Daily Archives: August 28, 2021

What is atopic dermatitis?

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disorder. It causes dry, itchy, scaly patches on the skin, often on the face and scalp in babies. Its most common in infants or very young children. Most will show signs of the condition in the first year of life. Symptoms may last until the teens or adulthood. It rarely starts in adulthood. Atopic dermatitis is not contagious.

Atopic dermatitis tends to run in families. This suggests a genetic link. Its also associated with asthma and allergies. These are immune hypersensitivity disorders.

Treatment for this condition is aimed at calming the skin inflammation, decreasing the itching, and preventing infections. Good skin care and medicine to control itching and infection are used.

Atopic dermatitis is often called eczema.

The exact cause of atopic dermatitis is not known. It runs in families, which suggests a genetic link. Its also linked to asthma and allergies. There is likely an alteration of the proteins in the skin that leads to atopic dermatitis.

Certain triggers can make atopic dermatitis worse. For example, stress, hot or cold temperature, dry conditions, certain fabrics, or detergents can cause a flare-up.

The area of the body affected by atopic dermatitis may change with age. In infants and young children, it usually affects the face, outside of the elbows, and on the knees. In older children and adults, it tends to be on the hands and feet, the arms, on the back of the knees, and the folds of the elbows.

Symptoms are slightly different for each person. Common symptoms include:

Too much rubbing and scratching can tear the skin and lead to infection.

The symptoms of atopic dermatitis may look like other skin conditions. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

Your healthcare provider will ask about your health history and whether you have allergies or asthma. He or she will also ask about any family history of dermatitis, allergies, or asthma.

A healthcare provider can often diagnose atopic dermatitis by examining your skin. You may also have a patch test. This is used to find allergies by placing small amounts of allergens on the skin and watching for a response. A skin biopsy may also be done to rule out other causes of the rash.

Factors such as your age, overall health, and health history will help your healthcare provider find the best treatment for you.

There is no cure for atopic dermatitis. The goals of treatment are to reduce itching and inflammation of the skin, to keep the skin moist, and to prevent infection.

Your healthcare provider may also prescribe medicines in severe cases. The following are commonly used to treat atopic dermatitis:

Complications of atopic dermatitis include:

Because the cause of atopic dermatitis is not known, there is no known way to prevent it. But avoiding triggers may reduce flare-ups.

The following steps can help manage atopic dermatitis:

Tell your healthcare provider if your symptoms get worse or you have new symptoms.

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

See more here:
Eczema | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Several types of dermatitis can produce eczema around the eyes and on the eyelids. This causes discoloration, itching, and swelling.

Atopic, contact, and seborrheic dermatitis can all cause eczema in the eye area.

They can be a result of exposure to allergens or irritants. Additionally, some people have a genetic hypersensitivity to the environment, making them more likely to react to irritants.

Doctors recommend treating this with a simple skin care routine that avoids scented products. They may also prescribe medication creams, like low-concentration hydrocortisone or topical calcineurin inhibitors.

Read more to learn about the types of dermatitis causing eczema around the eyes, their causes and triggers, and treatment options.

The terms eczema and dermatitis are often used interchangeably to describe dry, itchy skin. Technically, eczema refers to atopic dermatitis, a common form of dermatitis.

The inflammation associated with dermatitis can affect any area of skin, including the eyelids and skin surrounding the eyes.

It occurs more often in the eye area in individuals who already have it on other parts of the body. Some of the common types of dermatitis affecting the eye area include atopic, contact, and seborrheic.

Atopic dermatitis is the main type of eczema. Although it is primarily a skin condition, asthma and hay fever may also occur.

It is more common in adults than children, and can be caused by genetics, environmental factors, or both.

Atopic dermatitis may increase a persons risk of certain eye diseases. The eye rubbing associated with dry, itchy skin around the eyes can cause keratoconus, a corneal thinning disorder.

According to one research paper, the prevalence of eye complications in people with atopic dermatitis on or around the eyes ranges from 2550%.

Contact dermatitis causes the skin to become inflamed and irritated. This is usually in response to something that triggers an allergy. It is more common in people with sensitive skin.

Unlike atopic dermatitis, it is not accompanied by other allergic reactions and only affects the skin.

It makes the eyelids red or discolored and scaly and can cause them to sting and burn. The condition ranges from mild to severe.

When contact dermatitis occurs on or around the eyes, it may affect the upper lid, lower lid, or both. If the condition persists, it can cause the eyelids to thicken.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis affects the face, ears, eyebrows, eyes, and scalp. It is often swollen and greasy with a white or yellowish crust.

When it affects the eye area, it often appears only on the margins of the eyelids, which are the edges of the eyes.

This form of dermatitis is more common in adults and affects 310% of the population. Although serious complications are rare, it does increase a persons risk of developing a bacterial infection on the eyelids.

About 2540% of people with atopic dermatitis have severe inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the thin membrane on the inside of the eyelid.

In contact dermatitis, the eyelids are red or discolored, scaly, and possibly swollen.

Seborrheic dermatitis of the eye usually affects only the eyelid margins.

When dermatitis and/or eczema occurs in the eye area, it can cause various symptoms. These include:

The different forms of dermatitis have different causes and triggers:

Atopic dermatitis is caused by a genetic hypersensitivity to the environment.

Triggers of flare-ups may include:

Exposure to allergens or irritants causes contact dermatitis. This may be a result of direct, indirect, or airborne contact.

Direct contact triggers may include exposure to the following products:

Indirect contact refers to contact through an individuals own hands. When this happens, a person may touch their eyes after touching a triggering item. These can include:

Airborne irritants may also trigger contact dermatitis. Examples of irritants include:

Researchers believe seborrheic dermatitis is an inflammatory reaction to excess Malassezia yeast. This yeast normally lives on the skins surface. However, when there is too much of it, the immune system overreacts, resulting in skin problems.

Triggers of seborrheic dermatitis may include:

When diagnosing eczema around the eyes, doctors examine a persons skin. They will also ask about a persons symptoms and medical history.

If they suspect a person has atopic dermatitis, they may decide to do a skin biopsy. This involves removing a small skin sample and sending it to a lab for testing. A doctor might also conduct a skin culture to see if the issue is bacterial or fungal.

A doctor suspecting contact dermatitis will conduct skin tests to determine if a person has allergies. They may also ask people about their occupations and hobbies to identify triggers.

Treatment will vary depending on the type of dermatitis a person has. For instance, a person with contact dermatitis may be told to identify and remove triggers from their daily routine.

According to the National Eczema Society, treatment usually involves skin care practices, mild topical steroid medications, and topical calcineurin inhibitors.

Experts recommend a simple skin care routine free of fragrances and irritants.

This includes:

A person applies topical creams and ointments directly to the skin.

Doctors generally advise using low concentration steroid ointments on the eyes. This is because the eyelid skin is very thin and delicate.

Some topical treatments are available over the counter, but others require a prescription.

A doctor may prescribe a moderate potency steroid for a severe eczema flare-up. However, they would only prescribe this for a short period of time, such as 5 days.

Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) are not a steroid, but they do help treat eyelid eczema. They require a prescription. Commonly prescribed TCIs include tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel).

Because they are not a steroid, they do not thin the eyelid skin. However, they do increase the skins sensitivity to sunlight, so people should take precautions when using them.

Various complications may accompany dermatitis around the eyes. They include:

Also called conjunctivitis, this is the inflammation of the thin tissue covering the white parts of the eyes.

Symptoms include:

Keratitis is the medical term for an inflamed cornea.

Symptoms include:

Keratoconus is the term for changes in the shape of the cornea, the transparent covering of the iris and pupil. The cornea is normally round, but rubbing the eye can cause the cornea to bulge and become cone-shaped.

Symptoms and signs include:

Early diagnosis and treatment of keratoconus can minimize the potential vision loss.

Cataracts make the eyes lens progressively more opaque, resulting in blurred vision. In people with atopic dermatitis, cataracts usually occur in both eyes at the same time.

Factors like eye rubbing and the severity of any lesions determine how quickly cataracts will develop.

Retinal detachment is a serious complication of dermatitis around the eyes.

The retina is a thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye. When it detaches, it pulls away from the blood vessels that support it.

This can lead to permanent vision loss.

Several types of dermatitis may cause eczema in the eye area. Common types include focal, contact, and seborrheic dermatitis.

Treatment may include the application of low concentrations of hydrocortisone ointment, which may be available over the counter or require a prescription. Doctors may also prescribe topical calcineurin inhibitors.

Getting an early diagnosis and treatment protects the eyes and prevents vision loss.

Continue reading here:
Eczema on eyelids: Causes, treatments, and more - Medical News Today

There;sWhether seasonally or year-round, severely or minimally, many people suffer from eczema. According to the National Eczema Organization, 31.6 million people in the U.S. have the rash-like skin condition in some form. And if youre one of those people, you know it can affect the scalp, too. Itchiness, burning and flakiness can plague the head if not given proper care.

Thats where Embodys SVP Alexis Starling comes to the rescue. While she renamed her latest production of supplements The S.O.S. Gummy (because theyre beneficial for all skin typesand ages!), they were initially geared towards consumers with eczema. Hence, their original name, The Eczema Gummy.

Whether youre on the hunt for eczema gummies or simply universally useful supplements packed with nutrients, youll want to read about this brand new launch, straight from Chung herself!

When we were getting ready to launch the Retinol Gummy in June 2020, the stress of launching a brand caught up to our teams skin, Starling tells Mane Addicts. The irritation and itchiness got so bad for me that I couldnt hold a pen anymore. We started researching holistic methods for supporting itch-free skin. In research, it was realized that I was likely vitamin D deficient and in need of some extra skin barrier love. We hurried off to Sprouts to buy vitamin D, MSM, and EPO supplements just to see what would happen. Within a few weeks, skin looked better and felt healthier with less itch and more smoothness. And that was the beginning of the S.O.S. Gummy!

The scalp is an often overlooked part of our skin, Starling explains. We often miss it when applying sunscreen, we pile hair styling products on it and we definitely dont give it as much skincare love as our faces. But the scalp can also experience irritation, dryness, and itchiness. A whole body approach like the S.O.S. Gummy is a great way to give your scalp some love without adding heavy serums or expensive treatments to your routine. What we love about gummy skincare is it works everywhere theres skin!

If you have an itchy or dry scalp, we recommend avoiding common irritants such as sodium laureth sulfate and heavy fragrances, Starling advises. We also encourage you to wash your hair less often and wash your pillowcases more often. Try a gentle scalp massage to get blood flowing to that area which can help reduce itching and regulate oil production.

Go here to read the rest:
Eczema Gummies Are the Latest Skincare SupplementHere's the 411 - Mane Addicts

In mid-August, pharma stock Eli Lilly(NYSE:LLY) updated investors on phase 3 results of lebrikizumab, its potential treatment for patients with a chronic skin disease known as moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (or eczema). Let's delve into why those results look hopeful -- and how this could all translate into profit for Eli Lilly and its investors.

Image source: Getty Images.

First, a few words about eczema. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) describes it as a "chronic, inflammatory skin disease which results in widespread rashes and patches of itchy skin."

The AAFA estimates that approximately 16.5 million or 7.3% of adults in the U.S. are affected by the disease. The condition often leads to emotional burden as well as pain, physical discomfort, and sleep disturbances for patients, especially for those with moderate to severe cases.

Considering that moderate to severe eczema accounts for 40% of all atopic dermatitis cases in the U.S. (and possibly around the world), the potential market for lebrikizumab if approved by regulators, is massive. There remains a need for additional therapies.

Research firm Market Data Forecast expects that the global atopic dermatitis market will compound at an annual growth rate of 13.1% from $11.8 billion in 2021 to $21.8 billion in revenue by 2026.

How can we know if a medication will help? Researchers use a measure known as the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), which assesses the extent (by area and severity) of atopic dermatitis. The greater the reduction in the EASI from a patient's pre-treatment baseline, the more effective a drug is in treating eczema.

Lebrikizumab's ongoing phase 3 trials consist of approximately 400 patients, age 12 and older, with moderate to severe eczema. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or lebrikizumab for 16 weeks followed by a 36-week maintenance period. During that period, patients who had a good response to lebrikizumab (an EASI of 75 or greater) are randomly reassigned to one of three groups to further demonstrate its efficacy. Group A patients receive 250 milligrams of lebrikizumab every two weeks, group B receives 250 milligrams of lebrikizumab every four weeks, and group C is given a placebo every two weeks.

Though the phase 3 trials are ongoing and specific data won't be presented until next year when the trials conclude, Eli Lilly noted that lebrikizumab helped over half of its patients achieve at least a 75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI 75) at week 16 as a monotherapy (the only therapy). This suggests that lebrikizumab may be as effective in this way as Dupixent, made by Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY) and Regeneron (NASDAQ:REGN). By comparison, Dupixent as a monotherapy helped 51% and 44% of patients achieve at least EASI 75 at week 16 in two clinical trials.

With over half of patients who receive lebrikizumab reporting at least EASI 75 (or at least 75% clearer skin), there was also far less itching and disruptions to sleep.Even better news for those suffering from moderate to severe atopic dermatitis is that no new safety risks were reported in the phase 3 trial, which means the drug is as safe as previously thought.

A big positive is that the trial reported only 1.4% of patients receiving lebrikizumab discontinued treatment due to adverse events, which is below the placebo group of 1.7%.

The key takeaways from the phase 3 trials of lebrikizumab were that it was almost as effective as the leader, Dupixent, in treating moderate to severe atopic dermatitis while being well tolerated by patients.

Lebrikizumab looks to be a great backup plan for Eli Lilly. That's because of safety concerns surrounding a drug class known as Janus kinase (or JAK) inhibitors. This is the drug class of the other atopic dermatitis hopeful that Eli Lilly owns, Olumiant.

Following Pfizer's (NYSE:PFE) post-marketing study of the JAK inhibitor Xeljanz (used to treat various forms of arthritis and ulcerative colitis), major heart side effects and cancers were reported. This led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to stop decisions on a number of JAK inhibitors until the safety of the class has been fully examined.

As potential FDA approvals for JAK inhibitors to treat atopic dermatitis are stalled -- among them, AbbVie's (NYSE:ABBV) Rinvoq, Eli Lilly's Olumiant, and Pfizer's abrocitinib -- lebrikizumab could end up being approved before those three candidates.

This is because there are no major safety concerns associated with lebrikizumab, which is an interleukin-13 (or IL-13) inhibitor. IL-13 is a protein that is often overexpressed in individuals with eczema. This results in an overactive immune system, which is what may bring on atopic dermatitis. By lowering the body's inflammatory response to IL-13 proteins, lebrikizumab has proven effective in treating atopic dermatitis to date in trials. This could help establish Eli Lilly's potential treatmentas second to only Dupixent in the atopic dermatitis market, especially if the FDA ultimately rejects JAK inhibitors for this indication.

Considering that 40% of eczema cases globally are moderate to severe and conservatively assuming a 6% market share, this indication for lebrikizumab could bring in over $500 million annually by 2026. While it may prove only to be the second- or third-most effective treatment, the safety profile could lead patients to discontinue other drugs to try lebrikizumab.

This forecast also reflects that Almirall, a Spanish pharmaceutical company, is licensed to develop and commercialize lebrikizumab in Europe for dermatology indications there, including atopic dermatitis.

At about 2% of Eli Lilly's forecast of $26.8 billion to $27.4 billion in revenue for this year, lebrikizumab could make meaningful contributions to Eli Lilly in the near future if approved.

Aside from its ambitions in the atopic dermatitis market, Eli Lilly has a number of growing drugs that should allow it to deliver high-single-digit to low-double-digit annual dividend growth for the foreseeable future.

Type 2 diabetes drug Trulicity's first-half 2021 revenue soared 22% -- from $2.46 billion in 2020 to $2.99 billion in 2021 -- and this should continue in the years ahead. Market research firm Research and Markets expects the type 2 diabetes market to nearly double from $48 billion in 2019 to $92 billion by 2029.

Plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis drug Taltz saw its first-half 2021 revenue advance 16% -- from $839 million in 2020 to $972 million in 2021 -- suggesting the drug still has plenty of growth left in the tank.

Eli Lilly isn't cheap at 33 times analysts' average earnings-per-share forecast for this year of $7.90, but this is somewhat made up by the fact that they expect Eli Lilly's strong drug portfolio to generate 14.8% annual earnings growth over the next five years.

Healthcare investors looking for a quality company with growth on the horizon should consider starting a small position in Eli Lilly and adding on any dips.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

Continued here:
This Potential Indication Could Mean Profit for Eli Lilly Investors - Motley Fool

Coeliac disease an autoimmune condition leads the intestines to make an antibody called IgA when gluten is consumed. As a consequence, a rash emerges. This condition tends to develop from the age of 30, WebMD pointed out. Fairly common in people of European descent, could you have the condition?

Other symptoms could include:

Coeliac disease causes the villi (finger-like projections) in the small intestine to become flat.

This leads to difficulty with absorbing nutrients from food.

If an affected person starts to follow a gluten-free diet, the small intestine will begin to heal.

The National Eczema Association explained that eczema sufferers have an "over-reactive immune system".

Some people with eczema have a mutated gene that is responsible for creating the protein filaggrin.

This mutation causes an ineffective skin barrier, meaning moisture can escape and bacteria and viruses can enter.

As a result, patches of eczema will be red, itchy and sometimes painful.

Follow this link:
Eczema rash: Is that itchy patch indicative of a gluten sensitivity? - Daily Express

Artist and creative director at maikonagao.com, Maiko Nagao is known for her minimalist single-line drawings using Japanese sumi (charcoal) ink.

Here are her beauty favourites

Dermalogica Powerbright Dark Spot serum, 30ml, $180

Ive been using this for more than a month and it has completely evened out my skin tone; so good as I had such bad pregnancy pigmentation with baby number two.

READ MORE:* Shelfie: The beauty products Nicola Kwana swears by* Shelfie: The affordable gel Jenny Drury relies on for perky and polished eyebrows* Shelfie: Olivia Moon hasn't worn foundation since buying this sunscreen* The products we actually finish: Our never fail, best ever skin-care recommendations

Trilogy Rosehip oil, 40ml, $47.99

Ive been using this since it first launched in 2002. It is seriously a little miracle in a bottle!

Trilogy Nutrient Plus Firming serum, 30ml, $49.99

Use this straight after cleansing and your rosehip oil will sink into your skin 10 times better! This is a step I never go without.

Glow Lab shampoo and conditioner, 600ml, $15

My go-to, all-natural and affordable hair care, it smells amazing too.

Manuka Biotic body lotion, 200ml, $27.99

Another all-natural miracle in a bottle (or tube). I use it for the whole family for eczema, sunburn, insect bites and ouchies.

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Shelfie: The all-natural 'miracle' Maiko Nagao uses on eczema, sunburn, and insect bites - Stuff.co.nz