Eczema

Eczema is a reoccuring, non-infectious inflammatory skin disorder. It can affect one in three Australasians at some stage throughout their life. Eczema can affect you at any age, but usually appears in childhood. Almost 20% of people have eczema by the age of 5 yrs. Most children grow out of the condition but it is unfortunate that some people have to live with it their entire lives.

Eczema can cause the skin to become red, dry, itchy, and scaly, and in severe cases, may weep, bleed and crust over, causing much discomfort. It can be found in various areas of the body including back of knees, chest, hands, inner elbow etc. Sometimes the skin can become infected if the lesions are scratched.

The most common symptoms for eczema include:

• Itchiness
• Redness
• Dryness
• Scaling

However, there are aso other symptoms not related to the skin. Allergic conditions such as asthma and hayfever can cause the eczema to flare and subside.

There can be many causes for eczema including:

• Genetics
• Allergies
• Humidity
• Stress
• Food Intolerances

Cortisone creams are no cure for eczema and merely act as a "bandaid". Studies show that these creams also have side affects, including permanent thinning of the skin in the area of application. Therefore it will be necessary for you to cease the use of cortisone creams while our Paramedical Skin Experts are treating your skin.

It is recommended that you book in for a Paramedical Skin Consultation so as to determine the cause of your eczema. A series of questions will be included in the consultation to obtain enough information to find the cause.