What are the treatments for atopic dermatitis? Because atopic dermatitis has a long course and is prone to recurrence, the treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis should use different treatment protocols at different times. In Europe and the United States, and in our country, we have developed more standardized guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis. Currently, the preferred treatment for atopic dermatitis in China is still glucocorticoids plus emollients, but most patients and their families are afraid of treatment with hormonal drugs. Moreover, atopic dermatitis is characterized by a chronic course and easy recurrence, and long-term treatment with hormonal drugs can bring many side effects. Therefore, patients should be properly treated with hormonal medications under the guidance of a doctor. Of course, different treatment options should also be chosen according to the different stages of the disease and different rash characteristics. The treatment of atopic dermatitis is a comprehensive one. If the skin barrier function is impaired in the early stage of the disease, general care such as emollients or moisturizers may be sufficient to achieve the therapeutic effect of maintaining skin moisture and repairing the skin barrier function, and medication is not required. Properly cleansing the skin and maintaining the barrier function of the skin is also a concern during this period. If such treatment is not effective and the child is still itchy and still scratching, treatment with some sedative medication is needed. Medication for atopic dermatitis needs to be used under the guidance of a doctor and the patient needs to be followed up. If the child is scratching badly, he or she will keep scratching, which will lead to a vicious cycle of “itching-scratching-itching”, and the skin barrier function will be impaired, thus contributing to the aggravation of atopic dermatitis. If the child’s symptoms are still uncontrolled, some hormonal topical medications or non-hormonal topical medications are needed, which are used alternately depending on the condition. In short, these are different treatment options that need to be chosen depending on the condition. Why do doctors use hormonal creams when they have many side effects? Corticosteroids have anti-allergic effect of inhibiting immune response, and can reduce itching, congestion and edema after topical application, so that the inflammatory reaction of certain skin damage can be temporarily relieved and subside. They are commonly used by dermatologists at home and abroad, and will not produce serious adverse consequences as long as they are applied under the guidance of dermatologists in regular hospitals. When treating children with hormonal drugs, it is important to note that children’s skin is different from that of adults and is relatively thin and tender, so they should not use strong or halogen-containing hormonal drugs because they are more irritating. What are the better topical medications for atopic dermatitis at present? The most representative non-hormonal drugs are tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream, which is a calcium-regulated neurophosphatase inhibitor. Atopic dermatitis and immune factors also have a certain relationship, topical tacrolimus ointment has a regulatory effect on local immune function, so that the normal or out-of-balance immune status can be repaired to normal level after treatment with this drug. They do not have the adverse effects of hormones and will not cause skin atrophy, thinning and impaired barrier function of the skin. Moreover, the efficacy of this non-hormonal ointment for atopic dermatitis has been confirmed by the medical community, as it has a strong selective anti-inflammatory effect and can be used for a longer period of time in all areas of the disease, especially on the head, face, neck and other tender areas of the skin. Other products include sodium heparin ointment, Xylactol cream, and urea cream. When the skin is dry in the later stages of recovery, non-irritating and moisturizing skin care products, such as Avène, Skin Care, Stave and other medicinal products, can be added as appropriate. Do I need to use internal medication to treat atopic dermatitis? For stubborn hormonal dermatitis or severe hormonal dermatitis, patients can take oral antihistamines, immune modulating drugs, herbal medicines and other medications under the guidance of a doctor. When a patient has moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, most of the skin all over the body is itchy, which can be manifested as redness and swelling of the skin or even blisters, and the blisters can easily break, and after breaking, there is exudation, vesicles and crusts, and the itching is particularly severe, which requires hospitalization. In addition, if a child with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis is not treated in a timely manner, other complications may arise over time, most commonly sleep disorders, and infections are also common and serious complications, so hospitalization is required. Can atopic dermatitis be cured? Most patients are treated with appropriate medications, and as they age, the condition gradually decreases and is brought under some control. Epidemiological studies have been done in China and about 10% of patients with atopic dermatitis have a relapsing course into adulthood, but some can be controlled before the age of 20. The characteristics of atopic dermatitis are similar to those of asthma in that the onset of the disease is more frequent in children, and the incidence decreases with age.