5.5 and 6.0 to avoid disrupting the acidic environment of the skin surface.
Atopic stimuli include airborne (e.g. dust mites, pollen), food (e.g. milk, seafood) and contact allergens (tweezers, cosmetics, etc.), which can be confirmed by appropriate allergen testing at the hospital. The treatment of atopic dermatitis should be individualized and stepped up according to the severity of the disease.
Hormonal ointments are usually needed to start treatment, so do not “talk about hormones”. The doctor will usually choose the correct type of hormone and dosage form based on the patient’s age, the nature of the rash, and the location, which usually results in a rapid recovery of the dermatitis. To maintain efficacy, doctors usually recommend regular, standardized skin care, including short daily showers and moisturizers afterwards.
To treat severe itching, the doctor may prescribe antihistamines such as cetirizine and paracetamol. If the skin becomes infected, antibiotic ointment may be added. To maintain efficacy and reduce rash recurrence, intermittent use of hormonal ointments and a topical agent called a calcium-regulated neurophosphatase inhibitor are currently recommended. Skin barrier repair ointments may also be used.
Topical medications are the mainstay of treatment for mild and limited AD. In the case of severe atopic dermatitis, phototherapy and systemic medications should be received under medical supervision.
9.What are the effective measures to reduce itching?
a) Limit shower and bathing time
b) Bathing in cold or slightly warm water
c) Warm lotion
d) Avoid using lotions containing alcohol
e) Use emollients immediately after bathing to keep the shower moist
f) Use moisturizers, especially in winter
g) Wear light clothing
h) Maintain a cool ambient temperature
i) Avoid hot and spicy foods
j) Avoid alcoholic beverages
10. Is desensitization treatment effective for atopic dermatitis?
Allergens, especially the medical so-called airborne allergens (e.g. dust mites, pollen), play an important role in the recurrence and exacerbation of some atopic dermatitis, so desensitization (medically known as atopic immunotherapy, hyposensitization) of patients with exogenous atopic dermatitis can theoretically be effective in reducing the patient’s sensitivity to the relevant allergens and improving clinical symptoms. In fact, numerous clinical studies in recent years have confirmed that desensitization therapy can significantly improve clinical symptoms, reduce serum levels of inflammatory factors and decrease the use of symptomatic medications in patients with atopic dermatitis.
It should be noted that some hypersensitive patients do not tolerate desensitization well and may experience recurrence and temporary exacerbation of the rash during treatment, which requires dose adjustment according to the situation; at the same time, because of the slow onset and long duration of desensitization treatment, other basic treatments should not be neglected because of desensitization treatment, which should be combined with skin care, topical drug therapy and necessary systemic The desensitization process should be combined with skin care, topical medication and necessary systemic medication.