Introduction
Dry skin can often be a sign of chronic eczema. Eczema is generally described as an inflammatory, non-infectious skin disease. While acute eczema is usually accompanied by redness, blistering and itching, chronic eczema usually manifests itself mainly through dry skin.
Causes
The causes of dry skin and eczema are manifold. Contact allergies or toxic stimuli, for example in the working environment, can be the trigger. In addition, chronic illnesses, above all the Neurodermitis express themselves by dry skin and Ekzeme.
Neurodermatitis is also called atopic eczema. In this case external influences can also lead to an aggravation of the symptoms, but the disease itself is based on a genetic disposition. In the case of allergies, dry eczema often occurs after eating certain foods.
Even if the skin is exposed to strong external influences in the form of cold or heat, dry eczema can develop. Chlorinated water in swimming pools, for example, is also a strong irritant. This is especially the case if the external irritation is not sufficiently counteracted with skin care products.
In case of doubt, systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus or hypothyroidism should always be excluded. A lack of certain vitamins and minerals can also have a negative effect on the skin. In addition, there are some drugs that can disrupt the skin’s protective barrier.
For example, cortisone, which is used to treat skin diseases, can under certain circumstances disturb the skin itself. Seborrhoeic eczema is a chronic skin disease that preferentially affects the hairy head, behind the ears and the front and back sweat ducts. Typical are coin-sized, reddish skin changes, which are accompanied by a yellowish-greasy scaling and are very itchy.
The skin appearance is rather dry. It is not caused by the skin being dry, but has mainly other causes. Factors such as immunodeficiency, Parkinson’s disease and male hair loss seem to favor seborrheic eczema.
Why this is so, however, is not entirely clear at this stage. Eczema on the face is not caused by dry skin, rather dry skin is a component of the eczema disease. The causes of eczema in the facial area associated with dry skin are manifold.
A very common clinical picture that manifests itself here is atopic eczema, also called neurodermatitis. Dry facial skin and eczema are very common in this case. Seborrhoeic eczema is also often accompanied by dry skin and eczema on the face.
Furthermore, the so-called perioral dermatitis is accompanied by a strong feeling of tension in the facial skin, eczema and a feeling of very dry skin. This disease is caused by too intensive care of the facial skin with cosmetics, cosmetic care products and cortisone creams. But allergic rashes can also often occur on the particularly sensitive facial skin.
Last but not least, the irritation caused by external influences can also simply dry out the facial skin. Some eczema diseases mainly affect the hands. This is very stressful for those affected, as they are often restricted in their everyday life.
It is also very difficult to protect the hands in everyday life. Again, it is not the dry skin that causes eczema, but rather a component or symptom of the eczema. This can have different causes, such as atopic dermatitis or allergic/toxic contact eczema.
A common cause of dry skin in babies and children as well as eczema in the facial area are allergies, or a genetic predisposition to neurodermatitis. Neurodermatitis usually does not appear until the third month. In industrialized countries allergies are on the rise, which is why more and more children suffer from skin rashes.
In addition, children also react to stress factors or general developmental spurts with skin reactions, especially if they are predisposed to them. Regardless of the cause, good basic care is also essential for children. This can significantly improve the appearance of the skin and often prevent episodes of neurodermatitis.
In addition, it is very important, especially for small children, to use mild bath additives etc. Exaggerated hygiene can also cause dry skin and eczema. Especially with children, the causes should always be clarified first before trying to treat them on your own.With sufficient care, however, the dry eczema often recedes quickly by itself and should not be a cause for major concern.
In the case of severe itching, one should prevent the child from scratching the affected areas. This can be done by using gloves or wraps that wrap the fingernails. If the itching is too severe, light cortisone preparations or antihistamines can also be used as local ointments, depending on the age of the child.
In addition, an allergy test should always be carried out, since many causes, such as an allergy to house dust mites or animal hair, can be combated relatively well. Exclusive breastfeeding in the first 4 months of life is also considered a prophylactic measure. Even if there is a general strain in the family and the child shows symptoms of neurodermatitis, the disease can still grow out completely as the child grows older. and eczema in the baby
