You dont have to live with misery of eczema, says Poole Hospital skin expert

ECZEMA can ruin peoples lives if left untreated, according to a skin expert at Poole Hospital.

National eczema awareness week began on Saturday and Dr Suzannah August, consultant dermatologist at Poole Hospital, is urging sufferers not to put up with the itchy skin condition.

Dr August said the majority of people can manage it from home with moisturisers and advice from pharmacists.

There are a lot of people who put up with eczema and they dont realise how much impact it is having on their lives until they are treated, she added.

I think it is an under-recognised problem it is not life threatening but can ruin peoples lives if it is not controlled or treated properly.

A common skin complaint, eczema makes the skin inflamed becoming angry looking, dry, scaly and if severe can lead to blistering and cracking of the skin.

Eczema is particularly prevalent in the young, with one in five children in the UK affected.

Dr August said: In babies eczema typically starts on the face and as children become a bit older you will start to see eczema on the creases of the limbs. But eczema can affect any part of the skin.

It can have a big impact on the child. For example, if they are itchy all the time that may affect their ability to sleep, so the child may not be sleeping through the night, they may not be concentrating as well and not be as well in themselves.

When over-the-counter remedies fail to work Dr August suggests this is the time to consult with a GP, reassuring sufferers that treatments extend beyond moisturisers for severe cases.

More here:
You dont have to live with misery of eczema, says Poole Hospital skin expert