What is the first line of treatment for eczema?

Doctor's Answers 1

If the patient has mild eczema, the most important thing I would tell patients is to use gentle cleansers and moisturizers. I think that is very simple and safe. The other important thing is to avoid scratching, I know it sounds like a very simple thing to say, but it is extremely important, because the more you scratch the worse it gets, and it is called the “itch-scratch cycle”. The more you scratch, the itchier the skin gets and the more you scratch, and if you can stop scratching, a lot of cases it will get better without any topical steroids. So, that is something important.

Some people do find it hard to stop scratching and that is when we will come up with ways to minimize that and doing some things like cold compress relieves the itch without side effects, just put the cold or iced towel on the area and it will help to relieve the itch. If the skin is very inflamed we do reach out for topical steroids to relieve them, or if the patients really do not want to use topical steroids, we can just start on the non- steroids medication like Protopic or Elidel and see whether that works.

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What could be the cause of a red, circular and itchy patch on the leg? (photo)

Thank you for the question. The circular patch can go for a patch of eczema. This is often aggravated by scratching and I think it would be advisable to tell your brother to refrain from scratching. Applying moisturizers to the area also helps the eczema. Eczema also responds well to topical steroid creams. If the patch is persistent, you can consider visiting your doctor to get it properly assessment. A fungal scraping may be ordered to rule out a fungal infection if necessary.

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Answered By

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Does facial laser treatment trigger psoriasis?

Thanks for the question. If you have a diagnosis of psoriasis, there is a possibility that certain treatments can aggravate it. With psoriasis, damage or injury to the skin can cause psoriasis to develop at the site of the injury. This is know as the Koebner phenomenon. Therefore, you do have to take care that the treatment is gentle and does not cause any trauma or damage to the skin. Likewise, for eczema, the skin is sensitive and more prone to external insults, so you should avoid treatment if the facial skin is still red or irritated as this can be more easily aggravate by treatment.

Photo of Dr Colin Theng

Answered By

Dr Colin Theng

Dermatologist

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