The harsh winter air

Winter is an especially hard time of year for our skin and we need to take extra special care to protect it from the elements. Our skin is our natural barrier from the environment. It protects our bodies from invading organisms and we need to keep it healthy. Anywhere that the integrity of your skin is compromised you are increasing your risk of infection and possibly allowing life threatening organisms to enter your body. I'm sure we've all heard stories about people dying from paper cuts, or spliters. It can happen. Although it is not the paper cut or splinter that is responsible, it is the organism that was allowed to invade the body and the paper cut or spliter simply provided a point of entry for the organism. Infection can also occur from skin rashes (dermatitis). There doesn't necessarily need to be a specific injury, such as a paper cut, to introduce an infection. Eczema is a common, winter skin problem. Here is some information on what it is and how to treat it.

Eczema

Eczema is a form of dermatitis, a skin irritation characterized by red, flaky skin, sometimes with cracks or tiny blisters. It is extremely itchy, but scratching damages the fragile skin and exacerbates the problem so it is important for people with eczema to try to leave the area alone.

There are several different types of eczema divided into two separate categories: allergenic and non-allergenic. The most common types of eczema are related to allergies. Atopic eczema is the most prevalent and it is caused by a general systemic allergic reaction as opposed to direct contact with an allergen or irritant. Allergic contact dermatitis is the result of direct contact with a contact allergen. One of the most common causes of this form are buttons and rivets in jeans, which contain the metal salt, nickel. Allergic contact dermatitis is considered a delayed-response immune reaction, because elicitation of an allergic reaction typically takes 48 to 72 hours to occur. Irritant contact dermatitis is similar, but is caused by a reaction to some chemical substance, often unrinsed detergents left on clothing or various household chemicals being handled. Often, the inflammation occurs mainly on the hands and feet.

Several other forms appear unrelated to the main allergic causes.
Infantile seborrhoeic eczema, also known as Cradle Cap, forms on the head and quickly spreads. It looks like normal dermatitis, but apparently doesn't itch and eventually goes away on its own. Adult seborrhoeic dermatitis typically affects those between 20 and 40 years old. It affects the scalp, face, and upper body. Varicose eczema occurs later in life, the result of poor circulation in the legs. Finally discoid eczema suddenly appears as small disk shaped spots of severe dermatitis, but disappear on their own. Stress and anxiety can make otherwise minor outbreaks spread in some people. The winter air because of it's low humidity is also thought to exacerbate dermatitis.

Treatments for eczema vary depending on the cause of the inflammation. Moisturization is very important as dermatitis severely dries out the skin. With irritant contact dermatitis sometimes it's as easy as changing your laundry soap or wearing gloves when using household cleaners. Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (also known as Benadryl) can help to reduce the itchiness associated with eczema. In some cases your doctor will prescribe a corticosteroid cream such as Hydrocortisone or a topical immunodilator such as Elidel to treat eczema.

For more information on Eczema and treatments available go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eczema#Types

But remember only your doctor can properly diagnose eczema and it is important to seek a professional medical opinion.