Is your skin red, dry, scaly and extremely itchy? Have you been diagnosed with eczema? The skin condition eczema is believed to affect over 30 million Americans. So, what is eczema? In fact, eczema isn’t a single condition; it is actually a group of skin conditions that includes atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, hand eczema, neurodermatitis, nummular eczema and stasis dermatitis. Finding a soothing, natural eczema treatment can be life-changing for those suffering from this frustrating condition.
Eczema typically first appears in very young children with research finding that 65 percent of cases occur before infants hit their first birthday, and 90 percent of those affected have their first cases before they turn 5 years old. Of further concern is that eczema in children is becoming more and more common. Diseases eczema can resemble include psoriasis, rosacea and dermatitis, but it’s a different condition.
A study conducted by the Department of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that 39 percent of Caucasian children develop eczema by 3 years old. Interestingly, this same study found children that have a dog in the home are significantly less likely to develop eczema at any age.
Although initial outbreaks of eczema most often occur in infants and young children, onset can occur at any time. While the majority of the skin conditions that fall under the eczema heading are chronic, it is important to note that contact dermatitis and hand eczema may be acute in nature, occurring due to an exposure to allergens or chemicals.
For many people, the severity of flare-ups will lessen with maturity, and some may even outgrow it altogether. However, eczema can come and go throughout life. Learning how to treat your eczema and identifying triggers that cause flares is the best course of action.
And while there is no definitive answer as to the cause of eczema, and there is no identified cure, there are effective natural treatments, home remedies and essential oils for eczema that may help prevent future flares and ease discomfort during an outbreak. It is important to understand that eczema is an embarrassing, stressful and frustrating condition that often disrupts sleeping patterns. Finding an eczema treatment to help relieve the symptoms must be a top priority.