Skin Dermatitis - Diagnosis And Treatment Options For Eczema

How To Treat Skin Dermatitis

Dermatitis, sometimes also known as eczema, is an allergic skin condition in which the skin becomes inflamed and breaks out into thick crusty patches or flakes that cause severe itching. Scratching the rough bumps on the skin makes the itch worse and often causes them to ooze, thereby spreading the infection and making the condition worse.

There are a few basic preventive measures that you should adopt to prevent dermatitis. Check if any body product you use may have triggered the skin reaction. Often harsh chemicals present in soaps, detergents and cosmetic body products, contain allergens that irritate the skin and cause dermatitis. Contact with certain other kinds of materials such as latex, synthetic fabrics, metals like gold and silver and perfumes may also trigger a skin allergy. A low level of acid in the digestive tract may also be responsible for dermatitis, so you should drink plenty of water and eat fresh fruits to maintain the normal level of acid in your stomach. You should also not step out of an air-conditioned room into the sun, or vice versa, since sudden changes in external temperature often trigger skin allergies. Always wear natural fabrics and make sure that you rinse your clothes and your bed lines one extra time while laundering to remove every trace of detergent from them. This will minimize the risk of irritation of the skin through contact with allergens. There are a few simple home remedies that you may also find useful to treat dermatitis. Avoid bathing in very warm water, as this tends to make the skin dry and more vulnerable to allergic reactions. Every day after bathing, pat your body dry with a soft towel and massage some vitamin E or olive oil all over your skin. You may also add a cup of powdered oatmeal into a tub of lukewarm bathwater and soak your entire body in this for at least 15 minutes every day. This greatly relieves irritation and itching, heals oozing lesions and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth. Massaging the affected areas very gently with aloe vera juice or gel is also an effective natural way of relieving itching and roughness, as well as a means of hastening the healing process of the skin. Consuming vitamin B complex and zinc supplements every day is also useful in treating dermatitis. Applying cold compresses using chilled water or milk also helps relieve the symptoms.