Dry or astathetic eczema is a kind of dermatitis, which is characterized by excessive dryness of the skin. The disease worsens, as a rule, in the cold season.
Symptoms of dry eczema
Dry eczema can appear on any part of the body, but more often it affects the skin of the hands and feet.
Typical symptoms of dry eczema are:
- xerosis (dryness) with accentuation of the skin pattern;
- inflammation of the dermis;
- small and deep cracks;
- papules of bright red color with a tendency to merge into large plaques.
As the inflammation develops, dry eczema can go to wet eczema, accompanied by the formation of moccasins and crusts.
How to treat dry eczema?
Approaches to the treatment of dry eczema are associated with the stage of development of the disease: acute, subacute or chronic. Therapy includes:
- Continuous use of substances that soften the epidermis (creams for dry skin, petroleum jelly).
- Use of moisturizers containing urea, lactic or glycolic acid .
- Use with exacerbation of corticosteroid ointments to eliminate redness and flaking.
Attention! When dry eczema should be very carefully choose detergents. It is safer to use soap and shampoo with a minimum level of ph.
More details on ointments from dry eczema:
- ointments with a weak effect can be used to treat eczema in young children, pregnant and lactating women (0.5% prednisolone, Lokoid cream , etc.);
- agents with moderate action (eg, Afloderm, Hydrocortisone, 0.05% dexamethasone);
- drugs of strong effect (Galcinonide, Dermovayt, etc.).
Patients suffering from dry eczema, dermatologists recommend to monitor their diet, preferring dairy, plant foods. But fatty, sweet, spicy foods should be excluded from the diet.