Eczema Series 2: Daily Care Tips for Eczema/Atopic Dermatitis

This is the 5173th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Eczema and atopic dermatitis (AD) are common chronic recurrent skin diseases that are closely related to personal or family history of atopy (such as asthma and allergic rhinitis). The current incidence of atopic dermatitis is about 10% to 30% in children and about 2% to 10% in adults, and has increased two to three times in the past few decades. Lifestyle and environment play an important role in the onset of atopic dermatitis, so good daily care can effectively help patients alleviate AD.

Skin cleansing

Proper skin cleansing in daily care is very important for patients with eczema and AD, because keeping the skin clean and hygienic can help reduce the colonization of harmful bacteria and remove scales on the skin surface. We should first choose neutral or weakly acidic shower gels without fragrance and soap base, and control the water temperature at around 37°C (too high water temperature will damage the skin barrier and further aggravate skin itching). The frequency should be kept at once a day or every other day, and each bathing time should not exceed 10 minutes. When bathing, we need to avoid rubbing the skin vigorously with a bath towel or towel. After bathing, just use a soft cloth to pat the skin to absorb moisture.

Skin Moisturizing

Regular use of moisturizers can significantly reduce the frequency of recurrence of eczema and AD and alleviate the severity of the disease. We should apply moisturizers within 3 minutes after bathing, and most guidelines recommend using them 2 to 3 times a day, with an amount of 100 g/week for infants, 150 to 250 g/week for children, and about 500 g/week for adults. The selection of moisturizers should be based on the criteria of no fragrance, no preservatives, and simple ingredients. However, it should be noted that emollients and hormone ointments cannot be applied, and it is best to have an interval of more than 30 to 60 minutes.

Diet and exercise

For patients with eczema and AD, in addition to foods that will clearly aggravate the disease, we need to avoid blindly avoiding certain foods, pay attention to diet and live a healthy life. In daily life, you can eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry, and yogurt, and avoid spicy, greasy, and especially alcoholic and tobacco foods that may aggravate the condition. At the same time, patients can perform gentle physical exercise activities, such as walking, Ba Duan Jin, Tai Chi, etc., but they need to avoid excessive sun exposure and excessive sweating.

Topical treatments

At present, topical glucocorticoids are still the main treatment option. In order to avoid long-term use of glucocorticoids in patients with long-term treatment, which may lead to thinning of the skin, atrophic striae or acne-like lumps, etc., doctors sometimes recommend the use of immune system modulators tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, or phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE-4) inhibitor crisaborole ointment instead of glucocorticoids to treat eczema and AD after the condition has eased. During the attack period, we should use topical medications for a full course of treatment and in full doses. During the remission period, long-term, low-dose, intermittent active maintenance treatment should also be performed on previously damaged skin. It is recommended that the choice of therapeutic drugs be used under the guidance of a dermatologist!

Although there is currently no drug that can cure eczema and AD, good daily care can help us restore healthy skin faster and delay recurrence to the greatest extent. Don’t underestimate your efforts!

Author: Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Zhang Weiming, Li Fulun