If you or your child has eczema, you are likely no stranger to itching, inflammation, and rash-like symptoms. Eczema can appear anywhere on the body. Where, exactly, depends in part on how old you are, says Kalyani Marathe, MD, a pediatric dermatologist and director of the department of dermatology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Infants are prone to eczema on their:
- face
- Back of arms or legs
- Return
- chest
- belly
Older children and teenagers tend to get symptoms in wrinkles or where they are sweating, such as:
- neck
- The insides of the elbows
- On the back of the knees
- Sometimes on the hands or feet
Adults are more likely to get eczema on their hands, Marathe says, perhaps because they wash their hands and wash off more. It is also common to experience symptoms when:
Adults are less likely to get eczema on their face and scalp, says Marathe.
Both adults and children can get eyelid eczema, she says. Often this is due to an allergic reaction to something that touches the skin.
Applying medication to hard-to-treat areas
The amount and type of treatment that is right for you or your child also depends on where the eczema is, Marathe says. Some areas are more difficult to treat than others.
Treatment can be more difficult if eczema flares up on parts of the body with thinner skin, such as: B. on the lips, the areas around the eyes and the groin.
Steroids, the most common treatment, can thin your skin if you use them excessively, which can lead to bruising and cracking, says Steve Daveluy MD, associate professor and program director at Wayne State Dermatology in Michigan. Accidentally getting steroids in your eyes can also increase your chances of having a temporary type of glaucoma that could affect your eyesight, he says.
Still, you can safely use low strength (weaker) steroids on your face and groin, says Daveluy. You just have to be careful. Work with your dermatologist to make sure you are using the right strength for the right time and call them right away if you experience any side effects.
Your dermatologist can also recommend nonsteroidal medications, such as those called topical calcineurin inhibitors. “They’re great because they don’t have the same side effects as steroids – they don’t thin the skin, there is no risk of glaucoma – so they’re super safe on the face and genitals,” says Daveluy. The only possible downsides, he says, are that they can sting a bit at first and that your insurance policy can cover them could be a hurdle.
Home remedies for hard-to-treat areas
Would you like to try home remedies to relieve your symptoms? Which types might help also depends in part on where the eczema occurs. (Note: Before trying home remedies on a baby, talk to your doctor.)
Moist wraps, which can help medications work better, work well on parts of the body that have thicker skin, such as the legs, feet, hands, wrists, and forearms, Marathe says. To do a wet wrap:
- Use your medication.
- Cover your affected body part with plastic wrap for 30 minutes.
- Take the pack off and moisturize your skin.
You can do the same with store-bought tubular bandages. The only difference is that you’re soaking them in warm water and wringing them out so they’re damp when you put them on, Marathe says.
If your young child has eczema, you can do something similar when they wear long-sleeved pajamas at night: soak the pajamas in warm water, then place them in the dryer for a few seconds so they’re damp but warm. “Sometimes children sleep in it, well [parents] put on dry pajamas, ”says Marathe. “Some kids really like this because it’s a bit chilly, but for others it’s too cold for them, so they don’t really like it.”
A few whole body home remedies can also help. “Diluted bleach baths are great for people of all ages, and we recommend them for children too,” says Marathe. You can take advantage of swimming in a chlorinated pool or taking a bleach bath at home. Use a quarter cup of plain bleach – not concentrated – for half a tub of water or half a cup for a full tub of water, she says. Whether you swim in a pool or take a bleach bath, it’s important to shower or rinse off right afterwards. If the chlorine dries on your skin, it will likely itch, Marathe says.
A bit of sunlight can also help relieve the itchiness from eczema, she says. Before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are weaker, go outside without sunscreen for 15 minutes.
Other ways to relieve itching in hard-to-treat areas include:
Moisten. To keep your skin from getting dry, inflamed, and irritated, your daily moisturizer is a must, says Daveluy. Choose one that doesn’t have a lot of perfumes and scents that can irritate the skin. The most important thing is to find one that you like and that you use at least once a day, he says. “Most people need it more than once a day.”
Wash off pollen. If you notice your eczema flare up during the pollen season, rinse your face after you’ve been outside for a while
a while, says Daveluy. Apply moisturizer immediately afterwards.
Calm. Instead of scratching or rubbing a lot, which can damage the skin, use an ice pack or bag of frozen peas to relieve the itching. “Ice is really good at relieving itching because the same nerves that feel the itching feel cold,” he says.
Make a soothing mask. “You can make a face mask out of rice paper like you would for spring rolls or fresh bread rolls,” says Daveluy. “You basically cut eye holes and a mouth hole … and then it gets wet [with water]. You can apply this to soothe the skin as it has a natural moisturizing effect due to the starch in rice. Some people even wear it to bed. ”You may want to cut the rice paper in half before getting it wet as it can be difficult to handle.
Try massage. If your child’s face itches at night, massage some moisturizer into their skin before bed, says Daveluy. “You’ve done some research that found that massage for children with eczema can be calming and help them fall asleep. And it can actually help improve the eczema, probably by helping calm down a bit. “
Shop safely. Talk to your dermatologist before using over-the-counter products on your groin area, especially women’s genitals. Many of these products have many ingredients that can irritate eczema, says Daveluy.
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SWELL:
Steve Daveluy MD, Associate Professor; Program Director, Wayne State Dermatology, Michigan.
Kalyani Marathe, MD, pediatric dermatologist; Director, Department of Dermatology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati.
National Eczema Association: “What is Eczema?”
Penn Medicine, “Eczema vs. Psoriasis: Similarities, Differences, and Treatments.”
Cleveland Clinic: “Eczema”.
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