Skin Care World

Dr Chris Steele replies...

Dear Owen,

I see you're only 6 yrs old so well done for writing to me, although I'm sure your Mum and Dad may have helped with your letter! So my reply is really to your Mum and Dad to help control your eczema problem.

Eczema causes the skin to become red, very itchy, with small blisters that weep. When the blisters burst, the skin then dries out and cracks and continues to remain very itchy. There are several types of eczema, but the commonest is known as Atopic Eczema which often starts in the first two years of life. This often runs in families and may occur in those with asthma, hay fever or other allergic conditions. It frequently affects the front of the wrists and elbow joints, backs of the kneee joints as well as the face, scalp and neck.

Now to answer your question. It is very important that the skin is kept highly moisturised. This involves a lot of work - applying a double application of emollient creams very frequently, maybe four times a day and then covering the cream laden areas of skin with kitchen cling-film or strips from polythene bags. As you obviously can't wear your viscopaste bandages at school, using emollient creams with polythene 'bandages' could be your best option in keeping your dry skin moisturised throughout the day - and no-one will know that you're wearing these dressings, under your clothes!

When you get home from school it's very important that you spend a long time in the bath - lucky you! In that bath water should be one of the many bath emollient oils, and you should stay in that oily bath water for 20-30 minutes. Be careful as the bath will be very slippy, but an oily bath means that your skin will have absorbed a lot of oil, so helping it to become moist and less itchy. After your bath just dab your skin dry, and then apply more emollient cream before bedtime.

With regard to your second question, I think your Mum and Dad should push your GP to get you tested for any allergy. Atopic eczema is usually an allergic reaction, and you need to know what you're allergic to - it might be house dust mite, pets, certain foods, soaps, washing powders etc etc - it's a long list! Once you know that you have a specific allergy, avoiding that trigger could make your eczema less of a problem. Tell your Mum and Dad that they should not be afraid of using steroid creams, as short term treatments, as they are

very effective in controlling eczema.

A very helpful organisation to contact is The National Eczema Society