Three percent of the total US population and ten percent of the infants in the America suffer from atopic eczema. The inflamed red, scaly rash most commonly appears on the face, trunk, and crevices of the limbs. Most people battle persistent itchiness and irritation. Some patients notice flare-ups after eating certain foods, or exposure to dust or pollen. Other allergens such as chlorine or certain fabrics also can play a role in the skin disorder.
In the past determining sensitivity to a potential allergen meant enduring a multitude of skin scratch tests. Recently, Pharmacia Diagnostics laboratory developed a new blood allergy test, ImmunoCAP. One simple finger prick of blood can uncover exactly which allergen you are sensitive too, thus completely avoiding the arduous process of singling out the culprit through a series of allergy tests. Avoiding contact or consumption of the identified allergen or allergens is usually the best prescription for preventing a reaction. I will discuss avoiding allergens in the next article, "Natural Methods of Treating Atopic Eczema."
Today, there are numerous prescription medications available for treating atopic eczema. In fact, in 1999 it was estimated that 564 million dollars were spent treating atopic eczema alone. By the year 2009, based on the predicted continuing rise in eczema cases and new medications becoming available, sales for atopic eczema will rise to 1.2 billion dollars annually.
Due to the fact that most patients of atopic eczema are children, the most common concerns for doctors and parents are the long-term side effects of prescription medications. Of particular concern are the frequently used topical corticosteroids. These medications can cause several different problems depending on the duration the corticosteroids are used and their potency. Some of the side effects include thinning of the skin, cataracts, glaucoma, and even growth retardation. New medications are under investigation for potential replacement of the corticosteroids that would not carry the same dangers.
An excellent website for eczema patients is http://eczemaInformant.com . Among other topics, they provide a detailed list of medications available for treating eczema. The following list briefly reviews these medications including the new medications that pose less of a threat from side effects:
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