Atopic dermatitis is a fairly common problem. This disease is associated with allergic reactions. It is accompanied by a rash, redness of the skin, the formation of cracks on it. Atopic skin is the result of a sluggish allergic process in the body. It is characterized by increased sensitivity and dryness, which, under certain conditions, flows into full-fledged dermatitis. Naturally, people with this type of skin should be aware of the causes of the pathology and how to avoid complications.
Atopic skin: what is it?
To begin with, it is worth understanding the features of the pathology. In fact, there is no such diagnosis as “atopic skin”. In modern medicine, they talk about atopic dermatitis. This is an allergic disease that affects the skin of a person. It is associated with the hypersensitivity of the immune system, since in the body of patients there is an increase in the level of specific immunoglobulin E.
According toAccording to statistics, 10-20% of the world's population is prone to illness. As a rule, the disease manifests itself in childhood, in the first years of a child's life. Most often, with proper treatment, the disease goes away as you grow older. But there are people who have to deal with this problem throughout their lives. Dryness, irritability, and sensitivity to physical and chemical influences are all familiar to those with atopic skin. A similar phenomenon is associated with sluggish allergic and inflammatory processes.
The main causes of the development of the disease
There is a reason why a person has atopic skin. What it is? In this case, the change in the condition of the skin is associated with disorders in the immune system.
As mentioned, patients usually have some genetic predisposition. Nevertheless, there are several risk factors that provoke the development of an allergic reaction:
- Body contact with allergens. In this case, food allergens (in particular, milk, eggs, certain fruits, cocoa and other substances that enter the body during meals), microorganisms (an allergic reaction can be triggered by the activation of staphylococci, fungal microorganisms), inhalation allergens can act as triggers. (animal hair, dust mites, plant pollen).
- Physical effects, in particular, too dry air, sudden and rapid changes in temperature.
- Allergic reactionmay be associated with infectious diseases.
- Skin contact with certain chemicals, such as cosmetics and detergents.
- The work of the immune system is closely related to the hormonal background. Therefore, risk factors include severe stress, which is accompanied by a sharp fluctuation in hormone levels.
Atopic skin: what is it? Photos and main symptoms
The sooner a patient receives treatment, the less likely complications will develop. So what are the characteristics of atopic skin? Signs may vary.
Redness appears on the body. The skin in the affected areas becomes dry and very sensitive - often touching or moving causes pain to a person. As the disease progresses, the epidermis begins to peel off strongly. Another symptom is itching in the affected areas, and due to scratching, scuffs, scratches and even cracks often occur on the skin. Due to skin wounds, atopic dermatitis is often complicated by bacterial or fungal diseases.
Of course, such signs are observed only during exacerbations. The rest of the time, atopic skin is just too dry and sensitive, and regular moisturizers can't get rid of the dryness.
In addition, patients with similar features suffer from cracking of the skin on the feet and increased sweating. Often you can observe the formation of dark circles under the eyes, scaly papules on the wings of the nose, as well asthinning and weakening of hair.
Diagnostic measures
Atopic skin is a serious problem, but you shouldn't try to diagnose yourself. Leave it to the dermatologists. As a rule, a visual examination by a specialist is enough to suspect a patient's tendency to dermatitis. In the future, other tests are carried out, in particular a blood test for the level of immunoglobulins and eosinophils (their number greatly increases with an allergic reaction).
There is another way to determine if a patient has atopic skin. What it is? Skin tests are an important diagnostic measure. During the procedure, groups of certain allergens are applied to the patient's skin, after which the body's reaction to these substances is checked. Thus, the doctor has the opportunity to determine which factors the patient should avoid. For example, some people are advised to exclude certain foods from the diet, while others are contraindicated to keep pets.
Treatment at the stage of exacerbation
What to do if you have atopic skin? How to treat the disease? In fact, drug therapy is needed only at the stage of exacerbation.
As a rule, patients are first prescribed antihistamines (Tavegil and others), which eliminate swelling, dilate subcutaneous capillaries, and block the development of an allergic reaction. Antibacterial drugs are needed if a secondary infection is suspected. In order torestore the normal intestinal microflora and improve the functioning of the immune system, doctors prescribe probiotics. Steroid drugs have a more pronounced effect - they almost instantly stop allergic and inflammatory processes, but such drugs are prescribed only in the most severe cases.
Topical treatments
Atopic skin is just the kind of condition that requires topical medications. The complex of drugs is selected by the attending physician. The patient is prescribed ointments that can eliminate inflammation in the treated areas ("Radevit"). Since dermatitis is often associated with an inadequate response of the naming system, immunosuppressive ointments can be used that slightly inhibit the activity of immunoglobulins, giving skin tissues the opportunity to recover ("Epidel", "Timogen").
It is necessary to use drugs that accelerate the growth of the epithelium in the affected areas. In some cases, glucocorticosteroid ointments are additionally used.
Proper cleansing and hydration of atopic skin
Moisturizing and cleansing is what atopic skin needs. Medication treatment certainly helps to eliminate the symptoms of an exacerbation, but the patient's skin remains sensitive and dry.
Water treatments are of course important. The skin needs to be cleansed daily, following some rules. Dry skin does not like high temperatures, so patients are advised to take a quick shower or a warm bath with the addition of medicinal decoctions.
Chlorine dries the skin even more and can provoke allergies, so it is recommended to use only purified water. Do not rub the skin with a washcloth or towel.
Usual cosmetics are unlikely to suit the owners of atopic skin, so you should definitely consult a cosmetologist who will help you choose special products. By the way, patients are often advised to use special creams and emulsions that contain lipids - they create a special protective film on the skin, while retaining moisture in the tissues.
Some useful tips
Atopic facial skin needs proper care, otherwise complications are highly likely. There are several rules that experienced dermatologists and cosmetologists recommend following:
- It is very important to avoid skin exposure to dry air - ideally, indoor humidity should always be maintained at around 60% (you can easily buy a portable humidifier in the store or use a regular diffuser).
- People with skin prone to irritation are advised to wear clothes made from natural fabrics (linen, silk, cotton) without coarse seams.
- The human diet should be rich in vitamins B6, D and C. It is also worth increasing the amount of foods containing zinc and selenium. Twice a year, patients are recommended to take vitamin complexes for general recovery.
- It is worth giving up potentially dangerous products that can cause allergies (citrus fruits, milk, eggs,chocolate, coffee).
- Pay attention to the powder used - clothes and bedding should be washed with special hypoallergenic products.
Folk recipes
Many people are faced with the medical opinion "atopic facial skin". What is it and what are the reasons for this phenomenon - we have already figured it out. Of course, medicines and properly selected cosmetics will help eliminate excessive dryness and prevent the development of full-fledged dermatitis.
But there are some traditional medicines that are widely used to care for problematic skin:
- For better hydration and softening of hardened areas, experts recommend using avocado or shea butter, as these products contain a large amount of phytosterols.
- You can prepare a compress for the skin by pouring water on young pear leaves.
- Patients are also advised to take warm baths with the addition of herbal decoctions. In particular, decoctions from oak bark, string or oats will affect the condition of the dermis.
- Since exacerbation of the disease is often associated with stress, patients are advised to take peony tincture or valerian tablets.
Atopic skin is a problem many people have to live with. Proper care and timely treatment will help to cope with the disease and prevent the development of complications.
