Do you get itchy red patches are you skin from time to time? If you do, then there’s a good chance that you may have eczema. It’s a condition that comes from a Greek word that means “boiling over.” The skin become inflamed and red. It might be painless or it could be itchy and incredibly bothersome. Eczema can typically resolve on its own over time, but topical creams, including steroids, can help to immediately relieve pain and swelling. Here are some more interesting facts about this skin condition.
1. It is more common today than it has ever been before.
There are a lot more people who suffer from eczema today than even three decades ago. This is because scientists believe that there is a direct connection between a parent’s health conditions in this area and their child’s. Parents who have allergies, asthma, or eczema themselves are very likely to pass on similar conditions to their children and it might even be present at birth.
2. Stay away from the cold.
Although 1 in 5 children today will develop eczema, with a vast majority of them having an outbreak before the age of 5, people who live in warmer weather climates are actually less likely to have this skin condition. Eczema can affect anyone living anywhere, but it is statistically more prevalent in the population demographics that live in colder climates on a regular basis.
3. It’s a foodie thing.
There are actually some specific foods that can make an outbreak of eczema worse. Any dairy products should be avoided if there is an outbreak of eczema going on. Nuts and shellfish can also contribute to the problem. Many parents might be tempted to eliminate foods from their child’s diet to determine a cause, but many doctor’s recommend against doing this. Sometimes the food is more important than the eczema.
4. Treat eczema the moment you see it.
Eczema is a very resilient skin condition. It actually gets worse the longer it is present and it becomes harder to control. The inflammation from eczema isn’t going to go away on its own, so start a treatment cycle early and get something onto that patch of redness. Even if it’s just eczema lotion from your local department store, that is better than nothing.
5. There isn’t a cure for it.
No one really knows if a person’s eczema is going to get worse over time. Some people see outbreaks begin occurring more frequently as they age, while others who have an eczema outbreak as a kid don’t ever have on as an adult. There isn’t a cure that will permanently eliminate this condition in chronic sufferers, but there are treatment options that can bring relief to a majority of the population.
Eczema can be unsightly and embarrassing, but it doesn’t have to be a permanent condition. Consider these interesting facts today, seek out treatment early and often, and you’ll be able to effectively overcome this skin condition.