Top 10 Most Common Eczema Treatments

There is only one thing that you can be sure of in life: nothing stays the same. Try as we might, try to predict and plan for change, which happens to all of us. Nowhere is this truer than with eczema – a reactive skin condition that affects up to 20% of children and 5% of adults at some point during their lives. Eczema has changed me – it’s changed my family – and I am determined that we will ‘beat’ eczema together through increased understanding. If you’ve just been diagnosed with eczema, or if you’re looking for tips and advice on how best to manage your symptoms, then you’re in the right place! This article aims to provide up-to-date information and guidance on treatments for eczema, focusing on topical creams and steroids, diet, and complementary therapies. The eczema treatment depends on the type of eczema, its severity, and what triggers the flare-ups. Let’s take a look at each of these in turn.

Types of eczema:

1. Atopic dermatitis (AD)

Atopic dermatitis, or AD, is the most common form of eczema. It’s estimated that between 10-20% of all children develop AD during childhood, more commonly seen in boys than girls. Atopic dermatitis causes dry skin, which can crack easily, leading to painful sores or weeping eczema. The constant scratching associated with this irritation leads to further inflammation, oozing, and scarring (keloids).

2. Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a skin reaction that occurs when the skin touches an allergen or irritant. A wide range of substances can cause contact dermatitis, and these include soaps, perfumes, cleaning products, solvents, grasses, and pollens (asthma sufferers may be more likely to develop eczema from exposure), rubber chemicals found in elastic bands and shoes, nickel found in jewelry and metal buttons on clothes… If you think you have developed a contact allergy to something worn on your body or used in your home, remove that item immediately and stop using it. Use an emollient (moisturizing cream) that contains natural ingredients, such as shea butter or sunflower oil.

3. Dyshidrotic eczema

Dyshidrotic eczema often starts in early adulthood and is characterized by small blisters on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, which can become very itchy. In most cases, dyshidrosis clears up after a few years, but occasionally it may return at some point in the future. This form of eczema is rarely associated with hay fever or asthma.

4. Nummular dermatitis

Nummular dermatitis causes coin-shaped inflamed patches to develop. These are incredibly itchy and may cause the affected area of the skin to become thickened and cracked.

5. Seborrheic dermatitis (SD)

Seborrheic dermatitis is a common form of eczema which affects areas such as the scalp, face, and torso. It occurs in adults who have a weakened immune system, but it can also affect children. Areas of redness and scaling will develop and may be associated with yellow-crusted patches on the scalp and greasy scales in hair follicles on the face.

6. Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP)

Palmoplantar pustulosis is characterized by intensely itchy fluid-filled blisters that only occur on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.

7. Chronic hand dermatitis

This type of eczema is prevalent in healthcare workers due to frequent contact with soaps and detergents, irritating the skin, making it dry, tight, and painful. If you have this form of eczema, try moisturizing your hands regularly throughout the day.

8. Xerotic eczema

Xerotic eczema affects people whose bodies cannot retain enough water in their outermost protective layer (the stratum corneum). They usually live in drier climates or spend most of the time indoors, where humidity levels are lower than outdoors. Areas affected include the legs, arms, torso, and face. The symptoms you get with xerotic eczema are very similar to xerosis or dry skin. The good news is that you can treat both of these conditions with the same moisturizer – be sure to choose a product that has been designed for your specific type of eczema.

What triggers eczema?

Eczema triggers vary from person to person, but here are some of the most common triggers that cause or worsen eczema flare-ups:

• Dry skin caused by weather (hot, cold, windy), indoor heating, and harsh soaps can contribute to eczema. In addition, low humidity levels indoors during the winter months can make your dry skin even worse.
• Infections such as strep throat and urinary tract infections with E Coli bacteria may trigger a flare-up in some people. Likewise, if you suffer from hay fever or asthma, an attack will also cause your eczema to flare up.
• Stress, If you have a mental health condition such as bipolar disorder or depression, this may make your eczema worse.
• Medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen can worsen, while certain types of antibiotics may also cause you to experience more severe symptoms.

Symptoms of eczema:

Symptoms of hand dermatitis include:

• Red, dry skin; cracked or peeling skin.
• Blisters that may ooze or be filled with blood
• Scaly, raised bumps that are bumpy or warty looking.

As mentioned earlier, these symptoms usually last for two weeks, but treatment is still necessary to prevent the area from becoming chapped again.

Ten best treatments for eczema:

1. Topical Steroids:

Topical steroids are oils or ointments that are applied to the skin to reduce inflammation. They come in different strengths ranging from mild (class I) to strong (class VII). The most effective type of topical steroid for treating eczema is a super high-potent steroid which should only be used for short periods – usually one week at a time unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

2. Corticosteroids:

Several types of injectable corticosteroids can be used to treat severe cases of hand dermatitis, particularly if it does not respond well to topical treatments.

3. Moisturizers:

Many people find relief with over-the-counter moisturizing creams and ointments. Look for 1% coal tar products, which works by slowing down the overproduction of skin cells that causes eczema to flake and itch.

4. Immunosuppressants:

Patients who have moderate to severe cases of hand dermatitis may be prescribed medications such as Elidel (pimecrolimus) 1% cream or Protopic (tacrolimus) ointment, which are topical immunomodulators used to treat eczema flare-ups. Both are safe in adults and should not be used on children under two years old unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

5. Antibiotics:

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe a topical antibiotic cream to help control infection and accelerate the healing process.

6. Antihistamines:

Antihistamines can be taken orally or topically to relieve intense itching caused by allergies around eczema outbreaks.

7. Light Therapy:

Light therapy is also known as phototherapy, which involves exposing skin areas affected by certain forms of eczema to small amounts of natural or artificial ultraviolet light. This treatment has been successful with patients whose hand dermatitis flares up from exposure to chromium salts used in metalworking fluids, heavy soaps, detergents, pesticides, or nickel found in jewelry and clothing fasteners.

8. Home remedies:

Other options for relieving the symptoms of hand dermatitis include:

• Cold compresses or ice packs are applied to the skin for short periods.
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements are taken orally (by mouth).
• Over-the-counter oral antihistamines.

9. Dietary changes: 

A few studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and some cold-water fish) may help treat eczema symptoms in adults and help relieve symptoms in children. However, there is not enough evidence to recommend its use for this purpose at this time.

10. Alternative Therapies:

There are many alternative treatments available like acupuncture, reflexology, homeopathy, chiropractic therapy for hand dermatitis. Among all homeopathic remedies for eczema is one of the best treatments available.

Other Tips That May Help You Get Rid Of Your Itchy Skin Condition And Eczema Rashes

1) Avoid harsh soaps whenever possible because they can make your skin even drier, which irritates it further when you scratch the inflamed area to get relief from itching. Choose gentle cleaning solutions that do not have moisturizing ingredients.

2) You must avoid being in contact with anything that may irritate your skin. This includes wearing protective clothing and accessories, if possible, which could reduce the frequency of flare-ups by blocking out irritants from entering your skin. Even a hat, a scarf over your face, or a mask can help protect yourself when you’re in contact with an irritant like pollen in the air when gardening, etc.

3) Wear cotton gloves while washing dishes to keep hands from coming into direct contact with dish soap and other dishwashing liquids that could be irritating for your hand eczema (dermatitis). If you don’t want to wear gloves all the time because it’s uncomfortable and doesn’t look good, try wearing them just while doing dishes.

4) Avoid scratching the affected area of the skin because this could injure your skin and lead to infection. You can apply moisturizers or anti-itch products containing calamine lotion or mentholated ointments to reduce itching whenever you feel like scratching the irritated eczema rashes on your hands. This also helps in reducing the redness and inflammation of affected areas. It is important to note that overuse of topical steroid creams is not advisable as it can cause side effects like thinning of the skin, stretch marks, etc.

5) Try using a cold compress on inflamed areas; this will help reduce swelling, irritation, pain, and itching. Ice packs are best for this purpose.

6) Relax and get plenty of rest to avoid strain on your body from stress which can cause flare-ups in eczema symptoms. Keeping a positive attitude when controlling hand dermatitis symptoms is essential because a negative mindset will only worsen the condition. In this regard, support groups can help patients trying to cope with their skin condition by offering advice and encouraging words from others going through similar problems.

7) Avoid using harsh detergents, alcohol-based products, latex gloves, etc.; they may irritate your affected areas even more. Use fragrance-free moisturizers that contain natural or synthetic oils like paraffin or almond oil along with aqueous cream.

When should you contact a doctor?

If your symptoms do not respond to self-care measures within two weeks, if they get worse after using topical steroid creams or other remedies for more than one week, or if the symptoms interfere with daily activities like holding items or caring for yourself, you should contact your doctor right away. Due to eczema, at times, the patient is not comfortable using the conventional mode of treatment. There are many cases where the patient has shown better results after using an alternative therapy like homeopathy for eczema.

Why choose homeopathic treatment for eczema?

Homeopathic treatment for eczema is one of the best treatments for eczema. Due to no side effects or after effects, it is safe and natural. Homeopathic medicines are gentle, so they can be applied externally and taken internally to treat eczema.

1. Homeopathy treats the whole person, considering all aspects of your life and not just an isolated set of symptoms.
2. Homeopathic treatment for eczema assists the immune system is doing its job to protect you from dis-ease.
3. You can choose a homeopathic practitioner that matches your personality and style so that you feel comfortable at each visit and build a good rapport with them.
4. Homeopathy is holistic, which means it treats the person as a whole, taking all aspects of your life into account and not just treating specific symptoms; this includes your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
5. Homeopathic medicines are gentle and generally safe for everyone, including children’s treatment during pregnancy.
6. Homeopathic treatment for eczema in your own home and whenever you want in a natural, gentle and effective way without any side effects or after-effects.
7. Homeopathy has helped people of all ages with eczema since its discovery; it is the second most popular system of medicine in the world today.
8. You can choose to take medicines that match your personality and style so that you feel comfortable at each visit.
9. It’s a long-term commitment to better health by establishing a solid foundation of health where dis-ease is not possible due to strengthening the immune system against dis-ease causing factors like toxins etc., which reduces susceptibility, builds resistance, and establishes harmony between mind, body, and emotions.
10. As it is holistic, it considers all aspects of your life and not just treating the symptoms; this includes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
11. Homeopathy has helped people of all ages with eczema since its discovery; it is the second most popular system of medicine in the world today.
12. If you are looking for an alternative treatment option for your eczema that will not cause harmful side effects or use harsh chemicals, then homeopathic remedies for hand dermatitis may be a good choice for you to consider as they are natural and gentle so suitable for children too. You can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy for more information.