10 Eczema Facts

1. Eczema comes from a Greek word meaning "to boil over" describing the red, inflamed, and very itchy rashes that one gets during a flare up.  A topical steroid can help a lot in addressing the inflammation and redness in eczema because it has anti-inflammatory effects that lead to decrease in redness, irritation, and itching. 

2. About 20 precent of children and one-three percent of the adult population all over the world have eczema. People who live in developed countries or places with cold climates seem to be more prone to developing eczema.

3. A lot more people have eczema today than 30 years ago. Researchers are not sure why but, there are some predisposing factors that make children at risk for developing eczema. One of the strongest risk factor for children is having a parent with any of the three: eczema, asthma or allergic rhinitis.

4. About 90 percent of individuals with eczema get it under the age of five years old. Around half of individuals who had eczema as a child continue to have mild eczema as adults.

5. Certain foods can make eczema worse. Common ones include milk and milk products, nuts ,and shellfish. However, before eliminating any type of food in a child's diet, check with your doctor. Some foods are important for proper growth and development.

6. There is currently no definite cure for eczema, however, there are ways to treat it. No one can really tell whether eczema will improve as an individual grows older or will stay with him/her for life. 

7. Don't wait for rashes to worsen before you treat them. The worse they get, the harder it will be to control them.  Start treatment early.

8. Treatment is an important step to prevent the rashes from getting worse and to prevent an infection. It will also help reduce emotional stress and relieve the discomfort of itching, sometimes even pain, from the rashes.  

9. Getting a proper diagnosis is the key to getting an effective treatment.  There are a lot of skin conditions that may look like eczema.  Consult a dermatologist who specializes in treating skin disorders. 

10. Your dermatologist can make a treatment plan to help you manage your eczema.  This plan includes not only medicines, but also a skin care regimen and lifestyle changes that make a huge difference in preventing flare-ups.