Seunga (Jasmine) Han, PharmD Candidate
When you think of eczema, what’s the first image that comes into your head? Is it an image of someone’s skin that isn’t a pleasant sight to see? Unfortunately, to this day, there’s still a lot of misconceptions surrounding eczema – this not only applies to the public but also those suffering from the condition themselves. In today’s article, we’ll take a look at what eczema is and uncover the myths associated with it.
Eczema
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a recurring, long-term inflammatory skin condition that currently doesn’t have a cure.1-3 It usually appears before the age of five and often continues through adolescence into adulthood.1,2 The signs and symptoms of eczema vary from person to person, and includes, but is not limited to dry, itchy, inflamed skin with or without oozing or crusting lesions.1,2 In many cases, individuals itch until a red, raw rash appears.1,2
Though seemingly harmless compared to other medical conditions, many don’t realize that eczema is more than itchy skin, and may have a significant impact on the quality of life of affected individuals and their families.
So let’s go ahead and crack down on some of these misconceptions.
#1. Does uncleanliness cause eczema?
This is absolutely not the case. The exact cause of eczema is still unknown, but it’s believed that eczema is caused by a combination of genetic, dietary, environmental, and infectious factors that may act to trigger relapses and exacerbations (flare-ups).1,2
#2. Is eczema contagious?
If you’ve ever been too scared to go near someone with a severe eczema rash, you can put your mind at ease, because it’s not contagious.1
#3. Can people with eczema go swimming?
Of course! Most people with eczema can go swimming; however, some choose not to, because they find the chemicals in swimming pools or the salt in seawater makes their eczema worse.1
#4. Is eczema that bad? Can’t you just treat it with medications or creams?
As we’ve said before, eczema is much more than what it seems. Besides causing irritated, rashy parts of the skin, eczema can also increase the risk of infections and lead to sleep disturbances.2,3 Additionally, a recent population-based study in the US showed that individuals with sleep disturbances due to eczema were more likely to be associated with shorter stature.4
And as mentioned before, no medication can cure eczema, although there are many options available that can manage and minimize symptoms.1-3
#5. If there is no cure, what can they do for their eczema?
Currently, individuals with eczema are recommended to use moisturizers such as petrolatum (Vaseline®) to help seal in moisture – check out our piece on dry skin for more on this. Ointments are preferred since they’re less irritating and have better penetration than creams or lotions; however, these are all great alternatives too. Staying properly moisturized should help prevent future flare-ups as well as minimize irritation and itch.5
Additionally, topical corticosteroid creams can be used along with moisturizers for the skin.5 Corticosteroids have a small risk of minor side effects. However, they’re still regularly recommended as they work to reduce inflammation quickly and effectively.
Other ways to reduce eczema exacerbations is to use non-irritating soaps and, avoid perfumed products, wool, dry grass, leaves, and anything else that may have triggered eczema in the past. There isn’t enough evidence to support the use of wet wraps, but individuals may use them as an alternative after discussing with their local health care provider.5
#6. So antihistamines wouldn’t do much for eczema?
That’s right! Eczema is not an allergy, and therefore not histamine-related. For this reason, antihistamines have little-to-no effect. However, sedating antihistamines (Benadryl®) can still be used as a short-term solution for sleep disturbances when taken before bedtime.5
There was a lot of information in this article, but we hope that you were able to take away some useful information about eczema. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us through Instagram, Facebook, or ask@orbishealth.ca with any questions, concerns, and feedback!
RESOURCES
- Eczema Canada
- DynaMed Plus
- Camfferman D, Short M, Kennedy J, Gold M, Kohler M, Lushington K. Thermoregulation, scratch, itch and sleep deficits in children with eczema. Sleep Medicine [serial on the Internet]. (2016, Sep), [cited March 21, 2018]; 25145-150. Available from: CINAHL Plus with Full Text.
- Silverberg J, Paller A. Association between eczema and stature in 9 US population-based studies. JAMA Dermatology [serial on the Internet]. (2015, Apr), [cited March 21, 2018]; 151(4): 401-409. Available from: CINAHL Plus with Full Text.
- RxTx
