Eczema (also called atopic dermatitis) is a common genetic skin condition affecting infants, children, and adults that is characterized by increased sensitivity to many environmental factors resulting in itching and a scaly rash which may involve the entire skin.
What Are The Symptoms Of Eczema?
Individuals who suffer from eczema often experience intense itching after exposure to certain environmental triggers such as house dust mite, wool, and grass. Contact with these allergens can result in an itchy, scaly rash that usually becomes chronic if not appropriately treated. Patients may also experience flares of their eczema in the absence of any identifiable trigger. Seasonal outbreaks are also commonly observed with worsening of the rash during the winter and summer months.
What Should I Know?
- Eczema is a very common skin condition
- Usually develops during childhood
- May persist in adults
- Genetic and environmental causes
Management of atopic dermatitis includes the liberal use of non-medicated emollients, prescription-strength ointments and creams as well as oral medications, and the knowledge of important routine skin care principles. We educate patients about skin care, and help them to recognize potentially aggravating factors. In severe cases, we are able to use state-of-the-art therapies such as narrow band UV-B phototherapy, CellCept, and cyclosporine.
Our Treatments For Eczema:
- Non-medicated emollient creams/ointments
- Prescription-strength ointments and oral therapies
- Educating patients regarding daily skin care
- Identifying environmental triggers
- Phototherapy (light treatment)
Our physicians are experts in prescribing appropriate treatments for eczema while taking into consideration each patient’s age, the severity of their skin disease and their lifestyle. Eczema is a treatable skin condition in the vast majority of patients.
At The Menkes Clinic & Surgery Center, we welcome both pediatric and adult patients to come for a consultation to develop an individualized treatment plan to gain effective control of this chronic skin condition. Contact our office at 650-962-4600 for your consultation.
