Eczema - Itchy Skin That Hurts!

It is exam week. You have research papers to hand in and loads of studying to do. You are totally stressed, and exhaustion and the overall lack of sleep is playing havoc on your system. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, your skin is breaking out in rashes...Eczema.

Eczema is a skin condition that results in the skin becoming red, itchy and irritated, and sometimes develops small fluid-filled bumps that become moist and ooze.

There are many forms of eczema, but the one that is most common and severe is called atopic eczema. While doctors still have not found out exactly what causes it, they assume it could be the difference in the way a person's immune system reacts to things.

While researchers think it is passed through the genes, overall, it is fairly common and approximately one in ten people will at some point in their lives be affected by eczema.

It is possible that people with eczema may have asthma and certain allergies, like hay fever. For some, food allergies cause or aggravate it. For many, the itchy patches of eczema usually appear on the face, the neck, on the back of the knees, ankles and wrists and also where the elbow bends, although any body part can be affected. When eczema flares up, the skin may get hot and itchy, then red, inflamed and even blistered.

You would need to see a dermatologist if you have eczema. After a medical check-up, the dermatologist will prescribe the appropriate medication for the redness and irritation. For severe cases, ultraviolet light therapy is used.

In cases where normal treatment doesn't show any results, a doctor conducts allergy testing to check if something else is triggering off the condition.

While eczema cannot be cured, you can prevent a flare-up by using specific facial cleansers and moisturizers, avoiding substances that stress your skin, and too much exposure to water. Wearing cotton clothes, using fragrance-free moisturizers, taking your prescribed medication and trying to de-stress can go a long way in avoiding it.

Just don't let the condition affect your self-esteem or social life. By getting involved in school and extra curricular activities, it can help you get your mind of that itch. Meanwhile, the good news is that eczema usually clears up before the age of 25, so it is just a matter of knowing how to deal with it or finding ways to prevent it altogether, until then.