Living with a chronic skin condition can be a challenging task; it has an extensive impact on the individual’s physical and psychological well-being. Dealing with the constant flare-ups and the excruciating pain that accompanies it is a daunting task. Moreover, chronic skin conditions cannot be cured completely, but there are certain ways devised to help the person coexist with the condition. Atopic dermatitis is one such skin condition that is known to affect 30%of the total U.S. population. Though this skin condition can affect anyone at any point in time, it usually begins in infancy or childhood and becomes a lifelong ordeal.
Atopic dermatitis belongs to a group of skin conditions that are collectively termed as eczema, and each of these conditions is known to cause the skin to become red, itchy, and inflamed. Atopic dermatitis is a type of eczema that is chronic and inflammatory and occurs when the immune system goes into overdrive as a response to a harmless allergen and irritant. Though atopic dermatitis cannot be cured completely, there are certain effective treatment methods that can keep the flare-ups under control. They are as follows:
1. Skin creams
Atopic dermatitis flare-ups often result in severe itching and inflammation of the skin. For such situations, physicians usually prescribe corticosteroid creams or ointments. These creams are to be applied directly to the skin after moisturizing the skin. Other creams containing calcineurin inhibitors like tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are also prescribed to control the flare-ups, but these tend to affect the immune system. So, these creams are prescribed to patients older than the age of 2 to avoid any adverse reaction.
2. Antibiotics for infection
Atopic dermatitis renders the person vulnerable to several bacterial infections. In case the individual develops a bacterial infection or has an open sore or cracks, antibiotic creams are recommended to thwart the infection from spreading further.
3. Oral medications
For severe cases of atopic dermatitis, the doctor might prescribe oral corticosteroids like prednisone. These medications are quite effective in curbing the impact of the flare-ups, but patients are advised against using the medications frequently as it can lead to serious side effects.
4. Dressings
An effective way of managing the agony caused by atopic dermatitis flare-ups is to wrap the affected area with topical corticosteroids and wet bandages. This is a form of intensive treatment that is often used in the hospital for people with widespread lesions as it requires a certain level of expertise. However, it is possible for the patient or their family members to learn this technique and perform it at home.
5. Light therapy
When the topical treatments and the medications fail to provide any relief, the doctor might recommend undergoing light therapy. In this treatment method, the simplest form of light therapy —phototherapy—is used; it involves exposing the skin to controlled amounts of natural sunlight. At times, even artificial ultraviolet A or narrowband ultraviolet B are used, either on their own or in combination with other medications. Though this form of treatment is quite effective, it poses certain health risks like premature skin aging and an increased risk of skin cancer.
