Eczema on the arms, legs, face: photos, causes and treatment, ointments

Eczema in the neck area may appear due to the fact that the patient has excessively high sensitivity, weak functioning of the immune system, and a negative reaction of the body to the slightest interactions with certain agents (allergens).

Products that cause an allergic reaction may be:

  • various types of metals (including gold and silver), which are necessarily present in jewelry;
  • synthetic substances that can be found in cosmetics, oils, powders, as well as in fabrics and household chemicals;
  • certain food.

The appearance of eczema on the neck is most often a response to one of the above products. Upon contact with an allergen, various types of allergic reactions appear on the skin.

Read more about the types of eczema


Photo of the initial stage of eczemaIT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW!
There are five main and about a dozen subtypes of eczema. The main types include true, seborrheic, occupational, allergic (children's) and microbial eczema, previously shown in the photo. Weeping eczema, horny, mycotic, varicose eczema are some of the subtypes.

Video

It has been established that the frequency of exacerbations of chronic idiopathic eczema is influenced by the emotional state of the patient - the disease worsens under stress and severe shocks. It is also known that people whose work is associated with nervous overload suffer from eczema more severely, and exacerbations occur more often. The same applies to students and schoolchildren.

  • Occupational eczema on the hands, the causes and treatment of which are a separate issue in dermatology and allergology, worsens in the middle and end of the working day. Sometimes, for the symptoms to completely disappear (which does not mean recovery at all), it is enough to go on vacation. The same applies to other types of eczema, which are aggravated by contact with an allergen - it is enough to eliminate the harmful effects, and the patient’s well-being improves significantly.
  • The cause of microbial and fungal eczema is opportunistic microflora. The causative agents of these diseases are part of the natural microflora of the human body, but when the immune system is weakened or they come into contact with damaged skin in large quantities, they cause a sharp inflammatory reaction.

Causes of the disease

The pathogenesis of this disease is directly related to the primary fungal infection. Several hundred types of fungal pathogens can be provocateurs for the development of mycotic dysfunction of the epidermis, but the most common are the following:

  • pathogenic fungi of the genus Candida, causing candidiasis. Microorganisms enter the human body through poorly processed food, unwashed fruits and vegetables, and dirty hands. Skin wounds become infected with fungus due to contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. A prerequisite for the further development of Candida fungus is a weakened immune system,
  • fungal pathogens of lichen (Pityrosporum orbiculare). These microorganisms are present on human skin and do not pose a health hazard. However, under the influence of pathogenic factors (increased body temperature, prolonged use of medications, concomitant skin diseases, hereditary predisposition, and so on), the causative agents of lichen are transformed into a dangerous form and lead to a worsening of the disease,
  • parasitic fungi (Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton rubrum), localized in skin folds, on the soles of the feet, toes, hands, and in the groin area. They are causative agents of mycosis. These parasites cause powerful allergic changes in the body and have a toxic effect on it,
  • mold fungi (genus Scopulariopsis brevicaulis), affecting the nail plates due to the presence of special enzymes that break down keratin. This type of parasite is the causative agent of onychomycosis and other dermatomycosis.

In addition to fungi, there are a number of factors that predispose to the development of mycotic skin dysfunction: hereditary risk (from parent to child), lack of microelements and vitamins, long-term use of antibiotics, and a tendency to allergies.

Forecast

Having once encountered eczema and having learned all its delights, a person involuntarily asks the question: is it possible to get rid of the disease forever? There is no clear answer to this skin disease; each clinical case is unique.

Heredity, the general well-being of a person and the presence of concomitant pathologies, and neglect of dermatosis have their significance in this problem. Some people cope with acute manifestations of eczema in a few weeks, others need months, and at the same time, modern medicine considers this disease incurable, that is, it is only possible to achieve remission, temporary relief, but how long it will last is unknown.

Types of eczema

Although there is currently no unified classification of eczema, it is customary to distinguish the following forms:

True (idiopathic) eczema, its appearance is influenced by internal factors, such as VSD, gastrointestinal diseases, psychological stress, genetic disposition, thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus, it includes:

  • pruriginous
  • dyshidrotic
  • tylotic

Microbial: occurs in those areas of the skin where there has been an inflammatory process for a long time, caused by various pathogens - microbes or fungi.

  • nummular
  • paratraumatic
  • mycotic
  • intertriginous
  • eczema of the nipples and areola of the mammary glands in women
  • varicose

Seborrheic eczema develops against the background of the fungus Malassezia furfur persisting on the scalp (see seborrheic dermatitis on the face - treatment)

Infantile eczema can debut in a child as early as 4-5 months of age, which may be explained by the pathological course of pregnancy and the mother’s weak immunity. It can be microbial, idiopathic or seborrheic.

Professional. It usually occurs when a person comes into contact with various chemicals at work or at home, most often these are various dyes, detergents, chromium, formaldehyde and other toxic compounds.

Atopic eczema - it occurs in patients prone to allergic manifestations to various external irritants, as well as with food allergies. This is most often due to hereditary disposition.

Some researchers also distinguish between eczema:

  • neuropathic
  • reflex
  • paratraumatic (near-wound)

Any type of eczema can be acute, subacute or chronic in course, and in terms of area affected - diffuse and limited. Acute forms are often accompanied by weeping, while chronic forms occur predominantly as dry eczema.

Seborrheic

In almost 80% of cases, this form develops in patients in whom the lipophilic yeast fungus Pityrosporum ovale is found in the lesions. Seborrhea and associated neuroendocrine disorders can also provoke the development of the disease.

Itching and inflammation with seborrheic eczema are insignificant, the boundaries of eczematous foci are clear. Often the pathological process spreads to the scalp and is accompanied by the appearance of dandruff. Patients' hair is oily, dull and sticky.

Therapeutic treatment

First, therapeutic treatment is carried out: mycotic eczema can be removed without the use of an abundance of medications. In this case, a specific affected area is treated. For this purpose, baths are made with antiseptics (potassium permanganate, soda or furatsilin). Compresses made from boric acid promote healing. Herbal medicine helps a lot.


During treatment, a certain diet is followed with a predominance of dairy and plant foods. Smoked foods, pickles, nuts and other foods that can cause allergies are excluded. The affected areas are hidden under bandages to prevent additional infection and the entry of various substances into the wounds. The patient should avoid stressful situations, as they provoke an exacerbation of the disease.

Symptoms

1. The initial stage of the disease is manifested by redness of the skin and severe itching. The epidermis in the affected area appears thickened.

Eczema on the hands: photo in the initial stage

Depending on the type of eczema, dry or painful skin and increased local temperature may occur. Already during this period, the microbial form is characterized by a deterioration in the patient’s general well-being, loss of strength, headaches, and low-grade fever.

2. The next manifestation is a rash. It appears on a reddened area of ​​the skin and, depending on the type of eczema, can be represented by:

  • Bubbles with transparent contents in true eczema;
  • Large blisters in dyshidrotic eczema;
  • Pustules with seborrheic and microbial.

Microbial eczema: photo

At this stage, the itching increases significantly, general health worsens, the temperature rises, especially with microbial eczema, and the patient’s usual rhythm of life is disrupted. Elements of the rash burst, leaving behind deep narrow erosions (eczematous wells), into which infection can easily spread.

3. The inflammatory process subsides, wounds and scratches heal, but the skin remains dry for a long time, cracks easily, does not tolerate high and low temperatures, and does not stretch well. This is especially noticeable when eczema occurs on the legs (feet) and hands. Even with good care, the skin continues to remain inelastic.

The frequency of exacerbations may vary. In most patients, they occur in the spring and autumn, but the condition may worsen due to cold or heat.

Relapses of occupational and allergic eczema are affected only by the frequency of contact with the allergen. With a particularly unfavorable course, exacerbations can occur very often, with virtually no periods of remission between them.

Diagnosis of the disease

The diagnosis is made by a dermatologist. This requires:

  1. Collecting anamnesis of the disease and life history. The doctor determines the time of appearance of the first symptoms, possible causes, complaints at the time of the examination.
  2. External examination of the skin and mucous membranes.
  3. Transillumination of fabrics with a Wood's lamp.
  4. Dermatoscopy.
  5. Bacteriological culture of scrapings from the affected skin. Helps eliminate bacterial eczema.
  6. Microscopic examination.
  7. General clinical tests.

Differential diagnosis is carried out with other types of eczema (occupational, true, bacterial), psoriasis, atopic and contact dermatitis, neurodermatitis, pityriasis versicolor, familial pemphigus and primary reticulosis.

Complications

The main complication of the disease is infected eczema, which develops when a secondary infection occurs and the disease spreads to neighboring areas of the dermis. Sometimes the inflammatory process from the back spreads to other parts of the body - the upper and lower limbs, abdomen, buttocks, face and neck, in this case we are talking about erythroderma. The condition is accompanied by symptoms such as increased body temperature, poor general health, and weakness. The situation requires hospitalization in a medical facility. In childhood, erythroderma can be fatal.

To prevent these complications, it is important not to ignore the first symptoms of dermatosis and contact a specialist when they appear. Self-medication in most cases is ineffective, since pathology must be dealt with comprehensively - not only with the help of local medications, but also with systemic measures - drugs and physiotherapy.

Prevention

Skin diseases in adults are not uncommon. To avoid the occurrence of eczema, you should carefully monitor the condition of the epidermis and lead a healthy lifestyle. It is necessary to treat all infectious and allergic diseases in a timely manner and avoid nervous shock.

Treatment of eczema requires attention and compliance with all doctor's prescriptions. Adults have a wider choice of medications than children, so it is quite possible to achieve a quick recovery.

How to cure on the stomach

First you need to establish an accurate diagnosis. In fact, skin diseases (dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema and others) are very similar to each other. A dermatologist and an allergist can distinguish between them and prescribe the necessary treatment.

To cure eczema, use creams that do not contain hormones and dyes, and are not easily addictive (otherwise the drug will quickly lose its effect).

When treating eczema on the abdomen, much attention should be paid to proper nutrition. You can do it only when the patient is in a state of exacerbation, but it is better to avoid highly allergic foods forever. Meals must certainly be fractional (at least four meals a day, but five or six are better).

The food consumed must contain nutrients, vitamins and minerals. You should completely exclude:

  • citrus;
  • chocolate products;
  • alcoholic drinks;
  • spicy and smoked.

You also need to limit your salt intake.

Treatment of eczema on the back in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg)

Any form of eczema localized on the back and other parts of the body, according to domestic dermatologists, can be eliminated subject to the correction of the person’s concomitant diseases discovered during the diagnostic examination.

That is, if dysfunctional disorders of internal organs and systems are detected that directly affect the development of inadequate skin reactions or dermatosis, the patient is referred to specialists of the appropriate profile (gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, etc.), who will help quickly and effectively eliminate existing provoking factors and cope with the current clinical situation.

Most often, treatment of eczema in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia is carried out on an outpatient basis. As a rule, drug therapy is combined with physiotherapeutic techniques that accelerate the healing process and restoration of skin damaged by the disease.

Which clinics can I go to?

Medical, Moscow, Elektrozavodskaya street, 32. Clinic specialists select treatment, taking into account the individual characteristics of each patient. The center guarantees accurate and fast execution of any laboratory tests within 24 hours and the opportunity to undergo complex therapy from specialists in related fields, since the clinic has more than 20 therapeutic departments. The cost of treating eczema is from 15 thousand rubles.

Let's look at the medical reviews:

Daria, 22 years old. “Thank you to the doctors for successfully providing assistance with eczema. I’m very glad that I trusted them with my health.”

Valentina, 35 years old. “For a long time I suffered from skin sores, I bought some medications myself, believed the advertisements, the doctor prescribed something, but I couldn’t completely overcome the pathology. Most likely because she did not complete the course of treatment and stopped applying creams at the first signs of improvement. At the Honest Clinic, for the first time they told me about such an important concept as systematicity, explained why I have constant relapses of the disease, and described a detailed regimen for using medications. This is the only way I was able to get rid of the persistent eczema and now I continue to see a dermatologist at the medical center for preventive purposes.”

Clinic Medical ON GROOP, St. Petersburg, st. Vosstaniya, 1. The clinic’s specialists offer comprehensive treatment for any form of eczema, regardless of the location of the pathological process. The center is equipped with modern equipment, and medical services within its walls are provided by experienced, qualified specialists. The cost of treating eczema is from 12 thousand rubles.

Let's look at the reviews for the Medical ON GROOP clinic:

Maria, 34 years old. “After the birth of my daughter, I began to notice skin problems, I didn’t go to the doctor for a long time, I thought it would go away on its own. But the disease did not intend to recede - the inflammation from the neck spread to the shoulder blades and face. A dermatologist at the Medical on Group clinic immediately identified the cause and literally on the second day prescribed a detailed treatment regimen. All his recommendations helped, I’m very happy.”

Anna, 23 years old. “This is not the first time I have turned to the specialists of this medical center, because I have skin problems. I recommend everyone to go to this clinic, they will really help you here.”

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