Let's talk ECZEMA ft. Dr Pang

WHAT IS ECZMEA?

Eczema is a very common skin condition. It comes in different types. It mainly affects children, but adults and the elderly can develop it as well.

WHY YOU MAY SUFFER FROM IT?

The cause of eczema would depend on its type:

• Atopic eczema – caused by a mixture of factors include genetics, skin barrier strength, environmental factors, and immune system overactivity
• Contact eczema – caused by our immune system

over-reacting to certain irritants and allergens our skin has been exposed to

• Stasis or venous eczema – caused by damaged veins in the leg and irritants
• Asteatotic eczema – caused by dryness

HOW CAN WE REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE CONDITION?

The first step of reducing eczema is sticking to good general skin care measures. These measures including using a soap-free wash instead of soap, using fragrance-free hypoallergenic moisturisers (the least ingredients you see on the packet, the better), and having lukewarm short showers.

For mild eczema, use creams containing steroids, tacrolimus, pimecrolimus, or crisaborole. Sometimes steroid cream penetration can be improved by using wet wraps, but this needs to be done with supervision of your doctor.

Oral treatments for eczema are generally used for severe atopic eczema. Short courses of oral steroids may be used as a “rescue” in severe flares. Other oral treatments for atopic eczema include methotrexate, mycophenolate and cyclosporine. In the near future, some new biologic options may be reimbursed by the government for atopic eczema.

TOP TIP ON WHAT NOT TO DO OR CONSUME?

Do NOT use naturopathic creams for eczema, as products such as tea tree oil or coconut oil can cause allergies and potentially make your eczema worse.

You may be told by certain people or online resources that steroid creams can thin your skin. This is not true if the steroids are prescribed by an experienced doctor or dermatologist, for areas with active eczema. By avoiding or delaying the prescribed steroid creams for your eczema, it can get worse and require more aggressive treatments later.