All posts tagged US

Sweet Tooth And Eczema How Sugar Effects Your Eczema Condition

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There hasnt been a great deal of research into whether there is a link between eczema and sugar. However many scientists believe that sugar can contribute to eczema in children. Therefore keeping blood sugar levels under control might help patients of eczema. It could also be the case that the sugary foods might trigger an allergic reaction, causing eczema.

The Scientific studies that have been conducted have established a direct connection between high sugar intake and degraded health condition, for a large number of different disorders. According to one estimate, the average per capita sugar consumption in the US is about half a cup a day. Bear in mind that the advised daily sugar intake is around 10 teaspoons! Diabetes has been specifically known to disrupt the bodys normal functions.

One strong correlation between sugar and eczema has been researched and established, though it not related to sugar consumption but handling sugar. In bakers and confectioners, the main work involves handling sugar every day. The sugar is normally warmed to around 500C so that it melts and can be dissolved into food products. By indulging in preparation of such recipes sugar artists suffer from diverse thermally induced skin problems on their hands.

Healthy diet and good nutritional food is important for the maintenance of good skin. Skin being the largest organ of our body is bound to be affected adversely by such large deviations as the intake of any food product which is known to have an unfavorable impact on our health. Though it cannot be said for certain whether or not sugar causes eczema, its surely worth considering. With food allergies being observed in up to 30% children, sugar might play a role.

Living Better With Eczema

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The term eczema refers to a set of medical conditions which cause inflammation or irritation of skin. The most common type of eczema is termed as atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis. Atopic means a cluster of diseases with a usually inherited tendency to suffer from other allergic conditions, like hay fever and asthma.

In the US alone, around 10% to 20% of infants and around 3% of children and adults are affected by eczema. Most infants outgrow the condition when they reach the age of 10, while some individuals continue having symptoms on and off for their entire life. However, the disease can be controlled with proper treatment. Especially if you beware of dry skin,you can manage eczema well.

Symptoms of Eczema

The major symptom of eczema is itchiness of skin. Sometimes itching starts before the appearance of rashes. The rash appears most commonly on face, hands, wrists, back of knees or feet. It also affects other areas.

When affected by eczema, the skin appears very dry, thick or scaly. In fair-skinned individuals, the affected areas look reddish first and then they turn brown, while in dark-skinned individuals, eczema may affect pigmentation and the affected area turns lighter or darker.

In infants, there is a possibility of the itchy rash producing a crusting and oozing condition that appears mainly in the scalp and on face. However, patches may appear everywhere.

Causes of Eczema

The cause of eczema is not known yet. However it is thought that eczema is an overactive response of the immune system of the body to an irritant.

Besides, eczema commonly occurs in families having a history of asthma or other allergies. Also the skin barrier defects can allow germs in and moisture out.

There seems to be a vast variation in the causes of dry itchy skin in different people. Some people develop itchy rash because of specific substances or conditions, while some others develop them after getting in touch with some coarse material. For some others, exposure to certain soaps or detergents, extreme heat or cold or contact with animal dander may cause itchy rash. In some patients, upper respiratory tract infections may trigger the condition and stress can worsen the condition.

Though there is no definite cure, most patients can control the disease with medical treatment and by keeping away from irritants. Good thing is eczema is not contagious.

Treatment

Treatment of eczema aims at relieving and preventing itching, which can cause infection. Since the skin becomes dry and itchy, creams and lotions are prescribed to keep skin moist. They are usually applied on damp skin, e.g. after a bath, to help skin hold moisture. Itching can also be relieved by cold compresses.

OTC products like hydrocortisone 1% cream or prescription ointments and creams containing corticosteroids are also usually prescribed to reduce inflammation. And if the affected area is infected, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics too.

Other treatments are antihistamines to reduce harsh itching, tar treatments, phototherapy (using UV rays) and drug cyclosporine for those who don’t respond to other treatments.

Prevention of Flare-ups of Eczema

Some simple measures can prevent or lessen eczema outbreaks, like:

Frequent moisturizing of skin
Avoid abrupt changes in humidity and temperature
Avoid overheating and sweating
Stress reduction
Avoid scratchy material like wool
Avoid strong soaps, solvents and detergents
Keep an eye on foods that cause the outbreak and avoid them

Thus, though you cannot completely cure your eczema, you can control it well and improve your quality of life.

Easing Symptoms of Hand Eczema

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There are two types of hand eczema (also known as hand dermatitis): dry form and wet form. Although commonly referred to as “housewives eczema”, it can affect men too, particularly in its wet form. Hand dermatitis is a common skin condition affecting up to 10% of the US population, with both internal (genetic predisposition) and external (contact with irritants and allergens) factors contributing to its appearance.

As its name suggests, the dry form eczema results in dry, fractured skin, with telltale little cracks on fingertips. Household work, such as cleaning or frequent water exposure, aggravates the symptoms and can prolong the healing process. Occupational factors may also attribute to the worsening of symptoms, as professions that require frequent hand washing (medical professionals, chefs, and barbers) are more prone to dry form eczema. Even the weather plays its part: a dry, cold winter makes skin feel dryer than during more humid parts of the year, resulting in further cracking of the skin surface.

Unfortunately, drinking lots of water will not sufficiently hydrate skin and is unlikely to improve hand dermatitis. The most effective way to deal with this chronic skin condition is to moisturize your skin. An ideal moisturizer for hand eczema performs three functions: it intensively moisturizes dry skin, it repairs damage of the skin barrier, and it reduces skin irritation and hand rashes. Historically steroid-containing creams (such as hydrocortisone cream) were recommended for dry form hand dermatitis, however it is important to note that the dry form of hand eczema does not itch, which negates most of the benefit of this approach.

Furthermore, since our hands contact many different objects (including ourselves) throughout the day, any steroid-based cream applied to the fingertips will rub off on whatever surface they touch. While dry, cracked skin may cause discomfort or even pain, a strong, steroid-free moisturizer will improve dried or cracked skin quickly without any potential side effects. Before turning to steroid-based prescription medication, we recommend trying an intensive moisturizer first.

Unlike the dry form, the wet form is often associated with blisters, oozing, and itchy rashes. It is less associated with seasonal change but rather with contact irritants or allergic triggers. As a result, it is crucial to carefully observe which materials you come in contact with in your daily routine that causes symptoms to worsen.

For the most severe cases of hand eczema, whether wet or dry, medical treatment may be necessary to ease symptoms. However, identifying your potential triggers is an important way to avoid any future flare ups. Using a high quality moisturizer between medical treatments may ease symptoms and accelerate the healing process.