Chronic Dermatitis

Avoid irritants and use moisturiser before taking medication for eczema.

 

“Daad, Daag, Khujli, Jalan” screams a TV commercial, inviting attention to the part of the skin that is dry, discoloured and initiating itching, prompting one to reach out to the ointment over the counter on their next visit to the supermarket. How well it works is measured directly in proportion to the itching it can bring down. The itch, which is a characteristic part of the skin condition, eczema, is the irritating part of the disease and that is when a patient reaches to the physician, seeking solace from it.

Eczema is inflammation of the skin layer in a few portions of the body. A layer called stratum corneum which acts as a barrier and prevents loss of water from the surface maintains the equilibrium of the skin layer. Lubrication and hydration stay maintained on the surface of the skin. But this state of equilibrium can be disturbed in different people for various reasons. In people with allergy, the body’s immune system thinks this layer to be detrimental and in portions goes about destroying it. In cases of Contact Dermatitis the patients’ skin becomes sensitive to soaps, chemicals, detergents and gives way in certain portions, leading to eczema. It could occur due to jewellery, watches, bindi applied on the forehead etc. Intake of certain foods like milk, egg, peanuts, fish in certain individuals could aggravate eczema. In infants and young children, it could alternate with respiratory symptoms like wheezing and is termed as atopic eczema. Even emotional stress could worsen Eczema.

The above causes lead to inflammation of skin layer, causing redness, itching and dryness of the affected area. The intense itching causes the surface of the skin to break, leading to oozing of thin, watery fluid and scratching. This, in turn, sometimes leads to bleeding or rawness of the area.

It could secondarily be infected with bacteria and lead to collection of pus etc. The affected area becomes thick and dark.

These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency in different individuals and could be influenced by environmental factors, dust, smoke, pollution etc.

Once a person is predisposed to eczema, it is ideal to prevent recurrent episodes.

It is better done by maintaining the moistness of the skin surface with application of suitable moisturisers.

Since scratching the area could lead to secondary infection, it is better avoided.

Once the probable irritants like chemicals, detergents, soaps are identified, it is better to consciously avoid them. Any other allergic substance identified should be avoided.

All this can be done till homoeopathic medication is on its way to cure the problem.

Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies to see that itching, oozing, redness and rawness of the affected area subside with appropriate application.

These remedies help in seeing that the allergic individuals are less susceptible to the allergens and the immunity levels are improved and do not cause the same breakout of the skin condition.

Identifying the probable causative factors will also help in seeing that once medicines work in the right direction the exposure to the same factors should not trigger the reaction like earlier. Kali ars helps clear eruptions which get worse with the change in weather, Ars alb is known to cure the condition which arises out of allergy.

Any worsening of skin condition that happens at night is helped to normalcy by Merc sol.

Any dry exfoliation of skin is relieved by Rhus tox while any stasis of circulation in the lower limbs leading to eczema is cured by Pulsatilla.