Monday, May 01, 2006
Treating Eczema
Specific strategies to employ in the successful treatment of eczema:
Do your homework- ask questions before you begin the new treatment
Use your support networks. Ask your friends with eczema if they have experience with the therapy.
Look carefully at the product's ingredient list, printed on the package. There should also be a Product Insert (PI) sheet for all FDA-approved prescription drugs. If you do not get one, ask your pharmacist, prescribing physician, or check the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR), available in most public libraries. Most PI's are also available over the Internet.
A good pharmacy is an important source of health information. When filling your prescription, the pharmacist will double-check to see that the drug is the right one, and should offer instructions on how to use the medication properly. If the ingredients of a product you are considering aren't fully disclosed on the label, beware. If all ingredients are stated, you can usually track down why they are included, and what they do. Drugs and pharmaceutical products must designate the name of the "active ingredient"-the therapeutic agent. The rest of the ingredients are usually "helpers" to make the product easier to use or to extend its shelf life. In the case of creams or lotions, there will be emulsifiers, preservatives, perfumes, or dyes. Unfortunately, any of these non-active ingredients can cause irritation or allergic reactions for sensitive or allergic skin. Ointments (also called "greases") don't need these, as a rule, because most active drugs against eczema mix well with ointments. After a little experience, you will become expert at reading labels.
Pick a specific day to start the therapy. Try to pick a time that will minimize the possibility that other things happening in your life may cause misleading results. If you're a woman, don't start the therapy while you are menstruating, as hormonal changes may affect your eczema. Avoid consuming alcohol or engaging in activities which may cause dehydration. Be aware that other drugs (prescription or not) can mask a therapeutic effect of the new regimen, or could possible have an adverse effect when combined with a new therapy.
If you hope to replace an existing therapy with a new one you've never tried, start the new one on a part of your body that is relatively free of eczema, to eliminate the possibility that something in it may cause allergic contact eczema, thus making your problems worse. Or better still, mark a small area where you will try the new agent and then only apply it there, using your regular regimen everywhere else. Once you've tried this for a day or two, try the new therapy on one side of your body and the old one on the other.
Be patient! Results may not be immediate. The healing process takes several days, even with a tissue as active as skin.
Remember that treating skin disease is a mixture of both science and art, and fine-tuning may improve the outcome, even with relatively small changes. It's best to make these in close partnership with your trusted provider. A small proportion of persons with eczema will learn that their disease is primarily based on an allergic reaction to something. Indeed, the hope of every person with eczema is for a real cure, but at this writing there isn't one in sight. The clinical management of this disease remains quite complex, with much trial and error required. It's always a good idea to look into any rumored new therapy, whether you actually try it or not. And if you do try it, don't be too put off by apparent failures, or too ecstatic at what appear to be promising results. Although your disease is stubborn, it is also manageable. This information sets forth current opinions from recognized authorities, but it does not dictate an exclusive treatment course. Persons with questions about a medical condition should consult a physician who is knowledgeable about that condition.
Do your homework- ask questions before you begin the new treatment
Use your support networks. Ask your friends with eczema if they have experience with the therapy.
Look carefully at the product's ingredient list, printed on the package. There should also be a Product Insert (PI) sheet for all FDA-approved prescription drugs. If you do not get one, ask your pharmacist, prescribing physician, or check the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR), available in most public libraries. Most PI's are also available over the Internet.
A good pharmacy is an important source of health information. When filling your prescription, the pharmacist will double-check to see that the drug is the right one, and should offer instructions on how to use the medication properly. If the ingredients of a product you are considering aren't fully disclosed on the label, beware. If all ingredients are stated, you can usually track down why they are included, and what they do. Drugs and pharmaceutical products must designate the name of the "active ingredient"-the therapeutic agent. The rest of the ingredients are usually "helpers" to make the product easier to use or to extend its shelf life. In the case of creams or lotions, there will be emulsifiers, preservatives, perfumes, or dyes. Unfortunately, any of these non-active ingredients can cause irritation or allergic reactions for sensitive or allergic skin. Ointments (also called "greases") don't need these, as a rule, because most active drugs against eczema mix well with ointments. After a little experience, you will become expert at reading labels.
Pick a specific day to start the therapy. Try to pick a time that will minimize the possibility that other things happening in your life may cause misleading results. If you're a woman, don't start the therapy while you are menstruating, as hormonal changes may affect your eczema. Avoid consuming alcohol or engaging in activities which may cause dehydration. Be aware that other drugs (prescription or not) can mask a therapeutic effect of the new regimen, or could possible have an adverse effect when combined with a new therapy.
If you hope to replace an existing therapy with a new one you've never tried, start the new one on a part of your body that is relatively free of eczema, to eliminate the possibility that something in it may cause allergic contact eczema, thus making your problems worse. Or better still, mark a small area where you will try the new agent and then only apply it there, using your regular regimen everywhere else. Once you've tried this for a day or two, try the new therapy on one side of your body and the old one on the other.
Be patient! Results may not be immediate. The healing process takes several days, even with a tissue as active as skin.
Remember that treating skin disease is a mixture of both science and art, and fine-tuning may improve the outcome, even with relatively small changes. It's best to make these in close partnership with your trusted provider. A small proportion of persons with eczema will learn that their disease is primarily based on an allergic reaction to something. Indeed, the hope of every person with eczema is for a real cure, but at this writing there isn't one in sight. The clinical management of this disease remains quite complex, with much trial and error required. It's always a good idea to look into any rumored new therapy, whether you actually try it or not. And if you do try it, don't be too put off by apparent failures, or too ecstatic at what appear to be promising results. Although your disease is stubborn, it is also manageable. This information sets forth current opinions from recognized authorities, but it does not dictate an exclusive treatment course. Persons with questions about a medical condition should consult a physician who is knowledgeable about that condition.
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