Eczema - Treatment and Prevention
Atopic eczema is a group of common diseases of the skin with inflammatory, erythematous, pruritic skin eruptions usually present in the skin creases. Approximately 12 to 25 percent of school children and 10 to 15 percent of the adult population are affected.
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
The etiology of atopic eczema is multifactorial with genetics, environmental exposure and infections playing a role. Environmental factors include allergic reactions to a number of substances including foods such as eggs, wheat, milk or seafood. Similar allergic reactions are caused by wool clothing, skin lotions, ointments, soaps, shampoos, detergents, cleansers, plants, tanning agents used for shoe leather, dyes, and topical medications.
Digestive problems (inflammatory bowel diseases such as crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and diverticulitis) may precede eczema; this could be due to abnormal absorption, into the bloodstream, of antigens from the digestive tract.
Since the skin has highly vascularized capillary network, it is susceptible to the deposition of immune complexes that further provoke destructive immune responses. These responses lead to increased capillary permeability, edema, inflammation, redness, itching and pain.
TREATMENT MODALITIES
Eczema is a highly individual condition, often requiring "trial and error" to determine the best combination of treatments. Treatment for eczema includes use of emollients to maintain skin hydration and steroids to reduce inflammation. Steroids such as hydrocortisone are normally prescribed when emollient treatments fail.
The role of diet in the management of eczema has not been ascertained. Changes in diet are normally only considered in severe cases, when conventional treatments have failed to bring relief.
Click here to view Eczema Risk Factors & Wellness Tips for your patients.
MANAGEMENT
Emollient Treatment
A daily emollient routine is an important part of the management of eczema and other dry skin conditions, even when the condition is under control. Emollients should be applied at least twice daily. Preferable emollients contain both a humectant and a moisture-retaining barrier. Patients with eczema and other dry skin conditions should avoid using harsh soaps and use a gentle soap substitute when washing, bathing and showering.
Use of Topical Steroids
In general, steroid use should be limited to a few days to a week for acute eczema. Four to six weeks is recommended to gain initial remission for chronic eczema.
The weakest steroid that effectively controls the disease should be chosen; this may include either a step-up approach, low to more potent, or a step-down approach, more potent to less potent. For either approach, regular review of steroid use is essential.
Use of Nutricol®
Available as the OTC supplement Recovery® in many pharmacies, Nutricol® is proposed to reduce the inflammation that accompanies eczema. Nutricol® (Recovery®) is an anti-catabolic agent that works at cellular level to help stabilize the tissues. Biomedica Laboratories, Inc. believes that this proprietary blending of plant nutrients naturally increases the cells' receptivity to hormones such as insulin which are required to speed tissue repair.
Recovery® contains the active ingredient Nutricol®, a disease modifying anti-catabolic agent (DMAC), which Biomedica Laboratories is proud to introduce to health care professionals.
Results noted over the past 7 years is greater than expected in many users including children under the age of 5.
Biostructural® Medicine goes beyond simply addressing symptoms and focuses on the degenerative process and optimal healing.
Nutricol® (Recovery®) may be safely combined with other medications or taken on its own to help counter inflammation and improve the quality and rate of healing.
Information for Doctors: Print an 6-page detailed information package that provides the following:
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Click here to view feedback from health professionals and users about the results noted from Recovery® with Nutricol®.