Wat te Doen bij Eczeem - Effectieve Behandelingsopties

Causes

The skin consists of three layers:

The outer layer has different layers too: the basal layer, the spinous or prickle-cell layer, and the corneal or horny layer (enlarged in the diagram below). The corneal layer – the visible part of the skin – protects the body from germs. It renews itself constantly as new cells grow from the basal layer.

Left: Healthy skin, right: Skin with eczema

In people with eczema, the corneal layer doesn't provide enough protection because it is damaged by the inflammation in the skin. That allows irritants, germs and substances that trigger allergies (allergens) to enter the body.

In about 30-40% of all people with eczema, it is related to an allergy (atopic eczema). They often have more severe symptoms, as well as hay fever or allergic asthma.

In atopic eczema, the immune system reacts to allergens by producing antibodies that cause inflammations in the skin. These antibodies can be detected in the blood. Allergens that sometimes play a role in eczema include dust mites, pollen and foods such as milk, eggs, nuts or fish.

Prevention

The risk of developing eczema is mostly hereditary – in other words, it runs in families. But it's never really possible to say exactly why a child has developed eczema because there are so many different factors involved. No treatments have been proven to prevent eczema.

In large and good-quality studies, using skin care products in a child's first year of life wasn't found to lower babies' risks of developing eczema. Neither did early exposure to foods like peanuts, milk, eggs and wheat.

Many other approaches and products are claimed to lower the risk of developing eczema, but it's not clear whether they work. These include the use of vitamins (for example vitamin D), omega-3 fatty acids, certain types of diets, measures to reduce dust mites and avoiding certain foods during pregnancy.

Taking dietary supplements containing probiotic bacteria is the only thing that has been proven to prevent eczema, but the evidence is weak.

Breastfeeding possibly lowers the risk of eczema somewhat. The research results aren't clear here, though. Despite this uncertainty, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that women fully breastfeed their babies for the first six months of their life if possible and then offer them both solid foods and breast milk. This is because breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mother and child, and offers other health benefits for babies.

It's also a good idea to have the child vaccinated against illnesses like chickenpox because those kinds of illnesses can be more severe in children who have eczema.

Wie erkennt man ein Ekzem?

Je nach Art des Ekzems sind die Ausprägungen und die Form unterschiedlich. Nachfolgend sind die unterschiedlichen Arten von Ekzemen beschrieben.

Konstitutionelles oder atopisches Ekzem:
Diese häufigste Art von Ekzemen hat eine erbliche Komponente und ist an folgenden Merkmalen zu erkennen:

• Es kann überall am Körper auftreten,
• Es wird von (extremem, unerträglichem) Juckreiz begleitet
• Es kann sich im Säuglingsalter entwickeln (Schuppenflechte), ist aber nicht altersbedingt,
• Schwellungen, Blasen, Beulen, Nässen, Krusten, Schuppen und Vergröberungen der Hautstruktur bei Erwachsenen meist in den Ellbogenfalten, Kniekehlen, an Händen und Füßen variabler Verlauf om Allgemeinen bei trockener Haut.

Seborrhoisches Ekzem:
Dieses Ekzem ist weit verbreitet. Es tritt bei Männern häufiger auf als bei Frauen und äußert sich mit folgenden Symptomen:

• Juckende oder gelbliche Flecken, die abblättern häufig auf Gesicht, Nase, Kopf, Augenbrauen, Wimpern, Bart oder um die Ohren verschlimmert sich bei Stress, Kälte und Trockenheit verschlimmert sich durch das Tragen von Kopfbedeckungen und Hüten.

Die Symptome eines Kontaktekzems sind:

• Roter juckender Ausschlag mit Schuppen, Beulen, Blasen, Rissen oder Krusten, wenn die Haut mit dem Produkt in Kontakt gekommen ist,
• Manchmal ist die Haut auch geschwollen.

Dyshidrosis oder vesikuläres Ekzem:
Dieses Ekzem tritt manchmal als Folge einer Pilzinfektion an Füßen und in der Leistengegend auf. Die Merkmale sind:

• Juckende, deutliche Blasen, manchmal sogar große Blasen in den Handflächen, zwischen den Fingern und/oder Fußsohlen und Zehen.

Nummuläres Ekzem:
Es handelt sich um ein chronisches Ekzem. Es zeichnet sich aus durch:

• Münzförmige rote Schuppenflecken, Beulen mit Schuppen, die zu größeren Flecken verschmelzen können manchmal Krusten mit aufgesprungener Haut,
• Hauptsächlich an den Beinen.

Alternative treatments

Alternative treatments may help calm the symptoms of eczema. Because of potential side effects, always check with your doctor before using an herbal supplement or beginning an exercise routine. Popular home remedies include:

• green, black, or oolong tea
• coconut, sunflower, borage, and primrose oils
• acupuncture
• aromatherapy
• relaxation techniques, like meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, or guided imagery

There’s no specific test that can be used to diagnose eczema. Often, a doctor can diagnose the condition by talking with you about your symptoms and examining your skin. Sometimes, a patch test might be done to help find eczema triggers.

During a patch test, an allergen is applied to a patch that’s placed on the skin. Your skin will become inflamed and irritated if the allergen is a trigger for you.

There are a few factors that can increase your risk of developing eczema.

Eczema is more common in children who suffer from asthma or hay fever as well as adults who develop these conditions before age 30.

People with family members who have eczema are also at higher risk of developing the condition.

Eczema can lead to some complications, including:

• Sleep troubles. Eczema can cause difficulty sleeping and disrupt your sleep hygiene.
• Skin infections. Repeated scratching can leave your skin open to bacteria and viruses that can cause infections.
• Asthma and hay fever. Eczema can often lead to developing asthma or hay fever, especially in children younger than age 12.
• Thick and scaly skin. Scratching can cause your skin to harden and thicken over time.
• Additional types of eczema. Often, having one type of eczema can increase your risk of another developing.