THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ADULT SEBORRHEIC ECZEMA

Adult seborrheic eczema characteristically affects adults between the ages of 20 and 40. It is usually seen on the scalp as mild dandruff, but can spread to the face, ears and chest. The skin becomes red, inflamed and starts to flake. It is commonly accompanied by yellowish, oily, scaly patches of skin on the scalp, face, and occasionally other parts of the body. It is thought that the yeast pityrosporum ovale largely causes this condition. If the condition becomes infected, treatment with an anti-fungal cream may be necessary.

Alternative Treatments for Eczema

Many people prefer to explore the use of complementary therapies in addition, or as an alternative, to conventional treatments. Complementary therapists offer a holistic approach which is usually based upon the individual’s needs. Evening primrose oil is now commonly used and other treatments such as aromatherapy, relaxation and homeopathy are readily available. Chinese herbal treatments may be used, but should only be tried after consultation with your doctor or dermatologist.
Though many people have found the use of complementary therapies helpful, there has only been limited scientific evaluation of complementary treatments and so it is important to consider the following:
It is essential to let your doctor know if you are starting another course of treatment, since interactions can occur between certain medications. Conventional treatments should not be stopped suddenly, without consulting your doctor.

Ensure that the practitioner is properly qualified and registered with the appropriate regulatory body.

Remember that a treatment which is described as natural or herbal is not guaranteed to be safe.
What works for one person will often not work for another.

Controlling Eczema Thru Diet

The role of diet in the management of eczema has not been ascertained. Generally changes in diet are only considered in severe cases, when conventional treatments are failing. Dietary changes can be quite helpful in babies and young children, though the effects on older children and adults are less conclusive. When considering altering the diet of a baby or child it is important to seek advice from a dietitian, or a nutritional therapist, in order to ensure that the child continues to receive adequate nutrients. Sometimes it can be useful to keep an accurate diary of foods eaten and the condition of the eczema and, when weaning babies, to do so very slowly observing for skin reactions. This is a large and complex topic. Further information can be obtained from the National Eczema Society or Dermatitis-Ltd.

Other Skin Conditions Can Occur With Seborrhea

While the rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis are different skin disorders, sometimes they can coexist at the same time. Approximately 35% of people with rosacea have seborrheic dermatitis which makes for an even more sensitive skin condition.
To learn more about how these two conditions interact with one another please visit THE DERMATITIS FACTOR page at:
http://www.internationalrosaceafoundation.org/dermatitis_factor.php4

ADULT SEBORRHEIC ECZEMA

Adult seborrheic eczema characteristically affects adults between the ages of 20 and 40. It is usually seen on the scalp as mild dandruff, but can spread to the face, ears and chest. The skin becomes red, inflamed and starts to flake. It is commonly accompanied by yellowish, oily, scaly patches of skin on the scalp, face, and occasionally other parts of the body. It is thought that the yeast pityrosporum ovale largely causes this condition. If the condition becomes infected, treatment with an anti-fungal cream may be necessary.

Stasis Eczema

Varicose eczema or stasis dermatitis occurs in the middle to late years of life and appears on the lower legs. It is caused by poor circulation. It is also called stasis eczema. It affects the ankles, which become speckled, itchy and inflamed. It is frequently treated with emollients and steroid creams. If untreated, an ulcer may develop.
A common problem that is associated with varicose ulcers is contact allergic eczema caused by medications applied to the skin such as steroids, topical antibiotics, lanolin and also preservatives in various preparations. If this is suspected, skin patch testing may help to identify the problematic substance

Light Sensitive Eczema

Eczema that is caused by sunlight is rare. If it happens it is likely to occur on the face, hands and arms. Using high factor sun creams can treat it. Sometimes this eczema can be caused when people are taking medication that reacts to sunlight e.g. antihistamines and arthritis medications. Ingredients in soaps and cosmetics may also cause this.

Reducing Eczema Symptoms in Children

Adding the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus GG (LGG) to the daily diet of children with a food allergy helped to reduce eczema symptoms, report researchers this month. Previous trials have found this probiotic strain, produced by the Finnish dairy Valio, to lower the chances of children developing eczema.
A team from the University of Turku in Finland reported in 2003 that children who were exposed to the LGG bacteria around the time of birth were 40 per cent less likely to develop atopic eczema at four years of age compared with children in a placebo group.
In the new study, Dr Mirva Viljanen and colleagues from the University of Helsinki assessed symptoms in 230 infants who already had eczema, thought to be an allergy to cow's milk. Around 2-3 per cent of infants are allergic to milk proteins.
The children were given either LGG alone, LGG combined with three other probiotic bacteria, or a placebo for four weeks. They also followed a specific diet and skin treatment.
At the end of the treatment, the researchers tested for an allergy to cow’s milk and found 120 infants to be allergic.
Allergy symptoms dropped by 65 per cent overall during the study, but no differences were observed between the different groups, write the researchers in this month’s issue of Allergy (vol 60, issue 4, pp494-500).
However, when they looked only at subjects sensitized to the antibody IgE, shown to play a major role in allergies, the LGG treatment had a greater effect on symptom severity than placebo, or the probiotic combination.
Exclusion of infants who had received antibiotics during the study reinforced the findings in the IgE-sensitized subgroup, said the authors.
"Treatment with LGG may alleviate atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome symptoms in IgE-sensitized infants but not in non-IgE-sensitized infants," they report.

Cradle Cap

Infantile seborrheic eczema is a common condition affecting babies under one year old, the exact cause of which is unknown. Also referred to as cradle cap, it usually starts on the scalp or the diaper area and quickly spreads. Although this type of eczema looks unpleasant, it is not sore or itchy and does not cause the baby to feel uncomfortable or unwell. Normally this type of eczema will clear in just a few months.
The greasy yellow scales look unpleasant but they are not uncomfortable or itchy and will resolve in a number of months. The reason for this is the continuing secretion of the greases seen on a baby right after birth. When this dries up, the scalp will clear. In the meantime, gentle shampooing and massage with warm olive oil will help.

Discoid Eczema

Discoid eczema, also called nummular eczema or gravitational eczema is usually found in adults and appears suddenly as a few coin shaped areas of red skin; normally on the trunk or lower legs. It may look similar to ringworm. These areas become itchy and can weep fluid. Usually discoid eczema is treated with emollients (and steroid creams if necessary).It can be considered as an adult form of atopic eczema. It can be complicated by a bacterial infection which causes weeping and crusting.
The word "nummular" comes from the Latin nummus, meaning coin, and is characterized by round plaques of eczema. Eruptions of nummular eczema are often recurrent and chronic and usually appear in people who are in their 60s but can occur at any age. The cause of nummular eczema is not known, but it usually occurs in cold weather and is most common in people who have dry skin. Hot weather and stress can aggravate this condition, as can the following:
Fabric softeners
Allergies
Soaps and detergents
Wool clothing
Bathing more than once a day.

The Phases of An Eczema Outbreak

Eczema runs its course through three distinct phases: acute, subacute, and chronic. The usual symptoms associated with the acute stage of eczema include pain, heat, tenderness, and possible itching (Mackie 77). The affected areas are characterized by extreme redness and drainage at the lesion site (Mackie 77). The subacute phase of eczema include symptoms associated with skin redness and crusting; however, there is no extreme swelling. People in the subacute phase tend to complain about the symptom of itching more than the pain (Mackie 77). Individuals with lesions developed over three months are referred to as having chronic eczema. Itching is a predominant symptom in this phase as well and scratching causes the lesion to worsen (Mackie 77).