Dermatitis is an inflammatory reaction of the skin to irritants. They can be both external and internal negative factors. Inflammation manifests itself in the form of pain, swelling, redness, fever and, as a result, impaired epidermal function. Due to the appearance of dermatitis, the basic functions of the human skin suffer, namely: oxygen absorption and carbon dioxide emission, sweat evaporation, protection and immunity, receptor sensitivity.
Types of Dermatitis
Dermatitis is different, doctors classify it like this:
- atopic;
- seborrheic;
- diaper;
- contact (allergic);
- irritable (simple, contact);
- unspecified;
- exfoliative;
- pruritus and simple chronic lichen;
- caused by substances taken from the outside.
Reasons for the appearance
In the medical concept, the causes are divided into two types - conditional and general. Common ones include skin structure, lack of vitamins, diet, non-observance of personal hygiene rules and adverse living conditions (or work), nervous exhaustion and constant stress. Conventional types: chemical, mechanical, biological, physical and allergens.
Symptoms of Dermatitis
Regardless of the origin and type of dermatitis, they are united by several symptoms: changes in the skin and pathological sensations in the form of itching, pain and burning. The most terrible type of dermatitis is necrotic, in which the necrosis of skin cells and the appearance of a scar occur. The chronic course of the disease is characterized by constant redness, excessive dryness and thickening of the skin.
Chronic dermatitis Photo
What does this disease mean? After the allergen enters the body, a person begins the first stage - acute, with itching and vesicles. After it comes the second - subacute, in which crusts begin to appear and skin flakes peel off. If help is not provided to the patient, then the third stage occurs - chronic, with a thickening and dark pink skin color. Consider the types of chronic dermatitis:
- Contact. This type of dermatitis is very similar to a burn. It arises from contact with an irritant. It can be plant juice, medicines, paints, glue, alcohol cosmetics, detergents, latex, metal products, fabric, sun rays and more.
- Chronic seborrheic dermatitis. It occurs in places with hair follicles, clogs the sebaceous glands. This type of dermatitis is especially susceptible to infants, men and adolescents during puberty. According to statistics, from three to five percent of people in the world suffer from seborrheic dermatitis. One of the most unpleasant and problematic diseases is seborrheic dermatitis of the skin of the face. This type causes a lot of inconvenience to both women and men. Women suffer from the fact that they can’t hide their ailment under a layer of decorative cosmetics, and men cannot shave normally - each procedure is accompanied by “terrible” irritation and itching.
- Chronic allergic dermatitis. Represents skin inflammation, which manifests itself as a reaction to a specific substance that enters the bloodstream. Allergens include animal hair, dust, plant pollen, food, medicines, aromatic fragrances, toxins in the human body. Toxins can form due to hormonal failure or a serious disease of the internal organs.
Dermatitis on the face. The risks
Chronic dermatitis on the face (perioral) can occur as a reaction to cosmetics or medicinal ointments. It is dangerous in that the first symptoms may look like ordinary pimples, and no one attaches special importance to them. And these rashes very quickly spread across the face, and getting rid of them will be problematic. In addition to unpleasant sensations, there is a risk of a serious cosmetic defect.
Diaper
Chronic atopic dermatitis in infants very often appears on the pope. The most important feature of the skin with atopic dermatitis is constant dryness. If you do not regularly moisten the child’s body with emollients (special means), then irritation, itching, and in especially advanced cases, even cracking may appear. If you began to notice that after applying the usual baby skin care products, it becomes very dry quickly and the child is anxious, then be sure to contact a pediatrician and dermatologist.
Diagnosis of dermatitis
The speed and effectiveness of therapy depends on the correct diagnosis. It is very important to correctly assess the extent of skin damage, which is often very difficult for the attending physician, since you need to find the exact causes of its occurrence and exacerbation. The main role in the diagnosis is assigned to the allergist, because only he will be able to figure out (in the course of research) which group of allergens causes atopic dermatitis.
Exacerbation of dermatitis
Exacerbation usually occurs in the autumn and spring. This is primarily due to the onset of the heating season and, therefore, the dryness of the air in the room. In addition, contact with allergens has a very large effect: pollen from flowering plants, woolen fabrics, and synthetic fibers of clothing. During an exacerbation, it is important to monitor nutrition, to avoid new rashes. Try not to eat citrus fruits, berries, sweets and exotic fruits. Reduce consumption of spicy and salty foods. You need to be very careful about your health: do not overheat and do not get too cold, treat viral diseases and colds on time, in order to avoid a decrease in immunity. Before buying skin care products and decorative cosmetics, you must carefully familiarize yourself with the composition - cosmetics must be hypoallergenic.
How to cure dermatitis diet
Before you begin to treat chronic dermatitis, you need to adjust your lifestyle and habits. Namely: to improve housing conditions, to stop smoking and alcohol - even this will help significantly reduce the risk of exacerbation.
With dermatitis, you must adhere to a hypoallergenic diet, which includes the following products: dietary meat (rabbit, chicken, turkey, veal), river fish, beef liver and tongue, low-calorie dairy products, cereals (buckwheat, barley, millet, oats, rice and eggs), sunflower and butter, vegetables (zucchini, cabbage, potatoes, spinach and cucumbers), berries (black currants, gooseberries), green apples and pears, tea without additives, dried fruit compote. If you follow this diet, rashes will not spread to healthy areas of the skin.
Medication for chronic dermatitis
Important! Treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor - a dermatologist or an allergist. For the treatment of this disease, there are oral agents that need to be combined with ointments:
- Corticosteroids: ointments and creams such as "Pimafukort" and "Gyoksizon".
- Antiseptics: Chloramphenicol, Erythromycin or Chlorhexidine.
- Anti-inflammatory: based on naphthalan (creams, gels, shampoos).
- Vitamins of group B.
- Antihistamines: Cetirizine, Suprastin and Diphenhydramine.
- Sorbents (oral): Phosphalugel, Enterosgel and Polysorb.
- In severe forms, glucocorticoids such as "Prednisone" or "Hydrocortisone" are prescribed.
Alternative treatment
Alternative medicine offers many prescriptions for treating chronic dermatitis. It should be remembered that alternative treatment will not save you from the cause of the disease, but can only relieve symptoms and alleviate the condition.
Tar has established itself as a very effective treatment for dermatitis, even in severe forms. Apply it to affected areas of the skin during an exacerbation. Most well tolerate this procedure, so it is recommended even for chronic dermatitis in children. After applying tar, the patient feels a sharp relief, the itching stops. Wash off with warm water fifteen minutes after application. It is better to start tar treatment with a mixture (1 part of tar + 2 parts of water), with each procedure increasing the concentration and bringing to a pure substance. As soon as the exacerbation begins to subside, the tar is again diluted with water and applied until complete recovery.
There is also a healing ointment that helps prevent the appearance of dermatitis. As soon as the skin begins to dry and become inflamed, prepare the ointment and apply in the evening. Wash off with warm water in the morning. Ingredients: one teaspoon of fresh milk + one dessert spoon of glycerin + half a dessert spoon of rice starch. Mix thoroughly and immediately apply to affected areas.
Children (especially infants) are very difficult to tolerate dermatitis. To alleviate their condition, take care in advance and prepare a miracle oil. Chop the flowers and leaves of hypericum (thirty grams) and pour a glass of olive oil into a dark bottle. Clean in a warm and dark place, shake daily. In a week you will have an excellent emollient and healing oil for the baby’s dry skin.
To treat dermatitis from the inside, prepare an infusion that will help fight the disease from the inside. Take in equal parts: currant bark, string, chamomile, licorice and red viburnum bark. Grind and pour into a sealed container. Take one teaspoon of the mixture daily, pour a glass of boiling water, and after an hour, the infusion is ready. Eat fifty grams four times a day.
Thanks to folk remedies, it becomes easier and easier to treat chronic atopic dermatitis. Of course, this does not mean that drug treatment is worse - a doctor’s consultation is mandatory for this disease! The perfect union in the fight for healthy skin: nature + science + common sense.
How to avoid the appearance of dermatitis
Recently, chronic dermatitis has become a very common disease, akin to an epidemic. But dermatitis is not transmitted by contact of people - only by inheritance. If one of the parents is susceptible to this ailment, then the probability that this disease will be transmitted to the child is fifty percent. And if both mom and dad are chronic allergies, then the likelihood increases to eighty. To avoid this ailment as long as possible, they propose an algorithm, following which gives a chance to avoid the fate of parents:
- Timely treatment of diseases of internal organs.
- Refuse bad habits, normalize sleep and rest.
- Observe personal hygiene.
- Try to avoid stressful situations.
- Eat regularly and properly.
- Use sunscreen, dress seasonally in natural fabrics.