“Managing atopic dermatitis is like taking care of the family car.  For instance, when the car breaks down, you take it to the mechanic and get it fixed.  That’s like managing a flare of atopic dermatitis with topical steroids...but there’s still the maintenance therapy.  Your car may be fixed, but you still have to put oil in it regularly or the engine will seize and that’ll be the end of it.  With eczema, you have to adopt a good maintenance regimen to help minimize flares of the disease.  And, like your car, you can do everything right—change the oil every 3,000 miles — and it can still break down on you.”

–Lawrence F. Eichenfield, MD Chief, Pediatric Dermatology Children’s Hospital and Health Center Chief, Division of Pediatric Dermatology University of California at San Diego School of Medicine San Diego, CA