Phototherapy For Eczema

Filed Under Eczema Treatment, Natural Eczema Treatment | 1 Comment

Phototherapy for eczema is a new type of treatment that you may feel tempted to try. There are several different types of phototherapy available. Through this therapy, a narrow band of UV light is used to replicate the good properties that are found within natural sunlight. It is also used in small dosages, which is also better for you.

Phototherapy is based upon sunlight therapy, which has been used for centuries to treat numerous types of skin diseases. Exact benefits of phototherapy can vary from person to person. In cases of severe atopic dermatitis, phototherapy has been found to be effective in 80% in one German study. Phototherapy is also excellent in preventing bacterial infections, a common occurrence of those with atopic dermatitis. Your doctor may recommend this as a complementary measure and can significantly reduce your reliance on topical corticosteroids.

You should know that phototherapy for eczema is not entirely safe. There are certain risks to using this eczema treatment. While phototherapy can significantly improve your skin and even completely clear atopic dermatitis, UV light can cause skin cancer or prematurely age your skin. Hence, this procedure is not for everyone and needs to be prescribed on a case by case basis upon examination by your dermatologist. It can also cause some short term dryness of your skin, in which case, your dermatologist will suggest a suitable moisturizer for you to use.

Aug

28

New Research Breakthough: Two Blood Chemicals May Be The Cause Of Eczema

Filed Under Eczema Treatment, Eczema News, Eczema Causes | 6 Comments

The Chinese University of Hong Kong said that scientists have identified two blood chemicals that are linked to itchy eczema. It had identified these two chemicals with the help of “itchometer” that was worn by 24 children and monitored how much they scratched while they slept. Identification of these two blood chemicals can mean a new treatment breakthrough.

Researchers found that as scratching increased, so did levels of two specific blood chemicals. A British expert said the finding could point to the skin problem’s root cause.

The latest research provides support to the notion that two specific chemicals found in the blood - “brain-derived neurotrophic factor” (BDNF) and “substance P” - are somehow linked to itchy sensations.

The scientists recruited 24 children, with an average age of 11, to wear a wrist monitor which recorded wrist movement during the night. Night time itching is the worst, as most eczema sufferers would know. Blood tests from the children showed that as night-time scratching increased, so did the levels of the two chemicals in the bloodstream.

This is important news for all eczema sufferers who have been looking to find effective ways for itch relief. Conventional medications are mainly symptomatic treatments and have not addressed the root causes of eczema. We will have to wait to see what happens next. Hopefully, treatments that can come out from this finding will be safe to use.

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