Natural Health October 2017

SPECIAL
Abraham Mathew Saji
Pharmacist
Atopic eczema is the most common
type of eczema. Research shows that
atopic eczema can affect two in every
10 people in Malaysia and about
10%-14% of children below the age
of 14. This is especially true among
urbanized communities.
Types of Eczema
There are many variants or types of
eczema diagnosed and recorded,
but the most common 8 eczematous
conditions are:
1. Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is the most
common type of eczema that is chronic
and inflammatory. It happens when the
immune system goes into overdrive. AD
usually begins in childhood, often in
the first six monthsof the life. It is part
of what’s called the atopic triad, which
includes two other allergic conditions,
namely asthma and hay fever, which
is also known as allergic rhinitis.
Researchers believe that people who
come from families with a history of
AD, asthma and/or hay fever are more
likely to develop AD themselves. Some
common symptoms of AD are dry, scaly
skin, redness (erythema), itching, cracks
behind the ears, rashes on the cheeks,
arms and legs, open, crusted or “weepy”
sores (usually during flare-ups)
2. Contact Dermatitis
Contact Dermatitis (CD) happens when
the skin touches irritating substances or
allergens. These make the skin inflamed,
causing it to burn, itch and become
red. There are two kinds of CD,namely
irritant and allergic. CD usually appears
on the hands, orparts of the body
that touched the irritant/allergen. The
most common irritants include solvents,
industrial chemicals, detergents, fumes,
tobacco smoke, paints, bleach, wool,
acidic food, astringents, some soaps
and fragrances, allergens (usually animal
dander or pollens). Symptoms of contact
dermatitis are redness and rashes,
burning or swelling, blisters that may
weep or crust over.
3. Neurodermatitis
Neurodermatitis also known as Lichen
Simplex Chronicus is an itchy skin
disease that is similar to AD. People
with neurodermatitis tend to get thick,
scaly patches on their skin as a result
of too much rubbing and scratching of
the area. Women are more commonly
affected by neurodermatitis than men,
and the condition is most frequent in
people aged between 20 and 50. Some
symptoms of neurodermatitis are thick,
scaly patches on the nape of the neck,
scalp, shoulders, on the bottoms of feet,
on ankles, wrists and the backs of the
hands, itching, discolored skin.
4. Dyshidrotic Eczema
Dyshidrotic eczema is a condition that
produces small, itchy blisters on the
edges of the fingers, toes, palms, and
soles of the feet. Stress, allergies (such
as hay fever), moist hands and feet,
orexposure to nickel (in metal-plated
jewelry), cobalt (found in metal-plated
objects, and in pigments used in paints
and enamels), or chromium salts (used
in the manufacturing of cement, mortar,
leather, paints, and anticorrosives) may
be “triggers” of dyshidrotic eczema.
This type of eczema is twice as common
in women as it is in men. Symptoms of
dyshidrotic eczema include small fluidfilled
blisters (vesicles) on the fingers,
hands, and feet, itching, redness, flaking,
scaly, cracked skin.
5. Seborrhoeic Dermatitis
Considered a chronic form of eczema,
seborrheic dermatitis appears on
the body where there are a lot of
oil-sebaceous glands likethe upper
back, nose and scalp. Genetics and
hormonal levels play a major role in its
development. Microorganisms such as
yeast that live on the skin naturally can
also contribute to seborrheic dermatitis.
Unlike many other forms of eczema,
seborrheic dermatitis is not the result of an
allergy. People of any age can develop
seborrheic dermatitis including infants
(known as “cradlecap”). It is slightly
more common in men than women.
Seborrheicdermatitis often appears on the
scalp, where symptoms may range from
dry flakes (dandruff) to yellow, greasy
scales with reddened skin. Patients can
also develop seborrheic dermatitis on
other oily areas of their body, such as the
face, upper chest and back. Common
symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis include
redness, greasy, swollen skin, white or
yellowish crusty flakes.
6. Nummular or
Discoid Dermatitis
Nummular or discoid eczema is a type
of eczema that looks very different than
the usual eczema and can be much more
difficult to treat. People with nummular
eczema develop coin-shaped spots on
their skin, which may be very itchy. It is
thought to be “triggered” by insect bites,
reactions to skin inflammation, or dry
skin in the winter. This form of eczema
is relatively uncommon and occurs most
frequently in elderly men. Some symptoms
of nummular eczema include: round,
coin-shaped spots, itching, dry, scaly
skin, wet, open sores.
Natural Health * October 2017 VOL 84
33