Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis and is a condition that causes the skin to become itchy and red. Eczema usually occurs in children, but adults can also be affected with this skin condition. Eczema is chronic and usually occurs simultaneously with hay fever or asthma.There is currently no cure for atopic dermatitis, but there are treatments that can treat the symptoms and prevent further outbreaks. Individuals should avoid using any soaps that can cause an allergic reaction and keep their skin moisturized.

1. Identifying symptoms of eczema

The most common age when eczema usually occurs is before 5 years old. When eczema occurs it usually flares up in phases and then clears up. The unique thing about eczema is that an individual can go years without experiencing a flare up and then, out of the blue, it can come back. The signs of symptoms of eczema are different for each person. Individuals can experience symptoms such as sensitive skin from scratching, dry skin, intense itching at night, and thick scaly cracked skin. Individuals will have reddish to brownish gray patches on many different parts of their body and small bumps that leak fluid may appear on the body as well.

2. The causes of eczema

The main cause of eczema is that the skin cannot retain moisture. Moisture in the skin is how the body fights against bacteria, allergens, and irritants. When the body cannot retain the proper moisture it is due to a defect in the individual’s genes. This defect lowers the skin’s natural ability to protect the body from many different environmental factors. The other factor that can contribute to an eczema outbreak is food allergies. If individuals are unknowingly allergic to certain foods and eat these foods, this may cause an eczema outbreak.

3. Treating eczema

There is not one specific treatment for eczema. Individuals may need to try a variety of different treatments in order to combat the condition. The most frequently used treatments include recognizing the early symptoms of an outbreak, keeping the skin moisturized, and using any prescribed creams or antibiotic creams only as instructed. The most frequently prescribed medication that is used to treat eczema inflammation is prednisone and there is also a new medication on the market called dupixent that is helpful to those who do not respond well to other types of treatment.

4. An eczema diet

An eczema diet consists of eating anti-inflammatory foods. Some examples of anti-inflammatory foods include fish, yogurt, apples, broccoli, spinach, cherries, and kale. Some of the best snack foods that are recommended for individuals with eczema are bananas, oats, bone broth, sweet potato, and papaya.