1. The causes of atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis belongs to the group of so-called atopic diseases, which also include:
* bronchial asthma;
* seasonal or chronic hay fever;
* hives;
* allergic conjunctivitis
There are three main factors that are thought to cause atopic dermatitis that coexist and influence each other:
* genes "encoding" the appropriate predisposition to allergic reactions;
* a malfunctioning immune system;
* environmental factors (allergens).
1.1. Genetic predisposition
People suffering from atopic dermatitis very often have asthma, hay fever or some other form of allergy in their family. A certain predisposition to allergic reactions is therefore inherited.
Recent research says that people with atopic dermatitis are born with slightly different skin characteristics than others. These are disturbances in the barrier that protects the epidermis - it is not naturally protected as it should. Interestingly, such a disorder affects the entire skin, not just the places where the rash and itching of atopic skin appears.
The cause of impaired protection of the epidermis is filaggrin, or rather its malfunction. Filaggrin is a protein that is responsible for the protective barrier of the epidermis in healthy people.
Patients with atopic dermatitis have a mutation in the gene responsible for "encoding" filaggrin in the body. This mutation also increases the risk of other skin diseases (ichthyosis, other types of eczema) and allergic diseases (bronchial asthma). Disorders of the production and action of filaggrin in the body lead to:
* reduce the natural hydration of the skin;
* raising the pH of the skin;
* disorders in the lipid layer of the epidermis.
1.2. Immune system disorders
Atopic dermatitis is an allergic skin reaction. It appears when the immune system determines that substances present on the skin or inside the body pose a threat to an allergy sufferer. Inflammation is then triggered in order to remove the "harmful" factor.
In allergy sufferers, the balance between individual components of the immune system is disturbed. Too many Th2 lymphocytes and their corresponding cytokines are active, and in some cases too high levels of immunoglobulins (IgE) and eosinocytes are also present.
They are responsible for the body's defense response in the event of atopic dermatitis. This reaction makes atopic skin even worse because it is devoid of its natural protective barrier.
On the other hand, genetically determined disorders of the protective layer of the epidermis make all possible allergens or irritants easily penetrate the skin, where it is easy to trigger an immune system reaction and allergic dermatitis.
1.3. Environmental causes
Allergens or other factors that irritate the allergy's immune system include:
* dust;
* eggs;
* peanuts;
* milk;
* soy;
* grain products;
* strong cosmetics;
* scratching and abrasion of the skin;
* air pollutants: smoke, chemicals;
* dry, cold air;
* sharp changes in temperature;
* emotional problems;
* frequent washing, depriving the skin of its protective layer.
2. Symptoms of dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is manifested primarily by severe itching of the skin. Due to the skin eruptions, atopic dermatitis is also called eczema or scabies. AD is easily confused with psoriasis. Here are the factors that may contribute to skin irritation:
* allergens and irritants - mechanical irritation, excessive sweating, windy climate, wool, detergents, preservatives, solvents, soaps;
* inhalation allergens - animal hair, pollen, molds, house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus);
* microorganisms - Trichophyton species dermatophytes, yeasts, Staphylococcus aureus;
* foods - fish, shellfish, wheat;
* others - mental factors, stress.
The acute phase of atopic dermatitis is manifested by skin eruptions. These are the so-called atopic eczema. Atopic eczema occurs where the atopic skin has been exposed to an irritant.
These are erythematous foci - areas separated from the skin, with erosions, vesicles and small lumps. The symptoms of atopic eczema are accompanied by itchy skin. Unfortunately, treating atopic eczema is only about relieving the symptoms.
In the subacute phase of atopic dermatitis, not only erythematous foci are visible (more pronounced due to exfoliation of the epidermis), but also quarrels (damage to the epidermis caused by scratching the skin - usually they have the shape of a line).
Once healed, the knuckles disappear completely and the skin does not have any scars. The chronic form of atopic dermatitis can lead to the appearance of lichenization outbreaks, i.e. the so-called impetigo.
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3. Treatment of atopic dermatitis
Treatment is tailored to the specific symptoms and severity of atopic dermatitis. Atopy cannot be cured, but AD symptoms can be minimized. Your doctor may prescribe the following treatments for atopic dermatitis:
* anti-inflammatory creams and ointments;
* topical preparations with antihistamines;
* immunosuppressants (reducing an allergic reaction);
* antibiotics for skin infections;
* topical glucocorticosteroids (in severe cases);
* phototherapy;
* sedatives and psychotherapy.
Drugs used during AD are to make the atopic skin free from inflammation, swelling and itching of the skin. People with atopic dermatitis should also not allow excessive dryness of the skin and should soothe itching with appropriate care:
* bathing in starch, oatmeal or special skin-soothing oils instead of perfumed bath lotions;
* wiping the skin, gently patting it, not rubbing it;
* oiling the skin after each bath with petroleum jelly (in very irritated areas with exfoliated skin) and a greasy cream;
* avoiding the use of alcohol-based cosmetics on the skin;
* using delicate washing powders;
* resigning from wearing woolen clothes on the skin;
* avoiding irritation, e.g. from dust or too high temperature in the rooms.
In some cases, certain foods or other factors (e.g. dust, sweat) make the symptoms of atopic worse. Anyone with atopic dermatitis should pay close attention to when symptoms develop and avoid the irritant.
3.1. Treatment of infections in atopic dermatitis
An important role is played by the reduction of the population of staphylococcus aurous, which leads to breaking the "vicious circle of atopic dermatitis". Staphylococcus stimulates the production of so-called inflammatory mediators. Histamine - the most important mediator of inflammation - exacerbates the feeling of itching, and the vicious circle closes
In order to reduce the staphylococcal population and reduce itching of the skin, emollients containing antiseptics should be used. Preparations of this type reduce the number of bacteria on the skin. Remember that people with atopic dermatitis should not scrub with a towel after bathing.
You have to wrap yourself in it and lightly press the place next to the atopic skin, and then use a moisturizing lotion or a greasy cream. Other bacterial infections should be treated with cream antibiotics applied to the skin (e.g. with steroids) or with tablets (for more severe forms of infection). In the case of a fungal infection, antifungal ointments are recommended.
3.2. Treatment of atopic dermatitis with steroids
Corticosteroid drugs (ointments and creams) are the most popular drugs for atopic dermatitis. Agents of this type facilitate healing, soothe itching of atopic skin, reduce swelling, redness and dryness of the skin, and reduce inflammation.
They are highly effective in the treatment of atopic, but you should be careful when using them - if they are used too often and intensively, they cause a number of side effects (skin atrophy, steroid acne, hormonal disorders). Recently, steroid preparations have been replaced with special anti-inflammatory ointments (calcineurin inhibitors).
3.3. Antihistamines in the treatment of atopic dermatitis
Use antihistamines as prescribed by your doctor (usually at night). They have a calming effect and help you get a good night's sleep. They also reduce the itching sensation of atopic skin. Sometimes it helps to stay in the sun and expose yourself to UV rays.
If the patient's condition is severe, the doctor will prescribe oral steroids, and if there is a bacterial or viral infection - antibiotics. In addition to pharmacological treatment in atopic dermatitis, the help of a psychologist is extremely important - constant itching and altered atopic skin have a negative effect on the psyche, and stress and lack of self-acceptance intensify the symptoms of atopic dermatitis.
3.4. Home remedies for atopic dermatitis
In order to prevent exacerbation of atopic dermatitis, it is necessary to eliminate harmful factors from the patient's environment. It is worth giving up thick curtains and carpets, because they are a habitat of mites. For the same reason, it is necessary to clean the apartment frequently, preferably in the absence of the sick person.
Hygiene is also important for another reason - in a clean home there is less risk that the skin will become infected during AD. You should also remember to ventilate the rooms, because high temperature and sweat are irritating.
In addition, people with allergic diseases should not keep pets at home. Their hair causes allergies, and their flaking skin is a breeding ground for mites. You should also refrain from wearing woolen clothes.
People with atopic dermatitis must avoid strong detergents that cause irritation and inflammation of the skin leading to the destruction of the skin's hydro lipid coat.
If the hydro-lipid coat of atopic skin is damaged, the skin loses water more and the skin becomes excessively dry. The dryness of atopic skin makes it easily damaged.
This favors the penetration of harmful factors that can exacerbate the course of atopic dermatitis - their clothes and underwear must be washed in soap flakes or powders for allergy sufferers and rinsed twice.
In addition, the diet during atopic dermatitis deserves special attention. Not everyone with atopic dermatitis has the same foods aggravating symptoms, so you need to carefully monitor the reactions of atopic skin to different foods.
It is worth knowing that atopic dermatitis cannot be infected, so we do not have to worry about even very close contact with a sick household member.
4. Facts about AD you need to know
4.1. Can AZS be infected?
Atopic dermatitis is a disease that manifests itself in severe dryness and persistent itching of the skin and red lesions on its surface. It usually begins in early childhood, but also more and more frequently even in adulthood.
- There are two clinical phases of AD: eczema type - occurs in infants and young children. The lesions are most often located in the face and distal parts of the limbs. In severe cases, the skin of the whole body is involved. In turn, the lichen type - affects children, adolescents and adults. The lesions usually affect the elbows and the knee pits. Sometimes they affect a larger area of the body - even more than 50% of the patient's skin - explains Agata Głaz-Chodyna.
It is a disease that is conditioned by many simultaneous factors. Nevertheless, there is a common myth that you can catch this disease.
- It is not a disease that can be caught, for example, by touch. It belongs to the group of the so-called allergic diseases dependent on the production of IgE antibodies. For it to exist, many genetic, environmental and immunological factors must occur simultaneously. Therefore, it does not have to mean that every person with this gene will develop atopic dermatitis - explains Agata Głaz-Chodyna.
4.2. Also a psychological problem
Due to the fact that atopic dermatitis is associated with persistent itching and visible changes on the skin, this disease often also has psychological effects.
- Each skin disease is associated with the patient's discomfort and fear of non-acceptance and, consequently, severe stress. It is related to the still low social awareness of many dermatological diseases and the fear of getting infected. Hence, social education is so important, especially in the group of children, so that they understand what AD is, and that a friend from their environment needs a lot of support and understanding, because his disease is often associated with unpleasant itching, and thus irritability, sleep problems. . It is also often associated with the need to eliminate the popular food products, which in a small atopic may cause an exacerbation of the disease.
Fortunately, there are methods that can help you overcome problems at the source. The mentioned itching can be quickly and effectively eliminated thanks to Ectoderm SOS Spray, which works without contact (it is 100% hygienically sprayed on the skin). The spray works in 60 seconds, and the antipruritic effect lasts up to 6 hours - the expert explains.
4.3. Care that fights the causes
Atopic dermatitis cannot be cured, but it can be silenced. That is why careful care and the use of appropriate cosmetics is so important.
- The Atoderm line of dermo cosmetics allows for a smoother transition through the disease. This line includes Atoderm Intensive Gel moussant, Atoderm Intensive Baume lotion and Atoderm SOS Spray anti-itching. Each of these cosmetics is odorless, which minimizes the risk of intensification of the lesions, but each of them minimizes the risk of bacterial superinfections to which AD skin is highly susceptible. These preparations contain the Skin Barrier Therapy ™ patent, which, thanks to the presence of sugar esters, prevents the sticking and multiplication of Staphylococcus aureus, explains the cosmetologist.
It is also worth paying attention to the so-called emollients, because in people with AD, the skin is completely devoid of the hydrolipid coat, which protects it against water loss or the intrusion of external factors.
- The use of traditional emollients, however, is mainly symptomatic. In order to be effective, you must also act on the cause of the problem. Atoderm Intensive Baume works for the causes and it is more than just an emollient. The balm contains the Skin Barrier Therapy ™ patent, which stimulates the skin to work so that it produces the amount of proteins and lipids that we can see in healthy skin. In addition, the sugar esters contained in the patent inhibit the adhesion and multiplication of golden staphylococcus, and thus minimize the risk of superinfection. It also works against itching, thanks to which it restores comfort on the skin and reduces the need for scratching - explains Agata Głaz-Chodyna.
4.4. Skin hygiene
What, apart from cosmetic care, is worth paying attention to in everyday life when we suffer from AD? Even a simple bath for a person suffering from atopic dermatitis matters, why?
- Short baths with AD are recommended due to the fact that the skin of atopic dermatitis has a greater tendency to dry out, and prolonged and hot bathing could exacerbate the changes. Baths should not last longer than 5-10 minutes, and the water should be lukewarm and not exceed 30 degrees Celsius. It will also be a mistake not to wash the skin with atopic dermatitis, because it increases the risk of developing pathogenic flora, e.g. golden staphylococcus, which may exacerbate lesions - she adds. So by following a few simple rules, we can make functioning with AD, although difficult, easier on a daily basis.