"Mandy Lamb’s Health Blog"

Medical science is still trying to ascertain why eczema affects some people and not others although a genetic trait has been suggested,while some believe that external causes are to blame for the condition. This skin complaint can cause a number of problems for the sufferer including patches that are excessively dry but it is the constant itchy feeling that must be the most irritating. Small crusty blisters may also be present in the affected areas.

There are many types but the most common of all is the atopic eczema,irrespective of the type you have, the most common symptom is itching. The main problem with the itching, especially with atopic eczema is that scratching brings relief but at a cost of intensifying the condition. Unfortunately a serious side effect is the skin becomes much more sensitive,sufferers usually have reactions to washing detergents, soaps and even makeup.

When small children suffer with this it often goes unnoticed for a while as the affected patches are under the skin. There are occasions where a person with eczema can have a rash but it is not itchy,in these situations it is not the disorder causing the problem as itching is the one consistent factor with the condition. There are instances where a rash might not be cleared up with an eczema cream but the itching eases, this can mean the two were unrelated.

Itchy skin is not the only symptom to diagnose the skin complaint because many health conditions can cause itchiness. Eczema always has a rash and this is part of the condition but there is still no explanation as to what causes the itching. Red skin is another symptom of and this is as a result of the increased blood flow in the area. In cases of eczema, the process of the skin inflammation is a very complex one and can be triggered by many different factors,one area that causes concern is where there is a bacterial infection which can easily be the result of scratching sensitive skin. Most blisters seen as part of the symptoms are quite small but large blisters can also occur,this can be the result either of an infection of the skin or the type of condition you have. Every sufferer is warned about blisters as they can be damaged by scratching or carelessness and while some are filled with fluid, others have a pus like substance,further infection is almost assured if the blisters are damaged, this is why scratching can just aggravate an already sensitive condition.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 20th, 2009 at 1:16 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.