Eczema or dermatitis, one of the most common skin complaints, has affected the young and old globally. Although there is no definite cure for it, eczema can be tamed with the right treatment, one of which is the nummular eczema treatment. Nummular eczema (discoid eczema) mainly occurs in adults and is most common in middle-aged men. This type of eczema can appear suddenly as a few coin shaped areas of red, intensely itchy skin, normally on the arms and legs, and sometimes the hands. Read on to find out how to treat nummular eczema.
1. Emollients
Emollients are more of a preventive form of nummular eczema treatment. Applying an emollient three to four times daily keeps your skin soft and supple as it prevents moisture loss and it's one of the best ways to prevent eczema flare-ups.
Emollients are oil or fat based and can come in the form of a cream, ointment, lotion or bath and shower oil. Some emollients have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching benefits as well. And the more oil an emollient contains, the better it protects the skin against moisture loss.
When it comes to choosing an emollient for nummular eczema treatment, select according to the environment you live in. Ointments typically contain 80 percent oil and 20 percent water and are suitable in dry, low humidity conditions. Look for ointments that contain petroleum, mineral oil, linoleic acid, or glycerin in the list of ingredients. Creams which contain 50 percent oil and 50 percent water are more suitable in humid conditions. Consider creams such as Aqueous cream BP, which is available on prescription and over-the-counter.
2. Steroid Creams
This form of nummular eczema treatment helps to calm eczema flare-ups by suppressing the body's inflammatory response. The most commonly used steroid cream is hydrocortisone, which is quite mild (0.1 - 1 percent) and can be bought over-the-counter.
A strong dosage is usually required if nummular eczema flares up. However, the steroid cream has to be prescribed by your GP and should only be used for a short periods under supervision. Do note that using excessive amounts of steroid creams for too long can lead to skin thinning, leaving your skin more fragile.
3. Antibiotics
As mentioned in earlier, it appears as coin shaped areas of red, intensely itchy skin. These areas may become infected when they weep fluids and that's when antibiotics, an effective type of nummular eczema treatment, come into the picture.
The antibiotic is usually used concurrently with a strong hydrocortisone cream during such a flare up as this type of eczema tends to harbour bacterial infections. Combined creams include Betnovate C and Fucidin H, both of which can only be prescribed.
One important pointer to remember is that you should use the antibiotics only when necessary as prolonged use can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The cause of nummular eczema remains unclear to date. But a paper in the British Journal of Dermatology in 1976 suggested that the condition is most likely the result of allergy to bacteria. This theory is supported by the fact that using antibiotics to treat nummular eczema often works.
Having read this, maybe it's time for you to get more detailed information and expert advice regarding the medications and others available for nummular eczema treatment. Go to http://susanclarkbeateczema.net/ to get your doubts cleared now!
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