THE PERI-ORAL DERMATITIS PICTURE

Perioral dermatitis affects mostly women. In addition to redness around the mouth, the symptoms of perioral dermatitis may also include small red bumps or even pus bumps and mild peeling. Treatments include using a non-tartar, non-fluoride toothpaste. Lip balms, lipstick, or toothpaste can also cause perioral dermatitis.

Eczema and the Nickel Allergy Picture

Nickel, which is frequently found to contaminate food, can cause a relapse of contact eczema and also widespread chronic allergic skin reactions in sensitised patients.
Research carried out at the Allergy Department, Asola Hospital, Mantova, Italy involving 112 people evaluated the results of an elimination diet and of the taking of nickel salts in adults suffering from chronic urticaria or angioedema, pruritus or atopic dermatitis.All of the participants were prescribed a low nickel diet for four weeks. Of those that greatly improved, they were given two successive doses of 10 and 20 mg nickel sulphate hexahydrate respectively equal to 2.23 and 4.47 mg of elemental nickel. A search for the specific IgE and the check on skin reactivity by skin-prick test against nickel were carried out in the patients who had shown particularly severe reactions after taking the nickel.
The results of the study found that a low nickel diet was effective in controlling the symptoms in 44 patients (39.28%). The nickel trial was very positive in that all the patients who favourably responded to the elimination diet, except one. This research appears to demonstrate that, in some patients with contact allergy, intolerance to ingested nickel salts might be the real cause or trigger of the onset of symptoms of continued chronic, allergic-type skin conditions.
A further study in Denmark which was part of the Biological Risk Assessment of Human Metal Sensitisation (BRAHMS) aimed to understand the clinical and physiological effects of repeated exposures to nickel.
Using two groups of individuals, half of which were allergic to nickel and suffering with eczema on the hand. Both groups had similar levels of nickel in urine, while the level of nickel in the blood was significantly lower in nickel allergic individuals.
Using diet to measure the study, the Nickel allergic individuals had a significantly lower intake of nickel-rich food items (chocolate, nuts, beans, porridge oats). The blood nickel levels correlated with intake of these foods, suggesting that the difference in the blood nickel levels was caused by differences in dietary nickel intake.
These research papers indicate that eczema sufferers may be helped by avoiding the main food groups which tend to be high in nickel - chocolate, nuts, beans, porridge oats - and that an allergy test or food elimination diet are worth considering to help overcome the condition.

The Eczema Picture: Photosensitive Eczema

Photosensitive eczema describes both eczema which develops in response to exposure to ultraviolet light, clearing in the winter, and pre-existing eczema which worsens on exposure.
The condition is more common in men. Broad spectrum photo protection and light avoidance are beneficial.

Picture The Common Types of Eczema

The more common types of eczema include: Nummular eczema - or discoid eczema causes disk-shaped patches to appear on the lower leg; Seborrheic dermatitis - this eczema will cause dry flaky patches, frequently on the face or scalp; Dyshidrotic eczema - dermatitis of the hands and/or foot; Atopic eczema - often occurs with allergies or hayfever indicating an allergen cause; Contact dermatitis - caused by a substance which may cause an allergic or irritant contact reaction; Baby eczema - red rash on the cheeks, chin, torso; the cause is usually environmental; Neurodermatitis - the cause of this condition is repeated scratching.

THE PICTURE OF ALLERGIC CONTACT ECZEMA

Allergic contact eczema is a red, itchy, weepy reaction where the skin has come into contact with a substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign, such as poison ivy or certain preservatives in creams and lotions. Red, bumpy, scaly, itchy, and swollen skin are all symptoms which can signify an allergic skin condition. These skin problems are often caused by an immune system reaction, signifying an allergy. Allergic skin conditions can take several forms and are due to various causes.

The Baby Eczema Picture

If your baby has an itchy skin rash the problem may be eczema (also called atopic dermatitis). Baby eczema can crop up on a baby's cherubic skin when a child is as young as 2 months old. It generally appears on the forehead, cheeks, or scalp and sometimes spreads to the arms or chest. The rash often shows up as dry, thickened scaly skin, but is sometimes made up of tiny red bumps that may ooze or become infected if scratched. Eczema is thought to be a reaction to allergy-causing substances in the environment. About 10 percent of infants have eczema at some point, but many improve before they're 2 years old. Because the condition is often inherited, your child is more likely to develop eczema if you or some other close family member has any kind of allergic condition, says Amy Paller, professor of pediatrics and dermatology at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago.

The Nummular Eczema Picture

Nummular eczema is a name given to a stubborn, sometimes itchy rash that forms coin-shaped patches on the skin. The lesions as they get older may clear in the center resembling ring worm or fungus. The condition tends to be chronic, with periods of quiescence and exacerbation.The cause is unknown although it is more common in the winter. Nummular eczema is frequently associated with dry skin. Wool, soaps and frequent bathing (more than once a day) often worsen the condition. People with eczema have skin that is dry and easily irritated by soap, detergents, and rough wool clothing. Clothes washed or dried with liquid or sheet fabric softeners such as Cling, may also irritate the skin. Hot and cold weather often aggravates eczema. Certain allergies may worsen eczema, but they don't cause it.