Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
- Is very common due to skin inflammation
- Can start at any age from infancy to elderly
- Frequently patients with eczema associate hay fever and/or asthma
- Flares-up without an obvious cause
- Tends to run in the families
- Skin is red, dry, itchy and sometimes becomes weeping, blistered or thickened
- Can affect any part of the skin , but face and skin folds are most commonly involved
- Blood tests aren’t usually necessary; sometimes specific Ig E (RAST test) and patch test are indicated when there is suspicion clinically that allergy plays a role
- There is controversy with regard to the role of allergy in eczema
- The optimal management of eczema requires a multipronged approach
Seborrheic dermatitis
- Very common type of eczema affecting scalp, face, chest
- Excessive dandruff is a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis
- Possibly triggered by an overgrowth of a yeast called Malassezia furfur
- Tends to be more severe in HIV+ patients
- Tiredness and stress can flare it up
- If you have persistent flaky skin on upper forehead, between eyebrows or sides of the nose, you might suffer of this condition
- Commitment to long term treatment is the key to success
- Antiyeast medication by mouth proved to be helpful in severe forms
