Atopic Dermatitis: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that most commonly affects children during their first year of life. This is also commonly noted in older children and occasionally in adults. This disease causes severe itching that many a times leads to skin infection. These rashes are commonly seen over the scalp, neck, cheeks and face. As the child grows older and also in adults, the rashes mainly appear in body creases and folds.

Aetiology

The exact cause of atopic dermatitis is still under research, but it is believed that people with the following are at risk of getting atopic dermatitis

1. People with asthma or hay fever

2. Living in cities and in cold climate

3. Family history of dermatitis

Dermatitis is not caused by food allergies, but people with dermatitis are allergic to certain type of food like milk and other dairy products, shellfish and nuts.

Symptoms

1. Dry itchy and scaly skin

2. Redness and rashes

3. Scratching and itching

4. Appears bumpy and develop knots in thickened areas

Treatment

It’s important to visit the dermatologist for treatment to control the disease and prevent it from worsening. Treatment includes medicines to control itching, reduce skin inflammation (redness and swelling) and clear infection

Prevent Relapse

The dermatologist will also suggest lifestyle modifications, which are very important to manage the disease.

Tips for people with Dermatitis

1. Ways to ease discomfort:

• Make sure the humidity and temperature levels are comfortable.

• Apply moisturizer twice daily to make sure the skin does not get dry and cracks.

• Enquire your doctor about how to use wet wrap therapy and its effects.

• Make sure your child’s finger nails are cut short and smooth.

2. Bathing care:

• Bath your child with warm water not with hot water and make sure you complete the bath within 5-10 mins.

• Just pat the skin after bath with soft cotton towels and don’t make it dry completely.

• Apply the medicine if advised after bath. Make sure you apply the medicine before the skin gets completely dry.

• Apply moisturizer over the medicated skin.

• Avoid bubble bath and prefer bleach bath every two days if the skin gets infected.

3. Wash clothes the right way:

• Uses limited amount of detergents to wash the clothes.

• Rinse the clothes with adequate amount of water and dry it completely under direct sunlight.

• Wash new clothes with plain water before wearing to your child to remove excess dyes and fragrances. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.

The skin is the largest organ in the body and is one of the five sense organs, helping us with ‘touch.’ The first outer layer is called the epidermis and the underlying layer is called the dermis. The skin has a protein known as keratin, which protects it from various external toxins and infections.

In some people, due to unknown reasons, there could be pile up of this protein in the deeper layers, producing small bumps, which feel like sandpaper. Literally, the term keratosis pilaris (KP) refers to piling up of keratin pigment. It can block the hair follicle that would normally open into the skin. When there are multiple blocks in the same area, there could be a sandpaper-like rough feeling to the touch. This gives this condition other names including goosebumps, chicken skin or chicken bumps. Though it is a cosmetic issue, it is medically a benign and very common condition.

Cause

KP, as it is popularly known as, is believed to be a genetic disorder with faulty genes leading to excessive accumulation of keratin. These appear as red, small bumps that are usually seen on the hands, arms, thighs, buttocks, and rarely on the face. The surrounding skin may be inflamed if there is a buildup of skin under the pile of keratin.

The onset of KP is usually in the first decade of life, worsens during puberty, and reduces during adulthood. There are, however, instances where the onset happens during adulthood. Twins and people with atopic dermatitis are more likely to have KP.

KP is more common in people with dry skin as oily skin seems to offer some protection.

There are also studies that give it a correlation with weather, with winter seeing more of this condition than summer. This is because our skin tends to dry more in winter than in summer. There could be some people who are completely normal during the summer months but will develop these bumps during the winter, which again subsides with the season.

Signs and Symptoms

As noted above, KP is a medically benign condition. There is a cosmetic concern if it is in the visible areas like arms and hands. Also, the area could feel rough and dry, but the affected person may not experience any itching or other harm. People with atopic dermatitis and eczema are more likely to develop KP; hence these other skin conditions require proper management.

Management

Patient education is the most important. This disease does not require any treatment and is usually self-limiting. It is very rare for KP to affect the whole body. Creams containing alpha hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, or vitamin A may be required to remove dead skin cells and to prevent clogged follicles from the bodies of the affected people.

Out of many different type of skin infections people suffer from, atopic dermatitis is one that is fairly common. This condition often affects infants and young children, but may also persist into adulthood or affect adults as well. Patients suffering from this disease often see it alternate between flares and periods of remission where it may seem like the condition has cleared up completely. In many cases, children who have experienced a permanent remission from it are left with dry skin that is easily irritated.

The exact cause of this skin condition is not clear, but it is understood to be triggered by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors.

• People with highly sensitive skin have the highest risk of suffering from this condition.
• It has also been associated with a number of other atopic disorders such as asthma and seasonal allergies along with allergies to certain types of food.

Dry skin, redness and excessive itchiness are common symptoms of this condition. Other symptoms vary from person to person and their reaction to the itching. Ideally, you should not scratch your skin, if you suffer from atopic dermatitis. Scratching and rubbing the skin can worsen the condition. In some cases, this can lead to the development of thick, leathery skin while in other cases it could lead to the development of papules or raised bumps on the skin. Further scratching of these papules can make them infected and crusty.

The treatment for this skin condition depends on the patient’s age, overall health and symptoms presented. There are three main goals of treatment for atopic dermatitis; healing the skin, preventing flares and treating symptoms as they appear. Much of caring for the skin involves developing skin-care routines, identifying exacerbating factors, and avoiding circumstances that stimulate the skin's immune system and the itch-scratch cycle.

1. Skin care is the first aspect of treating this condition. It is essential to keep the skin clean and follow a simple regimen.
2. Avoid using multiple soaps, lotions, fragrances etc and have a lukewarm bath with a mild chlorine solution.
3. Moisturize your skin immediately after your bath before drying your skin.
4. Pick creams instead of serums and try to pick one that is as free of fragrances and chemicals as much as possible.
5. Medication for this condition usually involves corticosteroid creams and ointments.
6. Immune moderators may also be prescribed to suppress the immune system and speed up the healing process.
7. Antibiotics to treat this condition may also be prescribed in pill or cream form, though the former is often found to be more effective.
8. In rare cases, the patient may also need to be hospitalized for a few days. This restricts the patient’s exposure to allergens and irritants. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.

Hives are a common allergic reaction that appears in the form of swollen, red bumps or patches on the skin. These usually appear suddenly and cause itchiness. In some cases, it may also sting or burn. Hives can affect any part of the body including the face, ears, tongue, lips and throat. Hives are usually small in size but may grow as large as the size of a dinner plate. In some cases, hives may also join together to form plaques.

Hives are caused as a result of the production of histamines in the body that make plasma leak out of blood vessels in the skin. These histamines are released as a result of an allergic reaction, exposure to chemicals, insect bites, sunlight or adverse reactions to certain medicines. There are four main types of hives:

1. Acute Urticaria: These hives usually last for less than 6 weeks. They are triggered by insect bites, allergic reactions to food, latex, medicines or by exposure to infections. The most common food items that trigger this type of hives are chocolates, nuts, fish, tomatoes, eggs, soy, wheat and milk. Aspirin and other medicines like ibuprofen, ACE inhibitors and codeine can also trigger these hives.

2. Chronic Urticaria: Hives that last for longer than 6 weeks fall into the category of chronic urticaria. IT is harder to find what triggers a case of chronic urticaria than it is for acute urticaria. Along with the triggers mentioned above, hormonal disorders, tumours, chronic infections and immune system disorders can also trigger these hives.

3. Physical Urticaria: Hives caused as a result of physically stimulating skin are called physical urticaria. This includes sudden exposure to heat or cold, sunlight, vibrations, pressure, exercise etc. These hives usually resolve themselves within an hour and only affect the part of the skin that has been stimulated.

4. Dermatographism: Hives caused by scratching or firmly stroking the skin fall under this fourth category.

Hives can also be genetic in nature. Some people suffer from hereditary angioedema which is a painful swelling under the skin.

Hives caused by an allergic reaction can recur and hence if you suffer from hives you should try and identify the allergen. This can be done by taking an allergen test in a hospital or by changing aspects of your diet and studying the results. Hives are usually treated with antihistamines but in some cases, steroids may also be needed. However, it is usually nothing to worry about. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.

Are you planning on undertaking a cosmetic procedure for rejuvenating your skin? Botox treatment is considered to be effective for this purpose. Botox is a drug made from a certain neurotoxin, and it is produced by a bacteria known as Clostridium botulinum. Botox is also used for medical purposes, especially for the treatment of muscle related conditions. It is primarily used for removing wrinkles via a procedure in which your facial muscles are temporarily relaxed.

Major uses
Except for reducing the appearance of your wrinkles and facial lines, which appear because of aging, botox is used for the treatment of conditions which include leaky bladders, migraines, excessive sweating, and eye squints. Over 20 medical conditions utilize botox as a part of treatment.

How it works?
Botulinum toxin or botox is a poisonous substance. A single gram of botox can kill over one million people. But it acts as an ideal therapeutic protein when utilized in a proper, required dosage.

About botox procedure
Botulinum toxin powder is diluted in saline to be administered. It is injected into a patient’s neuromuscular tissue and takes around 72 hours to show results. This time reflects the amount of time that is required for disruption of your body’s usual synaptosomal process. It takes around 5 days for the full effect of botox treatment to show. Pregnant or lactating women, and people who are allergic to it from a previous treatment should avoid any form of botox treatment.

Side effects and associated risks
Although injections containing botox are well tolerated, there are several side effects involved. They are as follows:

• A person having a genetic predisposition in which a mild, transient response to botox is received. Some patients taking type A botox injections are likely to develop antibodies to the toxins. This makes the treatment ineffective. Antibody development is also indicated in cases of patients taking a type B botox injection for treating cervical dystonia.
• Along with the intended effects, botulinum toxin may cause some other side effects, which are quite undesirable. They may include headache, malaise, mild cases of nausea, transient numbness, mild pain, local edema and erythema at the site where the injection is given.
• Temporary fatigue, of your surrounding musculature are also likely because of the toxin and its actions.
• Temporary upper lid and brow ptosis or drooping is another side effect involved with botox.

The results obtained from treatment by type B botox is said to be more effective than botox A treatment. You may expect better results when your muscles remain contracted instead of being relaxed. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist and ask a free question.