Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic recurrent skin disorder that usually develops in infants between 2 and 6 months of age, often with dry skin, intolerable intense itching and rash. Patients or their families often have a history of allergic rhinitis, asthma, or allergic conjunctivitis. Children with atopic dermatitis with allergen sensitization (medically known as exogenous atopic dermatitis) are more likely to develop allergic rhinitis and asthma when they grow up, even if their skin symptoms disappear, especially if the rash was poorly controlled during early childhood. A well-controlled rash can reduce the occurrence of subsequent complications, so care and treatment at home during normal times is very important. How do doctors usually treat atopic dermatitis? Doctors generally choose treatment options based on the size of the rash and the severity of the symptoms. For patients with a small number of lesions and mild symptoms, topical medications can generally achieve better results; while those with significant symptoms and large lesions need a combination of oral medications and topical creams. 1, oral anti-allergy drugs: atopic dermatitis itching is more obvious at night, constant scratching often leads to aggravation of the rash, interrupting the vicious cycle of “itching – scratching – more itching” is an important step in the treatment. If the patient’s sleep is affected by itching, oral administration of first-generation antihistamines, such as paracetamol, is recommended at night to reduce itching and help sleep to some extent. The joint topical medication on this basis will hopefully accelerate the recovery of eczema. 2, topical hormone cream: topical hormone ointment is the main drug for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. The regulated use of topical hormones is safe, but must be used under the direction of a skin specialist. Hormonal ointments are usually needed to start treatment, which allows for rapid recovery of dermatitis. To maintain efficacy, it is common to switch to intermittent therapy or to non-hormonal ointments after the rash is controlled. Long-term use of strong hormones is generally not advocated, especially in thin skin areas, such as the face, armpits and other parts of the body. Local immunomodulators: These are non-hormonal topical ointments, such as Aniinda (Pimecrolimus ointment) and Putnam’s (Tacrolimus ointment), which can be used for mild to moderate skin lesions, and long-term use will not have the side effects of skin atrophy, microvascular dilation and local hirsutism produced by traditional topical hormonal ointments, so it is more suitable for intermittent long-term use to reduce the chance of recurrence. Can I stop taking the medication once the rash has cleared up? In the past, the treatment usually consisted of rubbing the drug when the lesions recurred (so-called reactive treatment or on-demand treatment), which not only affects the patient’s treatment results but also significantly affects the confidence of the doctor and patient. At present, we recommend a long course of intermittent treatment with topical medication, that is, at the beginning of treatment, the daily continuous topical medication for 2-4 weeks (2/day), in the rash is basically controlled or completely controlled, not completely stop rubbing medication, but change to every 3 days in the original long rash to continue rubbing medication, maintain for several months or even years. Maintenance medications are generally chosen from non-hormonal ointments (e.g., tacrolimus ointment/Protempel, pimecrolimus ointment/Albuterol) or soft hormones (e.g., mometasone furoate/Elosone, hydrocortisone butyrate/Yuzolol, etc.). This therapy significantly reduces the rate of rash recurrence, improves the patient’s life treatment and reduces the overall cost of medications. The latter therapy is recommended for patients with a high number of previous rashes and recurrent episodes. Due to the presence of skin barrier dysfunction in patients with atopic dermatitis, patients often have dry skin. Topical medications should be applied early in the course of treatment along with an emollient cream. After the rash has been controlled, patients should routinely use an appropriate moisturizing product. What kind of moisturizer should I choose? The lotions generally sold in supermarkets are suitable for use on normal skin in the general population. For patients with atopic dermatitis who have skin dysfunction, they should choose a mild product that is fragrance-free, low in preservatives, and has been verified by a dermatologist to be safe for use on sensitive skin. These products are now called medical skin care products, such as Avène’s Triple Nourishing Cream from France, Stafer’s Freschia series and domestic brands such as Winona, all have corresponding product lines that can be selected according to local conditions and their own conditions. When should I apply moisturizer? As long as you feel dry or itchy skin can be rubbed, immediately, at any time, it does not matter. The usual use is to apply a mild moisturizer or the above mentioned medical skin care products to the entire body after showering and drying, or within five minutes before dressing. If you need to use topical medication prescribed by a physician, you should rub the cream on the rash first and then apply the moisturizer. Atopic dermatitis can be well controlled with a little more effort.