Dermatitis: treatment, causes, types, symptoms

Dermatitis is a term that means inflammation of the skin. It is called eczema, which is also a general term for diseases that are characterized by inflammation of the skin. There are many types of dermatitis caused by infections, allergies, or substances that irritate the skin. The doctor will diagnose what type is present in the body and provide an appropriate treatment strategy. Dermatitis in the ICD-10 is listed under the code L20-L30.

Symptoms

Symptoms that will be present with dermatitis:

1. Pruritus is the main symptom of dermatitis. The strength of the itch and the frequency will depend on how much the virus irritates the nerve endings in the skin. If you feel an itch with a slight rash, then this is a sign of allergy. Itching during contact dermatitis is often manifested against a background of skin damage, and the intensity depends on the depth and area of ​​the lesion.
2. Redness of the skin. It is explained by the presence of increased filling of capillaries. When pressing on the redness, it immediately turns pale for a while.
3. Rashes. The number of rashes and localization depends on the type of dermatitis. More often, rashes affect the skin surrounding the joints, face, scalp.
4. Thickening of the skin at the lesion sites, the formation of cracks and self-damage to the skin.
5. Peeling skin. It is caused by excessively dry skin and insufficiency of secreted sebaceous glands. Peeling is more often observed in chronic dermatitis.

Other symptoms of dermatitis are vague and meaningful only when determining a specific type.

Causes of Dermatitis

The main forms of dermatitis appear due to a combination of distant and close causes. Remote causes of dermatitis are due to their heredity, and close ones are provoked at the moment. Remote causes are divided into:

1. Genetic predisposition. The mechanisms of inheritance are practically not studied. In childhood, due to the presence of allergies in parents. Dermatitis in adults is not so clearly dependent on the presence of parents.
2. Acquired predisposition. According to statistics, half of all patients acquired sensitivity to dermatitis without the participation of genetic factors, that is, the parents of these people did not suffer from allergies and dermatitis. It is proved that this predisposition acquired during life is based on a background of defective immunity.
3. Physical disabilities, mental breakdown and adverse living conditions.
4. Transfer of any infectious diseases, most often in a chronic form.

Close causes of dermatitis are divided into:

1. The presence of chronic stress.
2. The entry into the blood of pathogenic microorganisms that adversely affect the skin.
3. Physical factors, such as hypothermia or high body temperature.

How to distinguish dermatitis from psoriasis?

Psoriasis and the disease dermatitis are primarily distinguished by symptoms, which determine the belonging to a particular disease. To know only that they are accompanied by rashes will not be enough. It is difficult to distinguish without knowledge of the following.

To determine psoriasis or dermatitis, it is first necessary to pay attention to the affected area. Psoriasis is locally distributed, and dermatitis is spread throughout the body. It is important to pay attention to the condition of the feet. If a lesion is detected there, then most likely it is dermatitis. Since the development of these diseases depends on the conditions and food intake, it is also worth noting in which part of the Earth you are. Dermatitis most often affects residents of Asian countries and America, and psoriasis - residents of Europe and the CIS countries. It is also worth determining the age group, since psoriasis often affects adults, and dermatitis - children. By visual signs, dermatitis is distinguished by its bulge.

If you have brittle nails, then this may be a sign of the onset of psoriasis. These two diseases are manifested by profuse hair loss, but if you notice signs of baldness, this may mean the presence of dermatitis.

Forms

Each type of disease has three forms of flow.

Acute - inflammation begins unexpectedly. The patient has a 40% damage to the epidermis. To establish the cause of occurrence is quite difficult. It is divided into three types:

1. Erythematous. At this stage, blood flows to the affected areas, which leads to redness and swelling.
2. Vesicular. At this stage, bubbles appear at the site of the lesion, which are then crusted or opened, and erosion pits or scars form in their place.
3. Necrotic. The last stage is characterized by the death of cells, scars and scars are formed.

Subacute - inflammation develops gradually. The first signs of dermatitis appear 7-10 days before the height of the disease. Provocateurs of a subacute state can be household chemicals, allergens, drugs, bacteria and fungi, biologically active components (urea, feces).

Chronic - the phases of remission and exacerbation stably alternate among themselves. The formation of a chronic form of pathology involved prolonged disregard for the symptoms of the disease, the lack of positive control by medical personnel, and self-medication. It is believed that the chronic form of dermatitis is the most severe, since its manifestations can adversely affect the patient’s health and vitality for a long time (especially for children from 0 to 5 years old).

Symptoms of chronic dermatitis in the remission stage are practically absent, and pronounced rashes and itching appear in the acute stage.

Traumatic dermatitis. It is provoked by radiation exposure, high temperature or chemical exposure to plants.

Kinds

Dermatitis, depending on its form, is divided into the following types:

• allergic dermatitis - develops after exposure to the skin of an allergen;
• simple dermatitis;
• contact dermatitis - inflammation of the skin that occurs as a result of direct contact with irritating substances;
• toxic dermatitis - inflammation of the skin caused by a reaction to toxins.

Dermatitis Classification

The classification is represented by 11 subspecies of pathology. The basis of each dermatitis and its types is the cause of the appearance, external manifestation and severity of exposure to the body:

1. Contact is the most common form of the disease that occurs when in direct contact with the pathogen. Most often, contact dermatitis provocateurs are synthetic fibers, animal hair, cosmetics and household chemicals, ointments and medicinal sprays, and ultraviolet radiation. Manifestations of CD are multiple rashes of a red color in the form of a rash or large itchy spots. When the source of irritation is removed, the patient's condition returns to normal.
2. Allergic - manifests itself after a certain amount of time. Accompany his cough, runny nose or lacrimation (in rare cases, heavy breathing - shortness of breath). The external manifestation of blood pressure is red scaly patches on the cheeks, around the mouth, on the elbow and knee bends. In infants, the abdomen, buttocks and groin are also affected.
3. Atopic dermatitis is a severe form of food allergy. Atopic dermatitis is manifested by severe lesions of the skin in the cheeks, mouth, back, neck, elbow and knee bends, buttocks, abdomen; the occurrence of dysbiosis, a violation of the defecation process. In addition, the phenomena of atopic dermatitis extend to the respiratory function of the patient, manifesting itself as the appearance of shortness of breath with the subsequent development of functional asthmatic pathology.
4. Seborrheic - occurs mainly in children. It is manifested by the formation of a dense scaly crust under the scalp on the head. The cause of this pathology is called a violation of metabolic functions with the inclusion of contact allergy factor.
5. Oral - a form of irritation that manifests itself exclusively in the form of redness of the skin around the mouth, on the nose, upper eyelid. This type of cosmetic defect occurs when using inappropriate (low-quality, expired) cosmetics, toothpaste (powder), cream with herbal components.
6. Infectious - there is a consequence of a viral infection: scarlet fever, measles, urticaria.
7. Fungal - is one of the most severe types of dermatitis, since the effect of a fungal infection on the body can lead to death or disability. A manifestation of HD is multiple purulent-gray rashes on the skin and mucous membranes. Pathology is treated in a hospital using antibiotics and bacteriophages.
8. Auricular - manifests itself in the form of constant peeling of the inner surface of the auricles. It occurs against the background of frostbite, the ingress of dirt and dust into the inner region of the ear.
9. Diaper - appears due to the effects of high humidity on the skin of the baby.
10. Urticaria is one of the varieties of infectious dermatitis, which is manifested by the appearance of red itchy blisters on the surface of the skin, resembling burns from contact with the leaves of the plant.
11. Cercariosis (itching bather) - appears when exposed to the skin of the larvae of parasite worms. Microorganisms living in the water, for some time, attach to the hairs on the body or get inside through the mouth gap, auricles, thereby causing a strong inflammatory process. The difference between this form of the disease is not only an external lesion of the skin, but also all the symptoms of a bacterial lesion: fever, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion, abdominal pain.

The way dermatitis looks at the initial stage also depends on its type.

Therapy

Creams intended for the treatment of dermatitis are divided into:

• Non-hormonal creams. Use at the initial stage of the development of the disease.

The following non-hormonal creams for dermatitis are distinguished:

1. Eplan is a cream used for various skin lesions. The action is expressed in the removal of puffiness and itching at the site of the lesion. The democratic price in the region of 150 rubles always finds a buyer.
2. "Bepanten" is a dermatitis remedy designed to treat dry skin, which protects the lesion from the penetration of other, more dangerous microbes.
3. "Exoderil" - an antifungal cream than smear dermatitis. Appointed at the stage when the type of pathogen is not clear.

• Hormonal creams. Use in an extreme case, if there is no effect of treatment with non-hormonal creams. This is due to the fact that they have many side effects on the body, up to and including renal failure.

The following hormonal creams are distinguished:

1. "Celestoderm" is a cream whose effectiveness has been proven in the treatment of any type of dermatitis.
2. "Advantan" is a hormonal cream used for various skin inflammations. Effective in the treatment of all types of dermatitis.

Folk methods

Dermatitis in adults and children of any type is quite difficult to treat. The duration of therapy with regular use of medications reaches 4 months, which the body may not like. Having studied the side effects of the so-called ointments for dermatitis, patients begin to look for sparing options for combating dermatitis from traditional medicine. Since with this disease, inflammation is localized directly on the skin itself, then any substance can get to it. And knowing that some herbs have pronounced anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, it will always be useful to try.

Plants

Most often, the following plants are used in the treatment of dermatitis:

1. Celandine. Regular application of celandine juice to the skin will reduce the activity of dermatitis within a week. If your skin is sensitive and you are afraid of damaging it, then this juice is best diluted with water.
2. A series of. Prepare a decoction from a string, insisting in boiling water. Apply it to the skin, and then cover with gauze. Repeat this procedure 3 times a day.
3. Periwinkle. Prepare a broth of periwinkle, first insisting in boiling water, and then languishing on low gas. This broth can be added portionwise to a liquid soap or bath before washing.
4. Sophora Japanese. Shredded fruits of the tree are insisted in boiling water, and then consumed.
5. Cornflower flowers. A decoction of cornflower flowers is an effective remedy for skin inflammation. Take orally after a meal.

Funds

The following remedies are used to treat dermatitis at home :

1. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic that is known for its antimicrobial properties. Use both separately and adding to skin care cosmetics.
2. Chatterbox is a folk remedy that consists of pharmacy drugs. Also sold under a different name in finished form. But the price of a self-made talker is an order of magnitude lower than the pharmacy. For preparation, tablets of chloramphenicol and aspirin are taken and calendula is added to the tincture.
3. Birch tar. When applied, there is an improvement in blood supply, which leads to the stimulation of rapid recovery. More often used in the form of compresses on the affected area of ​​the skin.

Dermatitis Diet

The diet consists of the following products:

1. All kinds of cereals boiled on the water. It is recommended to alternate cereals daily. It is better to use cereals with a lot of fiber.
2. Various vegetables, including steamed.
3. Low-fat meats that are boiled in water.
4. Fruits that do not cause allergies in the patient, with a large amount of vitamin B.
5. Cow or goat milk or other fermented milk products with a large number of probiotics.
6. Some varieties of fish that contain large amounts of omega-3 fats.
7. Teas of different varieties that are rich in antioxidants.
8. Freshly squeezed natural juices from fruits or vegetables.
9. Filtered or purchased purified water in an amount of about two liters.
10. Sunflower or olive oil.

The diet excludes foods that include hard fibers, as well as spicy or hot foods that will harm already damaged mucous membranes. Also exclude smoked meats and pickles, fast food, foods that contain a lot of sugar and simple carbohydrates, and fatty foods from the diet. Since the liver suffers with dermatitis, you should give it a rest, reducing the amount of fat.

The daily composition of the diet menu for dermatitis:

1. Breakfast consists of low-fat cottage cheese and tea.
2. Snack: eating an apple or pear.
3. Lunch consists of vegetable soup and a piece of chicken.
4. Snack: drinking a glass of kefir or milk.
5. Dinner consists of vegetable stew and low-fat fish.

We wish you good health!