Seborrhoeic Eczema

• Usually affects the scalp, eyebrows and other parts of the face
• Can be associated with other skin conditions like and psoriasis

Pompholyx

• Affects the hands or feet
• Bumpy itchy skin, usually on the sides of the fingers or toes
• Usually worse when sweating
• Sometimes follows direct contact with nickel
• Can be triggered by stress
• Often no cause found

Photodermatitis

• Occurs as a reaction to the UV light in sunshine
• Characteristically appears only on the area of skin exposed to the sun

Perioral Dermatitis

• Mostly affects women
• White spots and redness around the mouth
• Treatment is with antibiotics (usually applied to the skin directly)

Discoid Eczema

• Also known as Annular or Nummular Eczema
• Scattered patches (often round)
• Cause is unknown

Venous Eczema

• Also known as stasis, gravitational or leg eczema
• Develops in people with swollen legs
• The skin gets darker and itchier as the legs swell

How common is Eczema?

• In Australia approximately 1 in 5 children have Eczema
• Approximately 3% of adults have Eczema

What can I do to make my Eczema better?

Changes to how you wash

• Use a soft towel and pat yourself dry (rather than rubbing)
• Avoid using soaps – try using oily moisturiser instead
• Don’t use bubble bath
• Add unfragranced oils to your bath

Changes to your clothes

• Use sensitive-skin detergents in your washing machine
• Allow only cotton to be in direct contact with your skin wherever possible

Changes to how you moisturise

• Use moisturiser as often as possible, particularly after washing
• Use moisturisers that are unfragranced
• Switch between moisturisers until you find one that works well for you
  • Usually oily moisturisers are more effective but they may not be absorbed as easily
  • You don’t need to buy expensive moisturiser – cheap moisturisers are just as good

Other measures

• Stay well-hydrated
• Install an air humidifier where you live/work/sleep

Commonly used medications

• Antihistamines
  • For itching
• Topical steroid creams & ointments- these should be used at the lowest effective strength as they can cause significant side-effects. They should only be used in addition to the measures described earlier.
• Antibiotics- if skin infection is thought to be playing a part in the Eczema
• “Occlusion dressing”- the practice of applying moisturiser thickly under cotton bandages & gloves to treat eczema in children

• Less-commonly used medications, usually under the guidance of a specialist include:
  • Ultraviolet light therapy
  • Coal tar ointment
  • Immunosuppressant medications

Article Resources

www.allergy.org.au

www.rch.org

Can you get rid of Keratosis Pilaris for good?

Whilst topical creams may be helpful treatment for Keratosis Pilaris, the symptoms tend to return if you stop. However, many people find the condition naturally improves throughout adulthood.

Are there any other important tips for people with Keratosis Pilaris?

• Be gentle with your skin- avoid long hot showers as they can dry the skin out more- try to keep showers short and lukewarm. Exfoliate very gently (e.g. with a loofah), but avoid vigorous scrubbing, as it can make things worse. Pat your skin dry with your towel after showers and baths, rather than rubbing.
• Avoid too many soapy products- they may further dry out the skin.

• Moisturise regularly- whilst simple moisturisers are fine, those with added urea, lactic acid or salicylic acid may be more helpful, as mentioned above. Or you can apply medicated cream first, and moisturiser afterwards.
• Wear loose comfortable clothes- garments that are tight or chafing may exacerbate Keratosis Pilaris.
• If the air in their home is dry, some people find that using a humidifier helps their skin.

If you want to know more about Keratosis Pilaris speak to your doctor.