Eczema is an irritating skin condition that can be traced back to many different causes. Diet is one of the most common causes of eczema, as is use of an irritating lotion. However, there are also a few medical causes of eczema.
Medical causes of eczema are different because they are not linked to bad habits or behaviors that the afflicted person can change. More often, medical causes of eczema are predetermined and related to genetics, meaning that they might be harder to pinpoint and address.
Medical Causes Of Eczema
Eczema with medical causes occurs as a result of internal factors, or causes within the body. There are several medically related causes of eczema; in fact, the most common form of eczema is caused by a medical condition.
Atopic eczema, which is linked with hay fever and asthma, refers to allergic over-sensitivity. It is the most common form of eczema, with 10-20% of eczema cases in children being atopic, and 3-5% of cases in adults being atopic. Atopic eczema is on the rise—many health experts believe that it is due to the increased exposure to allergens (like house dust) and environmental factors.
Another major medical cause of eczema is varicose veins. Varicose veins often will lead to a form of eczema that affects the lower legs. This is called varicose or gravitational eczema. Other internal eczema causes include seborrhoeic dermatitis, pompholyx or dishydrotic eczema, and discoid or nummular eczema.
Diagnosis And Treatment
The diagnosis of medically caused eczema may be more difficult than when the condition has other causes. Your doctor will probably try to rule out diet or harsh skin lotion as the reason for eczema before investigating the medical causes. He or she will then ask about your medical history, because medical causes of eczema often run in the family.
The next step in the diagnosis process will be to test for various allergies. Determining food and environmental allergies could provide the answer to what is causing your eczema. Hopefully, after all of these procedures, your doctor will have an answer for you. If not, he or she might recommend that you see a specialist.
Once the cause of eczema has been determined, treatment is relatively easy. Treatment of eczema typically has two parts—to soothe your skin and to prevent more damage from occurring. This typically involves a mixture of lotions and prescription medication.
Smooth Skin
After you have determined the cause of your eczema and received treatment, you will be able to experience the feeling of running your fingers over smooth skin—and you’ll appreciate it all the more!
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