Real facts about Eczema

Growing up as a kid I had this friend who had eczema on her face. It was as though the skin infection was a part of her. I hardly saw her with clear skin and so my other friends and I called her “ore wa onifo” (our eczema friend). We will mock her as being dirty and often tell her not to get too close to us as we don’t want to be infected. She felt like an outcast.  We overdid it right? Don’t blame us, we were just kids.

Many years passed and my “ore wa onifo” lol now works for a beauty brand as a model.  Surprising isn’t it? What’s more surprising is her clean face devoid of eczema. She must have found some truths about eczema and how it is treated just like I did a few years back and I’m willing to share it with you.

Around 1 in every 10 children develop eczema. It is an inflammatory skin condition portrayed by red rashes that itch. It typically shows up in children 1 to 5 years of age. Food allergies or natural contaminations can cause skin eczema, so it wasn’t really my friend’s fault that she had it and it also didn’t mean she was dirty.

It can be embarrassing as an adult to have eczema too with the general notion that – ‘people with eczema are dirty’. Well, did you know that things you never considered like stress can trigger this skin allergy? I’m sure your eyes almost popped out. You didn’t know, right? So, before you judge people who are plagued with skin infection, think twice.

Eczema is not contagious so don’t be ignorant like my friends and I were.
Eczema can be triggered by environmental factors like smoke. However, it is not a curable condition, but it can be managed or prevented.
The objective of treatment for eczema is to relieve and prevent itching, which can lead to infection. Since the irritation makes skin dry and itchy, lotions and creams are prescribed to keep the skin moist. These items are typically applied when the skin is moist, for example, after bathing, to enable the skin to retain moisture.

Other treatments include.

1. Have your bath at least twice a day.
2. Avoid sudden changes in temperature or humidity.
3. Avoid sweating or overheating.
4. Reduce stress.
5. Avoid scratchy materials, such as wool
6. Avoid harsh soaps, detergents, and solvents
7. Be aware of any foods that may cause an outbreak and avoid them
8. Maintain good personal hygiene

Finally, you can speak to a specialist if the situation is getting out of control.
So next time when you see someone with eczema, you know better than to conclude the person is dirty or treat the person as an outcast. You can simply help the person with the treatment.