Reader's Digest

July• 2018 | 127

READER’S DIGEST

night.heserashesoftenappearon
theinsideofyourelbowsandknees.
Ifit’smoreserioustheskinmight
blisterorlookthickenedandwhite.
WHAT CAUSES ITEczema is the re-
sult of having a weakened skin bar-
rierwhichcanleadtoinlammation
and an overreaction from your im-
munesystem.Mostpeopleareborn
withitandyourgenesarepartlyto
blame.“You’remorepredisposedto
eczemaifyouhaveafamilyhistoryof
asthmahayfeverortheconditionit-
self” says dermatologist Lisa Kellett.
Some research also suggests that it
mightbeareactiontopollutionorto
notbeingexposedtoenoughgerms
in childhood.
HOWTOTREATITApply a thick hy-
poallergenicmoisturisertoafected
areas immediately after a bath or
showerandatnight.Moreserious
f lare-ups will need topical prescrip-
tion steroid creams or non-steroid
immunosuppressant creams. hose
with stubborn eczema might also
tryphototherapywhichusesUVB
lighttohelpcalmyourimmunesys-
tem and reduce itchiness.
POSSIBLE RED FLAGRarely what
lookslikeeczemaisactuallyskin
cancer.“Thedifferencewithskin
cancer is that it doesn’t go away if you
useasteroid”saysKellett.

Contact Dermatitis

WHAT IT’S LIKEContact dermati-
tis is a variation of eczema and it
looks similar – red itchy patches on

your skin. But unlike that chronic

conditionthisrashisareactionto

something speciic and appears only

wheretheofendingobjecthasmade

direct contact.

WHAT CAUSES ITCommon culprits

arepoisonivyfacecreamjewellery

or fragrances. You can also develop a

new intolerance to something you’ve

usedforalongtimesuchasyour

regular antibiotic ointment. If the

causeisnotclearyourdermatolo-

gistcandoapatchtestputtingsmall

amountsofsuspectedsubstanceson

yourskintoseeifyoureact.

HOWTOTREATITIt can be treated

withtopicalsteroidsorastronger

oral one to calm down your immune

system and stop the reaction.

POSSIBLE RED FLAGLike eczema

the red and scaly presentation of con-

tactdermatitiscouldbeconfusedfor

skincancerwhichisanotherreason

to visit your doctor if you’re not sure

what caused it.

Rosacea

WHAT IT’S LIKEAsrosaceaisa

dilation of the blood vessels in your

cheeks and nose it often presents as

redsensitiveskininthoseplaces.

Another form of the condition also

includes bumps that resemble acne.

Forsomepeopletheskinontheir

nosethickensmakingitseemlarger.

WHAT CAUSES ITWe don’t know

what brings rosacea on but you’re

more likely to have it if others in your

family do too. You’re also prone to