Reflections: An Education In Eczema

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It is estimated that 31.6 million Americans suffer from eczema, with approximately half of them having moderate to severe eczema.1 Of those with eczema, most are children, with an estimated 10–20% of kids showing signs of the condition (depending on the source you reference). They say that you can’t really fathom the impact of something until it hits close to home and that truly is my experience with this condition.

I have two girls, one of which developed the double whammy of colic and eczema early on. Doctors assured me that there was nothing I could do about colic, so I was determined to do something for her eczema. These two elements of early motherhood were not included in any of my “preparing for baby” books. I could tell that her red, itchy patches bothered her, and if I didn’t manage those patches, they would snowball into something dramatically worse.

If you are a skin care professional, you probably already know that there are many unknowns when it comes to eczema. For starters, doctors have not pinpointed the exact cause of eczema. There also is no cure for eczema; there are only ways to manage it and keep flares at bay. Since the causes and the severity differs, treating it varies from person to person.

You may or may not have children with eczema, but with the prevalence of the condition in today’s society, you likely have clients suffering from it. After a diagnosis from their doctor, there are many things that skin care professionals can do to help clients manage their eczema and have beautiful skin. We are here to help.

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On page 46, Kris Campbell talks about the signs of eczema and identifies some of the triggers. She also discusses ingredients shown to improve the condition, including honey, black rice, shea butter and ceramides. Also discussing eczema is dermatologist Zoe Draelos on page 56, who includes it as part of a bigger discussion of sensitive skin. Since there is no medical definition of sensitive skin, it is often seen by dermatologists as either eczema, rosacea or atopic dermatitis.

Although skin care professionals may not agree on the cause and treatment of eczema, researchers have concluded that it and sensitive skin in general are both on the rise in the United States. If you don’t currently have clients with it, chances are you will, so being knowledgeable about its symptoms, flares and treatment is of utmost importance. Also, if you are treating expecting clients, share some of this education with them. Not only will you save them some time, but you may also ensure a client for life.

Yours in education,

Katie Sig

Katie Anderson

Managing Editor

[email protected]

Reference

  1. https://nationaleczema.org/research/eczema-prevalence/
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