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Controlling your Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)
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Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, can’t be cured, but it can be treated.
This tool helps you have a conversation with your allergist or health care provider to decide what treatments are best for you.
It's easy:
- Read about different treatment options.
- Respond to a few simple statements based on your lifestyle and preferences.
- Print out your answers and bring them to your next appointment.
Let's get started!
Note: The information and materials here are intended solely for the general information of the reader. They are not to be used for treatment purposes, but rather for discussion with the patient’s allergist or health care provider. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose health problems or take the place of professional medical care.
About Eczema
About Eczema
The best treatment for eczema depends on how severe your symptoms are and how they affect your life. Other things you should think about are cost and whether the treatment will be easy for you to use. Most people with eczema use more than one treatment to control their symptoms.
Your skin is like a coat for your body. It holds water in and keeps irritating substances out. When you have eczema, your skin doesn’t do that as it should, and your skin can get inflamed – dry, red, scaly and itchy.
Eczema affects people differently
For people with mild eczema, warm baths, moisturizer and avoiding triggers should control their symptoms. Common triggers include:
- Dust mites
- Pollen
- Animal dander
- Foods (While food may be a trigger for some people, you should only avoid foods if instructed to do so by your allergist)
- Irritants such as wool clothing, sweat
If those steps don’t help, you and your allergist or health care provider might decide it’s time to try topical treatments. Topical means you put them on your skin, just like moisturizers, but these treatments do more than moisturize.
If you have already tried topical treatments and they don’t control your symptoms, it might be time to think about systemic treatments.
Skip ahead to that sectionTreatment Information
Topical Treatments
There are several types of treatments you apply to your skin that do more than moisturize. They may come in creams, ointments, lotions, gels, oils or sprays.
This chart explains more about these treatments.
PrintHow are they used?
| Corticosteroids | Calcineurin inhibitors | Crisaborole 2% (Eucrisa®) |
|---|---|---|
| Applied to the problem area once or twice a day | Applied to the problem area once or twice a day | Applied to the problem area once or twice a day |
What are the advantages?
| Corticosteroids | Calcineurin inhibitors | Crisaborole 2% (Eucrisa®) |
|---|---|---|
| Controls the redness and itching quickly | OK to use on skin that can get thin, such as eyelids, around the mouth, genitals, armpits and groin Can be used for a long time | OK to use on skin that can get thin, such as eyelids, around the mouth, genitals, armpits and groin Can be used for a long time |
What are the possible side effects and disadvantages?
| Corticosteroids | Calcineurin inhibitors | Crisaborole 2% (Eucrisa®) |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch marks Skin thinning Redness Spider veins Face rash | Stinging and burning when you first use it Very slight risk of infection The label notes that when people have taken this type of drug by mouth there have been rare reports of cancers, but this has not been shown when used on the skin | Burning or stinging can occur |
What else should I know?
| Corticosteroids | Calcineurin inhibitors | Crisaborole 2% (Eucrisa®) |
|---|---|---|
| Needs to be used regularly Can be used with other treatments These are not the same as male hormone steroids that are abused by some athletes | Needs to be used regularly Can be used with other treatments | Needs to be used regularly Can be used with other treatments |
What is the cost of treatment?
| Corticosteroids | Calcineurin inhibitors | Crisaborole 2% (Eucrisa®) |
|---|---|---|
| ($-$$$$$$) Generic forms are available Work with your allergist or health care provider to figure out what it will cost based on your insurance | ($$$$-$$$$$$) Generic forms are available Work with your allergist or health care provider to figure out what it will cost based on your insurance | ($$$$$$$$) No generic form available Work with your allergist or health care provider to figure out what it will cost based on your insurance |
Can children use it?
| Corticosteroids | Calcineurin inhibitors | Crisaborole 2% (Eucrisa®) |
|---|---|---|
| Yes – a few are approved for infants as young as 3 months | Yes | Yes – children 2 or older can use it. If your child is younger, discuss with your allergist or health care provider |
There are some additional topical treatments known as barrier creams you might want to talk about with your allergist or health care provider, including MimyX®, Atopiclair™, Eletone® and EpiCream®.
Please talk to your allergist or health care provider about using these medications if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
Topical Treatments
Topical Treatments
Your Turn
The next step is to talk about these treatments with your allergist or health care provider. To help you figure out what might work best for you, answer the following statements, choosing Agree, Neither or Disagree.
Your responses regarding your preferences on eczema treatment are below. Please print this page out and share it with your allergist to continue the conversation on what treatment might be right for you.
Results
All done!
Print out your answers and bring them to your next appointment with your allergist or health care provider.
Print Your AnswersIf your eczema is severe, you may want to learn about systemic treatments.
Find out more about systemic treatments.Note: The information and materials here are intended solely for the general information of the reader. They are not to be used for treatment purposes, but rather for discussion with the patient’s allergist or health care provider. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose health problems or take the place of professional medical care.
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