Dermatitis

Dermatitis affects near about one person among every five person’s at sometime in their lives. Dermatitis can be acute or chronic or both. Acute dermatitis involves the development of a rapidly evolving red coloured rash which may be blistered an swollen.

Whereas the chronic dermatitis involves a long-standing irritable area. Area affected by the dermatitis is usually darker then the surrounding skin, is thickened that is lichenified and much scratched.

Types and Causes of Dermatitis

Dermatitis generally results from a number of health conditions like allergies, genetic factors,physical and mental stress and certain irritants.

(a) Contact dermatitis: results when a person comes in direct contact with any irritating substance like lawndary soap, skin soaps or detergents and cleaning products other irritating substances or allergens are like rubber, metals such as nickel, jewellery, perfume, cosmetics, and weeds such as poison ivy and neomycin.

Even small exposure to an allergen can lead to the dermatitis. A dermatologist performs, the patch test to determine the type of irritant agent.

(b) Perioral dermatitis: The exact cause of Perioral dermatitis is not known. But it has been believed that the make up, moisturizers, topical corticosteroids or some dental products containing fluoride plays an important role in its development.

(c) Atopic dermatitis: It is commonly seen in children. Heredity plays an important role in the development of Atopic dermatitis because there is always a family history of dermatitis.

It appears to be a less of the problem in adulthood, until the person gets exposed to the allergens or irritants in the workplace. The exact cause of Atopic dermatitis is not known but it is mainly due to a combination of dry, irritable skin together with a malfunction in the body’s immune system.

(d) Neuro-dermatitis: It develops in areas where something such as a tight garment, rubs or scratches on the skin. Commonly areas affected are alike ankles, wrist, outer forearm and the back of the neck.

(e) Seborrheic dermatitis: - It is commonly seen in people with oily skin or hair. It leads to the development of a red rash with a yellowish and some sort of oily scale.

(f) Gravitational dermatitis: It is seen on the lower legs of the elderly people, mainly due to swelling and poor functioning of leg veins.

Treatment of Dermatitis

In order to prevent dermatitis, person should wear soft, smooth and cool clothes. They should best avoid wool clothes. Person should protect the skin from irritants like dust, water, detergents, injury, etc.

Person should bath or shower by using lukewarm water. People suffering from dermatitis should apply a topical steroid cream or ointment to the itchy patches for a 5 to 15 day course. Pimecrolimus is a new anti-inflammatory cream, which is known to be very effective for the treatment of dermatitis.

Antihistamine tablets are know to help in reducing the irritation and are very useful especially at night. Antibiotics such as Flucloxacillin or erythromycin may be given in case of dermatitis. Systemic steroids or phototherapy may be used to treat severe cases of Dermatitis.

Bookmark:

Please submit your Suggestions / Tips here. We value your input

© 2004-2009, iymed.com. All rights reserved. Directory 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5