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What is Eczema Is a Common Question for Parents
from:If you or your child has ever been diagnosed with eczema, your first question may have been, "what is eczema?" This is a very common response when patients are told they or a family member has eczema. Although eczema has been around for many years, may people still wonder exactly what is eczema.
Eczema is a skin condition that includes skin rashes and dryness along with redness, itching, flaking, crusting, cracking, oozing and bleeding. Although not all these symptoms may occur when you have a bout of eczema, some or many of them may. Eczema is also a term that is used to describe a variety of skin conditions that have these symptoms as well as being recurrent. If you ask you doctor, "what is eczema?" your doctor will either be able to tell you all you need to know or you may be shown pictures of eczema. Pictures of eczema often make the patient feel more confident, knowing they have a skin condition that affects many and will eventually go away.
Eczema is a skin condition that can affect patients as young as infancy. In fact, the majority of the patients affected by eczema are babies. Parents that aren't aware of what's going on with their baby often become frightened, thinking something is dreadfully wrong with their little bundle of joy. Before an actual diagnosis of eczema is made, many parents mistake this condition for diaper rash or heat rash. Because of this, the eczema often gets worse, causing the baby a lot of unnecessary discomfort. Eczema can become very itchy and it's hard to get young children and babies to not scratch and itch. If parents knew the answer to the often-asked question, "what is eczema?" they could help their child much quicker.
Babies aren't the only ones to become affected with eczema. Eczema also is common in children and teenagers. Teenagers can be quite discouraged and depressed when eczema occurs. Because pimples and acne are so common during the teen years, many teenagers as well as their parents mistake their eczema for teen acne. Only when they go to a doctor's office (usually because the eczema gets steadily worse) do they learn the condition is eczema. Parents may be aware of what eczema is, but teenager's first responses usually are, "what is eczema?"
Getting proper treatment for eczema cannot occur until a correct diagnosis has been made. A doctor or dermatologist will prescribe ointments, creams and possible antihistamines. Although not caused by allergies, eczema can be triggered by allergens. Once your doctor begins treatment, your or your child's eczema will be well on the way to becoming cured.
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