Skin Lesions Predict Atopic Dermatitis

Eczema at the arms and joints are the early skin lesions that are the most predictive of atopic dermatitis in young children, according to a new study.
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, indicates a hypersensitivity to something in the environment and may occur together with symptoms of asthma or hay fever. The condition is usually genetic, and may also be particularly severe during the winter months. The itchy, painful condition can affect just about any area of the body.
The current study involved 411 infants who were born to mothers with a history of asthma. During follow-up until 3 years of age, the subjects were seen every 6 months and whenever any skin symptoms presented. Fifty-five subjects had incomplete follow-up and were not included in all of the analyses.
Forty-four percent of the children had developed atopic dermatitis by 3 years of age, Dr. Hans Bisgaard, from Copenhagen University Hospital, and colleagues report. Disease occurrence peaked at 2 years of age in boys and at 2.5 years in girls, but no other gender-based differences were noted.
Atopic dermatitis in young children typically started in the scalp, forehead, ear, and neck, before moving on to the trunk and extremities, the authors note.
As noted, the best predictors of atopic dermatitis were early skin lesions of the arms and joints, the report indicates.
"This improved description of the progression of skin lesions facilitates early diagnosis of atopic dermatitis in infancy and allows studies examining the early intervention and prevention strategies," the authors conclude.

SOURCE: Archives of Dermatology May 2006.

Fabric Effective In Soothing Atopic Dermatitis

An Osaka-based textile maker has developed a new fiber that is effective in soothing the itchiness of atopic dermatitis.
About 80 out of 100 atopic dermatitis sufferers found in clinical testing that their itchiness was reduced when wearing underwear made from the fiber.
Those who suffer from atopic dermatitis, more commonly called eczema, have intense itchiness of skin. And the attendant excessive scratching further aggravates the skin condition by bacterial infection and bleeding, causing more itchiness.
Drawing on research conducted by Shinshu University and other institutions, the textile maker, Daiwabo Neu Co., dyed a fiber with iron phthalocyanine, an organic chemical that destroys the protein that accelerates itchiness.
As a result, the firm found that the fiber decomposes allergens such as dust mites and house dust, which are a major cause of itchiness.
In the tests, around 100 sufferers wore underwear made of the fiber when they went to sleep at night. In the morning, they answered questions about how itchy they felt. Doctors also checked their skin for the presence of scratches on their bodies.

Early Exposure To Cats Can Increase Risk Of Eczema

Children who are exposed to cats soon after birth may have an increased risk of developing eczema, according to a study to be presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference on May 21st.
Being exposed to two or more dogs at home suggested a slightly protective, but not significant, effect on children's risk of developing eczema, said lead researcher Esmeralda Morales, M.D., Pediatric Pulmonary Fellow at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
The study included 486 children who had been followed since birth. The researchers asked their parents how many cats and dogs they had in the house at the time the child was born, and then followed up one year later to see which children had been diagnosed with eczema.
Of the 134 children with cats in the household, 27.6% had eczema by one year of age, compared with 17.8% of 286 children without cats. While exposure to cats increased a child's risk of eczema whether or not their mother had asthma, the effect was more pronounced in children whose mothers did not have asthma.
Previous studies have found that people with eczema have a higher chance of also having allergic conditions including hay fever and asthma.
"Other studies have found that having cats or dogs at home seems to be protective against allergic diseases, so we expected to have similar findings," said Dr. Morales. "Pets are a source of a compound called endotoxin, and if a child is exposed to endotoxin early in life, the immune system may be skewed away from developing an allergic profile."
It's possible that the children in the study who developed eczema at age 1 might end up having a reduced risk of asthma or other allergic diseases later in life, Dr. Morales noted. "The findings do seem to add more questions about pets and asthma and allergies," she said. "Since there are a lot of contradictory data out there already, clearly it's a topic that needs further research."

Tea tree Oil May Cause Skin Irritation And Eczema Rashes

ALLERGIC reactions to tea-tree oil are rising as more people mistakenly apply the popular herbal substance undiluted and directly to the skin.
Dermatologists have warned the public to take care when using tea-tree-derived products, which despite their seemingly benign origin have powerful antiseptic properties even at low concentrations.
Tea-tree oil is sold almost pure as an essential oil and is included in many skin and hair products. It is often used to treat sores, cuts and abrasions, even acne.
A study to be presented at a conference of dermatologists in Melbourne today found that the longer the tea-tree oil product was used after opening, the greater its potential for causing skin irritation, as the oil "readily oxidises to become more allergenic".
It is not a substance routinely "patch tested" by allergy specialists who see patients with unexplained dermatitis. But researchers found that of 2320 people tested over five years at one clinic, 41 (1.8 per cent), had a positive reaction. It was deemed the cause of dermatitis in 41 per cent of cases.
Study co-author Rosemary Nixon, of the Skin and Cancer Foundation, said allergy specialists should be aware of tea-tree oil's potential to cause skin rashes.
"We are not saying don't use it - we are just saying it shouldn't be used in a concentrated form and directly applied to the skin," she said. It was an effective antiseptic in concentrations of 5 to 10 per cent, said Dr Nixon.

The Facts On Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Allergic contact dermatitis is a red, itchy, weepy reaction where the skin has come into contact with a substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign, such as poison ivy or certain preservatives in creams and lotions. Red, bumpy, scaly, itchy, and swollen skin are all symptoms which can signify an allergic skin condition. These skin problems are often caused by an immune system reaction, signifying an allergy. Allergic skin conditions can take several forms and are due to various causes.

Treating Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation, redness and scaling of the skin. It occurs when the sebaceous glands produce too much natural oil (sebum). Yeast (and sometimes bacteria) can grow in the sebum, causing chronic itching, redness, flaking and drying of the skin. Some people confuse the condition with dandruff. However, dandruff only causes scaling. Seborrheic dermatitis causes both scaling and redness.

Seborrheic dermatitis can occur at any age, but is most common in three age groups - infants, middle aged adults and the elderly. In infants, the condition is also known as cradle cap. Babies may develop thick, crusty, yellowish scales in their heads. In most cases, the condition clears up on its own by 12 months.

In adults, seborrheic dermatitis may occur on the scalp, nose, eyebrows, eyelids, behind the ears, ear canals and the middle of the chest. Some patients also develop patches around the belly button, armpits, breasts, buttocks or groin. The symptoms can come and go and may vary in severity. Stress, fatigue, changes in humidity or weather, oily skin and infrequent cleansing or shampooing can exacerbate the symptoms. For some patients, symptoms can cause a great deal of embarrassment.

There is no cure for seborrheic dermatitis. However, treatments can often control the symptoms. Over-the-counter shampoos containing tar, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, ketoconazole or salicylic acid are often effective. Patients may need to try more than one type of shampoo or cleanser to find the one that works best. Frequent shampooing or leaving the lather or cleanser on the scalp (or skin) for longer periods of time increases the effectiveness of the products. Some doctors recommend rotating between different shampoos for the best control.

When symptoms don't respond to over-the-counter treatments, prescription steroids may be applied to the area once or twice a day. Long-term use of steroids is usually discouraged because they can sometimes make the symptoms more difficult to treat. In more severe cases, doctors may recommend keeping medication on the area overnight.

Dry Flaky Skin

DERMATITIS is often used as another word for eczema, but some forms are harmless and easily treatable. Most commonly, a form of "seborrhoeic" dermatitis occurs in the oilier areas of skin, such as the folds around the nostrils. The condition causes flaking skin around the nose or in the eyebrows, and can be treated with a topical cream.
"This dermatitis is very common, and is effectively the same condition which causes dandruff on the scalp," says Dr Susan Mayou, a consultant dermatologist at London's Chelsea & Westminster Hospital.
"Many people think it is dry skin and so rub moisturiser into the affected area, but that won't make a difference as it occurs in areas of the skin which produce natural oils.
"What you need is a preparation which acts on the yeast we all have on our skin, so ask your pharmacist for an antifungal cream."

Brown Spots May Be A Sign Of Berloque Dermatitis

Berloque Dermatitis is a skin condition in which patients develop a brownish to reddish discoloration of the neck and sometimes the arms due to applying perfume or cologne to the skin. Sometimes the skin first turns red before changing to a brownish color. This condition can persist for years or even be permanent.
Many perfumes and colognes contain oil of bergamot, an extract of the peel of a specific orange grown in the South of France and the Calabria district of Italy. When this oil comes in contact with the skin and the skin is exposed to sunlight, the oil of bergamot causes the skin to discolor. With repeated exposures to sunlight, the discoloration becomes permanent.
Cosmetics such as Dermablend and Covermark work well to cover the area so it is not as noticeable.
Patients with berloque dermatitis should use a daily sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to help keep the condition from worsening. Also, perfume should no longer be applied to areas of the skin that get sun exposure.
Laser treatment may be an effective treatment in the future. At this time, we do not have this available. You may want to go to a laser center to seek their opinion.
Tretinoin (Retin-A) applied to the involved areas daily will improve this condition.
Daily application of Keralyt gel is a treatment for this problem.
Jessner's peels will improve Berloque dermatitis.