Healthcare Professionals

What causes a person to get eczema on his or her body?

Q:   What causes a person to get eczema on his or her body? How can the terrible itch be helped? Are they working on a cure for this awful stuff?

A:   Atopic dermatitis is the most common type of eczema and has a genetic basis. Recently discovered genetic defects in the skin barrier seem to account for many, if not most, cases. The defective barrier allows chemical and physical irritants and bacterial toxins to trigger inflammation that causes redness and itching.

Allergens that people are not aware of

Q:   What might be some surprising allergens that people are not aware of?

A:   Medications applied to skin that is already inflamed are frequent causes of contact allergy. Examples include hydrocortisone, neomycin, bee glue, vitamin E, and lanolin.

What is the Contact Allergen Replacement Database (CARD)?

Q:   What is the Contact Allergen Replacement Database (CARD)? And can I gain access to it without a physician?

A:   CARD and CAMP (Contact Allergen Management Program) are databases that can suggest personal care products free of specified allergens.
It is impossible for patients or physicians to accurately diagnosis allergic contact dermatitis to the specific components of items that touch the skin without patch testing. Therefore, access to these databases is restricted to patients who have undergone patch testing by a dermatologist.

What is the best information I can provide my doctor with?

Q:  What is the best information I can provide my doctor when I have my appointment?

A:  Describe environmental factors (season, skin care products, antibiotics, etc.) that make your eczema better or worse.

What is the wet-dry cycle?

Q:  What is the wet-dry cycle, and why is it bad for eczema?

A:  The wet-dry cycle refers to the drying of skin dampened with water or perspiration. Imagine a muddy field: if the sun dries the field quickly, the mud cracks; if it dries slowly on a cloudy day the mud stays smooth. Skin with eczema is especially likely to crack in low humidity conditions when it dries quickly. Applying a moisturizer to slow the drying of wet skin is therefore especially important in the winter when the humidity is lower.

What are allergens?

Q:  What are allergens, and what are the most common allergens that aggravate eczema?


A:  Allergens are any molecule in the environment that can penetrate skin and cause an inflammatory response. Most allergens cause a rash in only a small number of people, but some like poison ivy cause a rash in most people who have skin contact with it. Allergic contact dermatitis usually develops to small, non-protein molecules such as preservatives or metals. Atopic dermatitis patients can also develop contact dermatitis to plant proteins such as oat or dandelion.

What is the difference between atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis?

Q:  What is the difference between atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis?

A:  Atopic dermatitis appears early in life as chapped skin in areas that go through frequent wet-dry cycles (for example, the area around the mouth in babies) or in skin folds. Atopic dermatitis patients are susceptible to skin infections, which often make inflammation worse. Protein molecules, such as foods, or pollen or latex can penetrate broken and inflamed skin, and atopic patients are especially likely to develop an immune response to these types of allergens.

Allergic to Chloramine

Dear NEA Scratch Pad:

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis. The photo shows the rashes on my back, and there were similar rashes on most of the rest of my body. Fortunately I discovered that the problem was chloramine, a mixture of ammonia and chlorine that is used to disinfect the tap water in many areas of the United States (including the San Francisco Bay area, where I live). After I stopped using our water, my skin cleared up completely. I’m sure there are folks with similar problems who are not aware of this chemical and are suffering as a result.

New Research Fuels Greater Understanding of Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis in Children and Adolescents

BOSTON (Aug. 16, 2012)  Information presented at American Academy of Dermatology’s Summer Academy Meeting by Lawrence F. Eichenfield, MD, FAAD, a board-certified pediatric dermatologist, chief, division of pediatric and adolescent dermatology and professor of pediatrics and medicine (dermatology), Rady Children’s Hospital and University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.  Dr. Eichenfield is also a member of the National Eczema Association Scientific Advisory Committee.

OVERVIEW
For the millions of children and adolescents affected by chronic skin conditions such as atopic

NIAID Study Offers New Explanation of What Makes an Allergen an Allergen

Using bioinformatics to mine allergen databases and epidemiological studies, investigators at NIAID have uncovered new information on what makes people allergic to allergens. The NIAID team found that the differences between the structure of foreign proteins and the structure of self-proteins made the foreign ones allergenic. The results of their work appear online in the July 18th issue of PLoS ONE.

Background

Allergic diseases, such as asthma, food allergy, and seasonal allergies, affect millions of people in the United States and seem to be on the rise.

A Comparison of Physicochemical Properties of a Selection of Modern Moisturizers: Hydrophilic Index and pH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To quantify and compare the physiochemical properties of various topical emollients and to correlate these findings with the products' potential to maintain the stratum corneum (SC) acid milieu, while possessing the appropriate water content for skin rehydration, user adherence, and comfort.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The pH and hydrophilic fraction of 31 skin moisturizers sold in the US were measured. Hydrophilic Index (HI) was calculated using the "HI equation." The two parameters were charted using a scatter plot with quadrant divisions.

Prenatal Exposure to Common Household Chemical Linked to Eczema

Butyl benzyl phthalate is used in vinyl flooring, artificial leather
 
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas

Wednesday, June 27, 2012


WEDNESDAY, June 27 (HealthDay News) -- Babies born to women who were exposed to the common household chemical butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP) during pregnancy are at greater risk for childhood eczema, new research suggests.

BBzP is used in vinyl flooring, artificial leather and other materials, and can be released into the air, the researchers said.

"While hereditary factors, allergens and exposure to tobacco smoke are known to contribute to the condition, our study is the

Sunscreen Remains a Safe, Effective Form of Sun Protection

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (May 16, 2012) —The American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) today reiterated the safety and effectiveness of sunscreens to protect against the damaging effects from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. As one component of a daily sun-protection strategy, sunscreen is an important tool in the fight against skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Unprotected sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer. More than 3.5 million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, affecting 2 million people.

Prevalence of Atopic Disorders and Immunodeficiency in Patients with Ectodermal Dysplasia Syndromes

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) syndromes are a diverse group of disorders that affect multiple ectodermally derived tissues. Small studies and case reports suggest an increase in atopy and primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) among patients with ED syndromes.


OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence of clinical symptoms suggestive of atopy or immunodeficiency among a large cohort of children with ED syndromes.


METHODS:
A 9-page questionnaire was mailed to families who were members of the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias.

Genomes Show How Staph Bacteria Gain Resistance to Last-Line Drug

National Institutes of Health-funded scientists have determined the genome sequences of a dozen strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria known to be resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort. The researchers demonstrated -that resistance arose independently in each strain, and identified shared features among the strains that may have helped them acquire vancomycin resistance and evade human immune defenses.

Alternate Routes: Acupuncture, Acupressure and Eczema

Alternate Routes: Acupuncture, Acupressure and Eczema
Kachiu C. Lee, MD and Peter A. Lio, MD


Judging from the increasing media coverage, acupuncture (and its closely-related but needleless cousin, acupressure) has grown in popularity over the past decade (Ernst, 2006). Actress Gwyneth Paltrow (Lantin, 2004) proudly blogs about it on her popular personal website, while Kate Moss openly admits to using acupuncture to assist with smoking cessation (BBC, 2006). But is acupuncture actually effective? Or is it a passing fad?  What is the evidence behind acupuncture as a treatment for eczema?
    
Basis

NIAID Study Links Rapidy Emerging Staph Gene to Asian MRSA Epidemic

A research study conducted by NIAID scientists and their colleagues in China describes a rapidly emerging Staphylococcus aureus gene, which has helped establish MRSA epidemics in Asia.

 

For more information, visit the NIAID site >>>

Itching to Know

To my great delight, a new t-shirt came in the mail the other day. Not only is it the bright sunshine yellow I feel drawn to on these gray winter days, but it also represents a new dawning for NEA. The logo on my yellow t will be on our first official t-shirt for our inaugural fund-raising walk, Itching for a Cure, in April 2012.

Food Allergy Guidelines as They Relate to Eczema

 

by Kristopher Denby, MD
 
Food allergy can be a confusing topic and not all bad reactions to food are actually due to an allergy.  If you think you may have a food allergy, discuss it with your doctor.
 
Food allergy is a common problem affecting as many as 1 in 25 young children but is much less common in adults.  Food allergy is more common in people with eczema.  Among children under 5 who have eczema, as many as 30% may also have food allergy.

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