Summer care for atopic dermatitis

This is the 3903th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent, itchy, inflammatory skin disease that is common in children. Treatment is one aspect, and care is also very important. Improper care will increase the frequency of attacks, prolong the course of the disease, and bring long-term pain to patients. So, what should we pay attention to?

01

Cool environment

In the hot summer, the outdoor temperature can even reach 40 degrees, and the perceived temperature can reach 46 degrees. The humid and hot weather brings care difficulties to AD patients. It is recommended to reduce the length of time spent outdoors, keep the room cool, ventilated and clean, keep the room temperature around 26 degrees, and ventilate every 3-4 hours, 20-30 minutes each time. Bedding should be exposed to sunlight 1-2 times a week, 4-6 hours each time.

02

Proper bathing

Although bathing too frequently will aggravate the symptoms, sweating in the summer will increase the growth of bacteria on the skin surface, so you must bathe. It is recommended to take a shower once a day. When sweating is less, there is no need to use toiletries; when sweating is more, choose mild, fragrance-free, and less irritating amino acid bath products, and avoid scrubbing vigorously. The water temperature should not be too high, 35~37℃ is more suitable, and the bathing time should not be too long, 5-10 minutes each time. Immediately after bathing, use moisturizing skin care products to moisturize the skin, apply evenly to the skin all over the body and gently massage until it is fully absorbed. Apply 2 or more times to severely dry areas.

03

Cold and warm sun protection

Infants and young children should pay special attention to not wearing too warm clothes and blankets. They can be slightly thinner, but they should also be careful to prevent colds. Rinse with clean water after each urination and defecation, and change diapers and clothes in time when they are wet to keep the skin clean. Pay attention to sun protection and anti-allergy when traveling. Avoid sunburn when going out. Use less irritating sunscreen, or choose physical sun protection such as parasols and sun-protective clothing. Try to avoid going to zoos, botanical gardens and other places with dense animal dander and pollen.

04

Loose clothing

Avoid contact with woolen fabrics, brightly colored clothing, and clothing containing fluorescent agents. Change and wash underwear frequently, and add or remove clothing flexibly according to temperature changes to prevent overcooling or overheating. Choose loose cotton underwear, wash new clothes before wearing, and rinse clothes frequently to remove residues such as soap and spices. Trim nails, and children should especially avoid scratching their skin.

05

Light diet

Daily diet is not about being comprehensive in nutrition, but about being light and easy to absorb. Rice and porridge are the staple food, accompanied by fresh fruits and vegetables, and a small amount of high-protein and high-calorie food. At the same time, strong tea, alcohol, spicy and other irritating foods should be avoided. There is no need to avoid food blindly. For foods that induce this disease, such as eggs, fish, shrimp, and milk, you should pay attention to the effects after consumption and after stopping consumption.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that insufficient congenital endowment or improper diet leads to dampness and heat in the spleen and stomach, which is the internal cause of AD; wind evil invades the skin, and blood deficiency and wind dryness over time lead to skin itching, which is the external cause. For atopic dermatitis with deficiency of lung and spleen qi, we often use the principles of invigorating the spleen and moisturizing the skin, nourishing blood and removing wind as the treatment principles, and often use Yupingfeng Powder, Chushi Weiling Decoction, Shenling Baizhu Powder, Danggui Yinzi and other prescriptions as the basic prescriptions for treatment. In addition to oral prescriptions, wet compress therapy can also significantly improve patients' skin erythema, papules, exudation, and reduce skin lesions. Medicinal bath therapy can also allow Chinese medicine to reach the skin pores with the help of heat, improve skin blood circulation, and accelerate metabolism, thereby achieving the purpose of relieving itching and moisturizing the skin.

AD patients can develop good skin care habits, repair and maintain skin barrier function, which can significantly reduce recurrence and aggravation of the disease. At the same time, we call on healthy children to perform meticulous skin care to prevent and delay the onset of AD.

Author: Liu Xin, Li Fulun