I. What is atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic skin disease with a genetic predisposition. Generally, it is a skin disease with chronic, recurrent, pruritic, and inflammatory characteristics, such as eczema (recurrent) after the month. 70% of patients have a family history of allergies, asthma or allergic rhinitis and other genetic allergies, so it is also known as atopic eczema, atopic dermatitis, and genetic allergic dermatitis.
Second, atopic dermatitis etiology
1, genetic factors
The patient or family members often have allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis and other allergic body performance. However, it is not contagious and there is no need to deliberately avoid your family and friends.
2. Altered skin barrier
The reason why atopic dermatitis has extremely dry skin is because the skin barrier function is reduced, the sebaceous membrane on the surface of the skin is damaged or defective, and there is no natural moisturizing factor – ceramide, which makes the skin dehydrated and dry, and also makes it easier for allergic substances to be absorbed into the skin and cause skin sensitivity.
3.Staphylococcus
In addition, research also found that atopic patients with the presence of skin – Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, the release of super antigens, causing the body’s allergic reaction, thus stimulating the outbreak of the disease.
Third, atopic dermatitis symptoms
1, the necessary characteristics: (must have, and enough to make a diagnosis)
(1) pruritus
(2) eczema-like changes
(3) typical morphological manifestations and age-specific distribution patterns
(4) Infants and children: facial, cervical, and extensor involvement
(5) Any age group: existing or previous flexural lesions, commonly known as four-bend wind in Chinese medicine.
(6) groin and axillae are not involved
(7) chronic or recurrent course of the disease
2, important features (seen in most patients, supporting the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis)
(1) Early onset
(2) Personal and/or family history of atopic disease (IgE reaction)
(3) Dry dermatitis
3. Associated features (help suggest the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, but atopic is not strong)
(1) Hair keratosis/common ichthyosis/palmaria
(2) Abnormal vascular reaction
(3) peri-hair elevation/mossiness/itchy rash
(4) periocular/periorbital changes
(5) Periorbital/peri-auricular lesions
IV. Treatment of atopic dermatitis
1. During the exacerbation period, anti-allergic treatment should be given under the guidance of a physician, either oral anti-allergic medication, or herbal medicine, or topical anti-inflammatory medication.
Usually children should use weak hormones, which can effectively reduce skin inflammation, and it is safe to use hormone creams reasonably and regularly. If a mother is concerned about the side effects of hormones, she can use hormone-free tacrolimus or pimecrolimus under the advice of her doctor.
2. Use effective moisturizing products to moisturize the skin and control scratching.
The extreme dryness of atopic skin itself will aggravate the itching and cause the child to scratch, making the rash worse, crusting, oozing, further destruction of the skin barrier, and the invasion of bacteria and allergic substances leading to a vicious cycle. Therefore, it is also very important to use effective moisturizing products.
3. Keeping clean and avoiding Staphylococcus aureus infection should not be neglected either.
When there is obvious redness or increased exudation, antibiotic treatment such as Listerine and Bactrim can be given.