Itching is Debilitating

As anyone with eczema knows, the chronic itch can be debilitating. A new study as reported by ABC concluded that chronic itching can be upsetting to one's life as chronic pain. Interstingly, some study participants reported that they would give up 13% of their life span to live itch free. And they found that being married helps patients deal with chronic itching better, presumably because they have more of a support system.

Eczmea and Mercury Exposure?

New recent study published in Environmental Research found a positive association between mercury exposure (as indicated by blood concentrations) and lifetime incidence of atopic dermatitis. Mercury can enter the body through contaminated fish.

Some fish have higher levels of mercury than others. The EPA has a guideline on their website here.




Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2217

Eczema and Children

A new study of EU parents with children suffering from eczema demonstrates that it can have far reaching impacts. For children with moderate to severe eczema, the researchers found that the children missed out sometimes on sport or play activities, and that it can hurt their self-esteem and cause feelings of frustration and of "being different."

One parent was quoted in a sys-con.com article as saying:
"Eczema is far more than dry skin or a bit of an itch. Eczema can demand an all consuming lifestyle and coping techniques which need to be embraced by not only the sufferer, but their family as well. Only when people fully understand the far reaching impact of this relentlessly itchy, intolerable skin condition can we hope for better treatment and acceptance."

Contagious Itch

A new study from itch-expert Dr. Gil Yosipovitch and colleagues at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has found that itch can be contagious like yawning. Individuals with eczema appear to be particularly susceptible. Patients with atopic dermatitis had a higher itch intensity and scratched more after watching someone else scratch than those without it. They also appeared to scratch over a wide area of the body in response to seeing someone else itch, not just in the same localized place. The researchers note that this is further evidence of the powerful role of the brain - both in respect to itch and eczema. Eczema patients know how powerful mental response to itching can be...but that doesn't necessarily make it easier to cope! I guess the only other take-home message from this for eczema patients is to look the other way if you see someone start to scratch!

NEA Seal of Acceptance

The National Eczema Association has created the NEA Seal of Acceptance to identify products designed for patients with eczema. To receive the seal, products must not contain known irritants. The NEA also looks at testing data on "sensitivity, safety, and toxicity." The NEA grants seals in four categories: personal care products, household products, fabrics, and devices. This list of products that have received the seal is online here.

Bleach Baths

Diluted bleach baths, or what some prefer to call "swimming pool baths," have been shown to help children with eczema and they may help adults, too. Most instructions suggest mixing a quarter cup of bleach in a bathtub full of water and soaking for 5 to 10 minutes twice a week. Of course, check with your dermatologist before treating yourself.

Eczema suffers have more staph on their skin than other people. For severe cases, the staph can cause skin infections, such as folliculitis. The diluted bleach baths kill the bacteria, reducing infections. Staph can exacerbate the eczema, so killing it off can improve rashes and itching. Doctors also prefer to try and use bleach baths as a first line of defense since there is growing concern about the increasing incidence of antibiotic resistant staph.

I recently tried bleach baths and found them to be helpful. Having previously had a staph infection on my skin requiring oral antibiotics, I was in no mood for a repeat experience. When I started experiencing what appeared to be symptoms, I went to my dermatologist immediately. She suggested the bleach baths as a first step to see if it would clear up the infection before it got so bad it required antibiotics. Sure enough, it worked! I was concerned the bleach might actually inflame my sensitive skin, but it is so dilute that it does not. Thinking of it as akin to a swimming pool is helpful. You smell mildly like a pool when you get out of the bath, even after rinsing off, but the smell quickly fades. Just remember to put on lots of lotion when you get out because the baths can be quite drying, which can make eczema worse.

Watch out for aqueous cream!

Apparently, many GPs--at least in the UK--are prescribing cream that could be making eczema even worse for their patients. Aqueous cream was developed as an alternative to soap and some doctors are giving it to patients to use as a moisturizer, as reported here. Unfortunately, the cream does not contain much to moisturize the skin and also contains sodium lauryl sulphate, which can irritate sensitive skin. Eczema patients should educate themselves about which products are helpful and seek out the advice of a dermatologist.

Itchiness and Stress

A new study in the Archives of Dermatology explored the relationship between itch and stress (see coverage by Reuters here). Unsurprisingly, chronic itch, or pruritus, can be stressful. The more persistent the itch, the higher the stress level. While this may suggest that stress management techniques can be useful to those suffering from pruritius, it also suggests that the impact of diseases for which pruritius is a symptom, such as severe atopic dermatitis, is much deeper than what is seen on the surface of the skin.

Comparing Lotions

With the dry air of winter all around, I thought it might be useful to compare lotions on the market. Which are best for dry, itchy skin?

My personal favorite is Lubriderm's Sensitive Skin Therapy. This is great for anyone prone to flare-ups or skin reactions. It is moisturizing, not sticky, and causes no irritation. Great to use several times a day.

An alternative is Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. This also is not likely to irritate, but it is a bit lighter and I feel doesn't offer quite as much moisture as the Lubriderm lotion. Others may prefer this lightness.

For heavier lotions, I have used Eucerin's Calming Creme. This is thicker, but not as thick as Vaseline, and feels particularly nice on very dry, winter days. I have not found this to be irritating to my skin, either.

Finally, I sometimes use CeraVe Moisturizing Creme. This is more expensive (although none of these lotions are cheap!) but it claims to have ceramides to help those with eczema. While it has never seemed to cure a flare-up, it does moisturize well and gives me some psychological benefit to think that it may actually be improving my eczematious skin.

More on Acupuncture and Eczema

In an earlier post, I recounted my experience trying acupuncture to reduce eczema symptoms. Reuters has just reported on a study done by German researchers, which found that acupuncture can reduce itchiness if done immediately after exposure to an allergen and that exposure after acupuncture results in a less intense reaction. The researchers compared results when using true acupuncture points to both no treatment and the use of "placebo points," or acupuncture points that are not true points used in Chinese acupuncture. After being exposed to an allergen, those getting the "true points" treatment reported lower levels of itch. The abstract of the study, published in the journal Allergy, is online here.

For those interested in seeing if acupressure on the points would work, the two points used in the study are LI11 and SP10. The former is on the outer side of the elbow crease and the later is roughly above the knee and towards the inside of the leg.