Eczema 101

Everything you need to know about Eczema.

Eczema 101 by Dr. Marie-Christine Dix

Atopic dermatitis, commonly called eczema is a skin condition caused by and causing inflammation. This skin condition is common in children but also can be found in adults. It may be caused by several factors including hereditary and environmental factors, allergies and skin barrier dysfunctions. Eczema causes itchy, dry skin that cause rashes and inflammation.

Research has proven that eczema affects up to 25% of school-aged children in the developed world, and up to 10% of adults.

Eczema is not contagious, but it can exacerbate over time when left untreated. A typical symptom of eczema is an itchy rash or plaque that sometimes appears on the creases of the elbows and knees. Eczema rashes can appear on other parts of the body too including the hair/scalp, face and even feet.

As a functional medicine expert we treat eczema at my clinic. Whether you or your child has eczema, relief starts with a thorough evaluation and a customised treatment plan!

The first step is to making sure you are diagnosed correctly. In some cases eczema can be misdiagnosed.

If you are experiencing the following symptoms on a regular basis it will help us rule out other similar skin conditions.

• Red or brown patches of skin

• Intense itching

• Itching made worse by scratching  

• Dry, thickened, leathery skin 

• Swollen areas

• Small raised bumps that may ooze fluid

• Patches of crusty, yellowish skin, which can be a sign of infection

What are the types of eczema?

There are a number of different types of eczema based on their associated symptoms:

1) atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis causes dry, itchy skin, red rash.

2) contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to something that irritates the skin

3) dyshidrotic dermatitis

Dyshidrotic dermatitis affects fingers, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet. It causes itchy, scaly patches of skin that flake or become red, cracked, and painful. Often mistaken for Athletes Foot.

4) nummular dermatitis

Nummular dermatitis presents as round, red, very itchy scaly patches. It is more common on the lower legs and is usually caused by a break in the skin and a history of very dry skin. Therapeutic treatment approach here looks at skin barrier repair and topical treatments are recommended.

5) stasis dermatitis

Stasis dermatitis is typically seen on the lower legs and is caused by poor blood flow.

It is important to note that the varying symptoms for each type of eczema are triggered by a number of different factors. Every individuals “cause” will therfore vary, which is why it is so important to take a personalised approach to healing from eczema. If you are suffering and need support get in touch for a free discovery call to discuss how my personalised approach to health care can support you.

Book a FREE 15 min consultation with me. Simply click HERE to book your appointment.

Medical experts don’t yet know exactly what causes eczema or why the symptoms and triggers vary so widely between people who suffer from it. Additionally, researchers have found that some people with eczema don’t make enough of a protein called filaggrin (filament aggregating protein). This protein is responsible for helping your skin stay moisturized and healthy.

Common triggers for eczema include:

• Cold or dry weather

• Dry indoor air  

• Animal dander

• Stress

• Food allergies

• Synthetic fabrics

• Fragrances and detergents, chemicals or preservatives

• Sweat

• Temperature changes

• A cold or respiratory illness

• Chemicals & environmental triggers can include smoke, pollen, soaps, and fragrances

• Food allergies - Some foods like nuts and dairy, can trigger symptoms of eczema

• Food intolerances

• Cigarette smoke

• Gut damage

• Leaky gut

• Parasites

• Fungal infections of the skin

• Yeast infection

• Candida

• Overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut

• Side effects of certain medications

• Hormonal imbalances

• The list goes on…

Finding your eczema treatment:

Different natural approaches to the treatment of eczema:

• Light therapy

• Antibiotics to clear skin infections - in some cases eczema can become infected and antibiotics may be recommended to help patients clear this. If this is the case a functional medicine protocol must be put in place to protect the gut from further damage from antibiotic use.

• Moisturisers to protect your skin from further irritation (consideration should be taken as to what sort of moisturiser eg a low chemical moisturiser)

• Natural sunscreen to avoid irritation by sun damage

• Some medicinal essential oils may also help

• Functional medicine approach to eczema

• Diet

• Supplementation

• Gut repairing protocols (all inflammation starts in the gut)

• Acupuncture

Medical approaches to healing Eczema:

• Steroid creams: Steroid creams, also called topical corticosteroids are common for treatment of eczema. Their anti-inflammatory effects help reduce itching and inflammation allowing the skin to heal. There are various strengths and your medical doctor might prescribe a particular type of steroid cream depending on the severity of your condition.

• Anti-itch medications and topical creams

• Anti-inflammatory medications

• Bandages with a corticosteroid cream to wrap around your skin

• Some types of steroid creams include:

• Elocon ointment

• Cutivate

• Cyclocort

• Betanate

• Kenalog

• Some other medication examples include:

• Cetirizine (Zyrtec)

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

• Fexofenadine (Allegra)

• Loratadine (Claritin)

I highly recommend applying a functional medicine approach to healing either before or alongside any medical treatment. Functional medicine focuses on treating the cause not just the symptoms, meaning you heal from the inside out and can prevent further relapses in the future.

Diet for Eczema:

For people with eczema, there are several foods that have been shown to potentially aggravate the symptoms of eczema, and may be best avoided.

Some examples of foods that should be considered to be avoided include:

• Citrus fruits

• Dairy

• Eggs

• Gluten or wheat

• Soy

• Sugar

• Shellfish

• Spices, like vanilla, cloves and cinnamon

• Tomatoes

To avoid inflammation and flare-ups, people with eczema should eat more anti-inflammatory foods to assist in reducing eczema symptoms.

For example:

• Fatty fish like salmon or herring as they contain high levels of omega-3 oils. Also, omega-3 supplements are a good substitution for fatty fish.

• Apples, blueberries, cherries, broccoli, spinach, kale. These foods are high in quercetin that also help reduce inflammation.

• Probiotic rich foods such as sauerkraut, yoghurt, kimchi, miso, pickles, kefir. Probiotocs support a healthy gut microbiome which in turn helps reduce inflammation.

An eczema friendly breakfast is my favourite vegan banana pancake.

Ingredients

• 50 g oat flour ( jumbo oats blended into fine powder)

• ½ teaspoon baking powder (gluten free is best)

• Pinch of salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 peeled, ripe banana mashed very well

• Butter or oil for cooking
  

Instructions

• In a bowl place the ground oats, baking powder, and optional salt. Whisk to combine well.

• Add the beaten eggs and mashed banana, and whisk well.

• Heat a griddle to 350°F or place a nonstick, heavy-bottom frying pan over medium heat until hot. Grease your pancake pan with butter or oil.

• Pour a small portion of the mixture onto the hot frying pan

• Allow the pancakes to cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes or until golden brown, then turn to cook other side.

• Serve with a side of coconut yoghurt and fresh blueberries or rasberries.

• Yum!

An eczema friendly spaghetti dish that will make your mouth water…..

Pesto Spaghetti with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of Parsley Pesto (2 cups chopped parsely, 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts, 2 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1tsp salt, 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup olive oil)

• 1 can of white beans (cannellini, butter)

• 1/4 red cabbage, cut into 1cm wedges

• 6-8 brussel sprouts, quartered

• 1 tbsp. rice bran oil

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 250g Gluten free spaghetti or courgette pasta

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 C.

• Chop red cabbage and brussel sprouts.

• In a bowl, mix cabbage and brussel sprouts in olive oil and season with salt and garlic powder.

• Roast for 20 minutes or until browning on the sides.

• Meanwhile, make the Parsley Pesto by combining all the ingredients (except the olive oil) in a food processor and pulse until combined. Once mixed slowly drizzle in the oil until the mixture is smooth and reaches desired consistency.

• For the creamy sauce, blend the Parsley Pesto (1/2 quantity) and the drained white beans on high speed, adding a touch water to achieve a creamy consistency.

• In a large saucepan, boil enough water to cook the pasta.

• Cook the pasta according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain and return to saucepan.

• Pour the creamy pesto sauce over the pasta and gently mix through to coat the pasta.

• Any left over pesto can be divided into small jars and frozen to use at a later date.

Research materials:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=eczema

Anti-psoriatic effect of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil and its major components linalool and linalyl acetate

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32623016/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=eczema+and+francincense

Eczema and gluten

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=eczema+and+gluten

Eczema and dairy

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=eczema+and+dairy

Eczema and sugar

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=eczema+and+sugar

Eczema and gut damage

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=eczema+and+gut+damage