How to treat infant eczema

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on September 29, 2024
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Eczema is an intensely itchy skin inflammation reaction caused by a variety of factors, including both external and internal causes. External factors include environmental climate changes, sunlight exposure, animal fur, cosmetics, etc. Internal factors mainly involve food, endocrine disorders, stress, and more. Treatment primarily targets these causes. If caused by external factors, efforts should be made to avoid them. If related to food allergies, such as milk or eggs, these allergenic foods should be avoided. Treatment can also include the use of anti-allergic ointments, commonly corticosteroid ointments, as well as oral anti-allergy medications to assist in treatment.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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What to eat for eczema

Patients with eczema can choose some foods that have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, removing dampness and relieving itching, strengthening the spleen and aiding digestion, cooling the blood and calming the liver. However, dietary therapy only plays a supporting role in treatment and is not a professional method. Therefore, patients with eczema must actively seek treatment under the guidance of a doctor.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Eczema is caused by what?

The causes of eczema are relatively complex, often resulting from the interaction of internal and external factors. Internal causes mainly include certain gastrointestinal diseases, insomnia, fatigue, emotional stress, and also include infections, metabolic disorders, and endocrine imbalances. External causes, for example, include food, living environment, and climate changes, all of which can lead to eczema. Additionally, external stimuli such as cold, heat, hot water scalding, cosmetics, and synthetic fibers can also trigger eczema.

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Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
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How to distinguish eczema from prickly heat

Eczema and heat rash have clear differences, including different causes. Eczema is primarily caused by allergens, as well as excessive mental stress, anxiety, and hormonal imbalances. Heat rash, on the other hand, usually arises from overly humid and hot environments that affect normal sweating function, leading to blocked sweat ducts. Their clinical manifestations also differ. Eczema typically presents as polymorphic and symmetrically distributed lesions, usually manifesting as papules and vesicular papules, and in severe cases, erosion, exudation, and significant itching are observed. Heat rash clinically appears as tiny, pin-sized blisters that emerge in clusters and merge into patches, typically found at skin folds without symmetry. White heat rash generally has less noticeable itching, whereas red heat rash is itchy and can also feel burning.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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Symptoms of scrotal eczema

Scrotal eczema is a common type of eczema that is confined to the scrotal skin and can sometimes extend around the anus, and less commonly to the penis. Clinically, it often presents symptoms of chronic eczema: the scrotal skin becomes dry and thickened, with deeper wrinkles and a walnut-like appearance, often with thin crusts and scales, and darkened skin pigmentation, although there can also be pigment loss due to scratching. When exudation occurs, the scrotal skin can show erythema, edema, crusting, and fissuring. There is often intense itching, which can prevent sleep. Due to the difficulty of treatment and recurrent nature, the scrotal skin can undergo lichenification.

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Written by He Da Wei
Dermatology
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Symptoms of eczema

Eczema is an intensely itchy skin inflammation reaction caused by various internal and external factors. It is categorized into three phases: acute, subacute, and chronic. 1. Acute eczema: Initially, the skin lesions appear as numerous, densely packed millet-sized papules, vesicopapules, or small vesicles with a reddish base that gradually merge into patches. Due to scratching, the tops of the papules, vesicopapules, or vesicles break open, leading to distinctive punctate exudation and minor erosion with unclear margins. If secondary infection occurs, the inflammation becomes more pronounced, possibly forming pustules, crusts, folliculitis, and boils. There is severe itching. Commonly affected areas include the head, face, behind the ears, extremities, scrotum, and perianal region, often symmetrically distributed. 2. Subacute eczema: Following the reduction of acute eczema inflammation, skin lesions primarily consist of small papules, crusts, and scales, with only a few vesicopapules and erosions, yet intense itching persists. 3. Chronic eczema: Often, chronic eczema results from reoccurring episodes of acute and subacute eczema that do not resolve, or it may start as chronic eczema. Characteristics include thickened, infiltrated skin at the affected sites, which tend to be brownish-red or have pigmentation, a rough surface covered with scales, or crusting caused by scratching. There is severe itching. Common sites include the lower legs, hands, feet, elbows, knees, genitals, and anus. The duration of the disease is variable, it is prone to relapse, and is often long-lasting without resolution.