Eczema Affecting Quality of Life

Eczema is an inflammatory disease the cause for it is not known. It is triggered by irritants which can be found in the environment, food, skin products, detergents, sudden change of temperature, sweat, or even stress. It is common in infants and young children but can occur at any age. Some outgrow the disease while others continue to struggle throughout their life.  

The disease has cycles of reduction and flare-ups. Flare-up periods are when the symptoms appear in the skin because the patient is exposed to his/her irritants. The symptoms start with intolerable itchiness which feels like thousands of needles pricking in the skin. This leads to scratching which provides momentary relief from itchiness but makes the skin condition worse. Resulting to redness, sore, breakdown of skin, and infection.

The best way to prevent eczema flare-ups is to avoid the irritants. However, some people do not know what triggers their eczema as it can be hard to determine. Good skin care is helpful to prevent flare-ups. Keeping the skin hydrated by drinking lots of water and applying moisturizer after taking a shower. Some shower multiple times a day to soothe their skin. However, it is not good to stay too long in bath or shower as this could lead to skin irritation. 10 to 15 minutes is the recommended bath and shower duration for eczema patients.

Using mild soap is critical in preventing flare-ups. Some soaps are too strong for the skin which can cause dryness. Make-ups, lotions, perfumes, and other products that are applied on skin must be carefully picked as some may irritate the skin. This goes the same when choosing cleaning products. It is better to wear gloves when handling detergents or bleach to prevent adverse skin reaction.

There are hundreds of ways to prevent eczema flare-ups, but the disease remains without a cure up to this date. The treatments are to control and prevent the symptoms. There are creams prescribed by doctors to ease the discomfort. However, some patients have to try different products to see what works for them. No two eczema patients are exactly alike. They have different irritants and different degrees of severity of the symptoms. That is why treatments are tailored for each patient which sometimes take years of trial and error to find.

Although eczema is not a life-threatening disease it can greatly affect a person’s quality of life. People suffering from eczema has low esteem because they are conscious of their appearance. This affects their confidence to participate in social activities. There are also cases in which patients want to mingle with other people by joining physical activities but couldn’t because being active can trigger their flare-ups. This is true for patients whose irritant is sweating or dust. In this case, patients end up just observing in the corner instead of joining-in  with other people.

Eczema is embarrassing and frustrating for people struggling with the disease. It takes away their confidence and chance to enjoy social activities. Some are even forced to leave the job that they love because it continues to trigger their skin irritation. Or can’t take the stigma and exclusion that other people make them feel.

Most eczema patients are being judged for their red and flaky skin instead of who they really are. The blisters, sores, and oozing in their skin are what people often see first. Patients are avoided by other people thinking that they are dirty, or the disease is contagious. This is what affects their self-esteem and make the disease mentally and emotionally draining.

Eczema is not contagious. It can affect anyone; all ages, genders, and races. It is important to spread awareness of this skin disease to help and support those who are struggling with it. The discomfort from eczema is hard enough to handle. Let’s make eczema patients feel better instead of making them feel worse.