Skin Rashes and Eczema: What You Need to Know

December 20, 2008 | By roukarous In Skin Rash Treatment |

Anybody who has suffered from or is currently suffering from eczema knows first-hand how problematic this condition can be. Flare-ups can be unsightly, particularly because red skin rashes can appear, ranging in discomfort from just plain itchy to being severely itchy and painful. So is that patch of raised red skin eczema? Find out.

What is eczema?

Eczema is one of the types of skin diseases categorized as dermatitis (also known as inflammation of the skin). It may not be contagious but its symptoms can be especially uncomfortable, depending on the severity of the attack. Eczema is characterized by certain types of skin rashes, such as the:

Macules – skin spots that appear flat but discolored

Papules – skin spots that are round, hard or firm and raised, appearing as bumps on the skin’s surface

Pustules – skin spots similar to papules except that these contain pus, a yellowish-green fluid

Vesicles – tiny blisters that contain clear or semi-transparent fluid

Eczema is usually a manageable skin condition. Although chronic, its symptoms can actually be minimized and managed through the use of medications and the implementation of changes in a patient’s lifestyle.

Treatment for skin rashes caused by eczema

There are two main concerns that sufferers from eczema consider: the itching and the scaling. To make sure that symptoms are managed and controlled, it’s important that skin is kept moisturized. Dry skin quite frequently worsens eczema flare-ups. Dry skin can also cause itching, which can lead to scratching. Constant scratching can tear the skin, result to more scratching and sometimes, infection.

It’s also important to consider the type of skin care products being used to manage dry skin rashes associated with eczema. Some of them may actually contain ingredients that can increase the severity of the eczema attack or even trigger one.

Another important consideration is identifying eczema triggers. Most people who have eczema experience flare-ups as a result of a provocation from food, medication, clothing or certain allergens.

For some, extreme weather conditions or sudden changes in the temperature can cause their eczema to flare up. If necessary, try to manage your activities, stay indoors in unfriendly weather and use an air conditioner or humidifier. Inflammation may also be relieved through the application of cold compresses directly onto the skin.

Medications

Your doctor may also prescribe drugs and other medications to help alleviate the symptoms of eczema. To stop the itching, antihistamines such as Zyrtec™ and Benadryl™ may be used.

Although antihistamines are very effective in treating itching, they also cause a feeling of drowsiness. Try to ask your doctor about non-drowsy formulations or if possible, avoid taking antihistamines when you’re driving or performing certain activities that require you to be awake and alert.

To prevent itchy, reddish skin rashes, corticosteroid creams and ointments may be applied on the affected areas. For severe cases of eczema, corticosteroids may be prescribed in oral form or injected directly into the skin.

Other types of medication to treat eczema skin rash are topical immunomodulators. These are medications that target only the area affected by eczema and suppressing that location’s immune system. Immunomodulators are quite effective for certain groups of people although it might increase the risk of a patient developing diseases of the lymph nodes or even skin cancer.

A similar treatment to immunomodulators are immunosuppresants, medications that are specifically formulated to stifle the immune system, thereby improving a patient’s condition.

In case the skin rashes associated with eczema results to infection, the doctor might prescribe antibiotics to kill the offending bacteria. This won’t alleviate itching but it will help prevent the infection from spreading to other areas of the skin.

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