Thursday 14 September marks World Atopic Eczema Day, an annual event that raises awareness of a common skin disease that can massively impact sufferers, both physically and psychologically.
Atopic eczema, which is an inflammatory skin condition that causes chronic itchiness, dry skin, rashes, scaly patches, blisters and skin infections is one of the most prevalent skin disorders – globally, it affects up to 20% of all children and 10% of adults.
According to the Allergy Foundation of South Africa (AFSA), atopic eczema, which can begin during childhood, adolescence or adulthood – and can range from mild to severe – tends to affect people with other allergies like hay fever and asthma.
This chronic disease impacts the quality of life for those who suffer from it, and AFSA offers some insights and advice below:
What causes atopic eczema?
Atopic eczema results from an overactive immune system that causes the skin barrier to become dry and itchy. When an irritant or an allergen “switches on” the immune system it produces inflammation on the surface of the skin. This causes the symptoms common to most types of eczema.
While the exact cause is unknown people who develop eczema do so because of an interaction between genes and environmental triggers. Many people with eczema often also suffer from hay fever, allergic asthma and food allergies.
What are the symptoms of atopic eczema?• Itchy, dry and sensitive skin that becomes inflamed and discoloured• Rough, leathery or scaly skin, appearing as scaly patches• Oozing or crusting• Areas of swelling
Everyone’s eczema experience is different. You might have all of these symptoms of eczema or only just a few. You might have some flare-ups that last for days, weeks or months – or your symptoms could go away entirely.
What can trigger an atopic eczema flare-up?
Along with having a family history of eczema, many common household items can cause allergic reactions leading to an atopic eczema flare.
Additional common triggers of eczema may include:
• Extended exposure to dry air, extreme heat or cold
• Some types of soap, shampoos, bath products, body wash, facial cleansers and baby wipes
• Laundry detergents and fabric softeners with chemical additives
• Certain fabrics like wool or polyester in clothing and sheets
• Surface cleaners and disinfectants
• Fragrances in candles
• Metals (especially nickel) in jewellery or utensils
• Dust mites and living in dirty spaces
•Some people’s eczema symptoms and flare-ups get worse when they’re feeling stressed.
Is eczema contagious?
Eczema is not contagious. You can’t catch it from someone else.
How to treat eczema?
Proper, consistent skin care is essential in preventing and managing eczema. Moisturizers, antihistamines, topical steroid creams and corticosteroids are among the potential courses of eczema treatments usually recommended by healthcare providers and dermatologists.
Why eczema is more than “just a skin condition”
While often dismissed as “just a skin condition” people who suffer from eczema experience physical and emotional consequences that can seriously impact their quality of life.
Children in particular, don’t sleep well at night because of the itchiness and discomfort caused by eczema, and therefore may not focus optimally at school and get the most out of their days. The rash and subsequent skin infections from eczema can often impact a person’s physical appearance, and children with visible eczema are frequently teased, bullied and excluded from social groups.
Patients with this disease spend most of their lives requiring comprehensive daily care and management. Caring for a child with atopic eczema can affect personal relationships, decrease psychosocial functioning, bring sleep loss for family members and a feeling of helplessness in dealing with the child’s daily suffering.
The burdens on children and youth living with atopic eczema – #ifyouonlyknew
This year, to mark World Atopic Eczema Day, AFSA is joining the International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organisations (GlobalSkin) and the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA) to raise awareness of the psychosocial burden on children and youth living with atopic eczema, and are calling for more empathy towards those who live with this condition.
“The significant impact that atopic eczema has on the lives of those affected cannot be underestimated,” says Dr Suretha Kannenberg, head of AFSA’s Atopic Eczema Support Group. “With World Atopic Eczema Day, we are committed to raising awareness about this condition, advocating for improved treatments, and providing support to those living with eczema. Together, we can strive for a world where individuals with atopic eczema experience better skin health and a higher quality of life.”
To create awareness of the impact of this skin disease, a live event will be taking place at 19:00 on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram @SAallergy. A host of medical professionals and atopic eczema specialists will be online to assist patients with advice and information on managing and treating eczema and the event is open to everyone.
“We urge eczema patients and their families and carers to join us on the 14th at this live event when we’ll be chatting with a mom, Claudene, and her son Matthew, who has suffered from severe atopic eczema his whole life,” Kannenberg said. “He’ll share his experience, while Claudene shares her experience as a caregiver.”
- More information on atopic eczema can be accessed on the AFSA website (allergyfoundation.co.za); or by contacting AFSA on 081 405 8442 or email info@allergyfoundation.co.za.
