Eczema cream

Eczema is a form of dermatitis that causes the skin to be irritated and inflamed. If you suffer from eczema you may have experienced these symptoms along with itching, dry and scaly skin. Often the infected areas will have a different color such as red or brownish or it can even make the pigment of the skin lighter. The rash is most common on hands, feet, knees and face, but it can be on other parts of the body as well. For adults the symptoms are a bit different than those of infants with eczema. Babies tend to have an itchy rash that appears on the face, scalp, knees, elbows, or trunk of the body, that can cause oozing and crusting. Although there is no cure for eczema, there is hope of relief for sufferers through different types of treatments.

There are several different eczema creams available today. At your local drug store you will be able to find a broad array of moisturizers and some may be labeled specially for eczema treatment. Since eczema occurs in those with sensitive and dry skin it is important to moisturize the skin every day. The best time to use these creams is directly after bathing. When you are in the shower or bath your skin has time to absorb as much moisture as possible. Lotions and moisturizers do not actually contain high amounts of moisture themselves, but their main purpose is used for locking in the moisture you already have in your skin. So what better time to moisturize then right after a bath? The best type of moisturizer to buy would be in cream or ointment forms. Lotions do not seem to work nearly as well since they do not offer as much protection. Using creams is a good choice and using ointments is even better. It is extremely important to moisturize daily, even at times when you are not experiencing a flare up, since moisturizing is used as a preventive measure.

Along with using a daily moisturizer you may be given a steroid cream by your physician. These steroid creams are to be used during times of an eczema flare up. If you are given a steroid cream, it is important to add this step into your daily routine. The steroid cream must go on to the affected area before the moisturizer. This way its benefits are working directly on the skin instead of being blocked by the creams or ointments. There may be other times during the day in which the steroid cream is to be used as well. Be sure to only use the steroid cream at times of a flare up. Once you notice the rash improving you should lessen the amount of steroid cream you are using until it is needed again. If you have a flare up that is on the face you should use over the counter 1% Hydrocortisone instead. Also, when treating babies it is important to use 1% hydrocortisone in the diaper area as well.

It is important not to use steroidal creams any more than you absolutely need them. For this reason you may want to ask you physician about the newer treatments that are non-steroidal medications that are helping people with eczema. Anytime you use a steroid medication you want to use them in moderation to avoid any side effects. Always consult with your doctor before trying anything new for your condition since some medications may not work the same for everyone. Although, eczema can be a frustrating condition, there are ways of treating it to make life a bit better.

Last updated on May 27th, 2009 and filed under Skin Care. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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