Tips For Treating Eczema

Initial and ongoing treatment for eczema should include: Avoiding dry skin. Keep your skin hydrated through proper bathing and using moisturizers. This includes bathing in warm water, bathing for only 3 to 5 minutes, avoiding gels and bath oils, and using only nondrying soaps; Apply a moisturizer immediately after bathing; avoiding irritants that causes a rash or make a rash worse. These include soaps that dry the skin, perfumes, and scratchy clothing or bedding; Avoiding possible allergens that cause a rash or make a rash worse. These may include dust and dust mites, animal dander, and certain foods, such as eggs, peanuts, milk, wheat, or soy products; Controlling itching and scratching. Keep your fingernails trimmed and filed smooth to help prevent damaging the skin when scratching. You may want to use protective dressings to keep from rubbing the affected area. Put mittens or cotton socks on a baby's hands to help prevent him or her from scratching the area.

Discoid Eczema

Discoid or 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.