Eczema is a skin condition which affects quality of life, in the same way as diabetes or asthma. In order to live with eczema day to day, it is necessary to go through an acceptance phase and, above all, to fully understand the condition. Discover all our advice.
Summary
Eczema is a chronic disease, which alternates between flare-ups and periods of remission. It is impossible to predict how the disease will progress over time: it may improve or completely disappear after a few years. However, it may also last a lifetime or reoccur after several years in remission...
It is essential to be ready to treat an eczema flare-up as soon as it occurs. Basic treatment involves using various creams which the patient must gradually learn to apply. Topical corticosteroids and medical devices such as repairing and soothing creams are applied to the red plaques, while an emollient is used everywhere else, and in particular, on the driest areas of skin. There are many eczema creams available on the market so you will sometimes need to test a few different ones before finding the treatment that best suits you and which can therefore by applied daily without too much difficulty.
For the most part, itching can be relieved with treatment, however it may persist, causing the patient to scratch, and eczema lesions to last longer. Everyone has their own technique to stop itching and end the vicious circle: cold treatments in all their forms (thermal spring water, stones, the back of a spoon, etc.) work well because they "anesthetize" the eczema plaques and therefore reduce itching. Once again, each individual must experiment with different techniques and choose the solution that works best for them.
Once eczema occurs, it affects all aspects of daily life. Families are encouraged to adopt appropriate daily habits, and these should become genuine reflexes. In the first instance, it is important to get used to applying the treatment. Taking a few minutes every day to apply baby's creams correctly is the best way to control the disease. For everything else, there are simple and handy tips for all aspects of daily life: cleansing, getting dressed, leisure time, holidays, etc.
Doing laundry is an important aspect of daily family life. Take note, however: you don't have to test a thousand different types of detergent! Or buy the most expensive type...This is a typical reaction of families affected by eczema, despite the fact that the condition is rarely caused by detergent.
Conversely, certain habits should be completely avoided if you have eczema. For example, scratching eczema lesions is strongly advised against, as this can make them last longer, become aggravated and even infected.
"Prevention is better than cure": it is often preferable to prevent eczema flare-ups, and to avoid them. The best method of prevention is to comply with treatment and to avoid all of the triggers identified, as far as possible.
Food is often implicated as a cause of eczema. However, eczema is not a food allergy! Food is only involved in a small percentage of cases and, even when it is a factor, this should not result in following a restrictive diet without seeking medical advice. With the exception of food allergies identified during a specific test by an allergist, a child or adult with eczema should be allowed to eat any food, in reasonable quantities.
Patients with eczema need to feel confident and be able to talk about the disease, about what bothers them, and about things they are unsure of. Over time, they may become frustrated with the disease and the treatments: they become fed up with eczema, the creams, and having to watch out for this or to avoid that...
It is essential to have a good relationship with the dermatologist who is treating the disease. Other healthcare professionals can be particularly helpful: pharmacists, general practitioners, psychologists, etc. Family and friends often want to help but they are not always fully aware of the problems faced on a daily basis.
Living with eczema day to day is about learning to cope with other people staring, not being afraid or ashamed, and being proud of who you are. Eczema should not stop patients from going out, meeting new people, being attractive to others, wearing what they want...or quite simply from living their life.
