Eczema in Infants: A Problematic But Common Spread Condition
Put three Australian infants in a room, and chances are, one in three of them have suffered from – or will suffer from – eczema.
In a nutshell, eczema refers to chronic skin conditions caused by inflammation. The most common form of eczema is Atopic Dermatitis (AD) – this refers to inflammation of the skin due to hereditary allergies (which may also result in asthma and hay fever).
According to statistics from the University of Melbourne, Australia is one of the most susceptible nations to eczema. Eczema affects between 10 to 15 percent of Australia’s population in general; infants, specifically, have a 38.5% likelihood of suffering from eczema. This begs the question – what causes eczema, and why does it occur?
Unfortunately, it’s pretty much impossible to pin down your infant’s eczema to one specific factor – but what we do know is that it’s caused by a combination of genes and environmental factors. Firstly, infants with eczema tend to have dry skin which is prone to irritation and itching. When exposed to allergens in the environment, this dry skin breaks out in a rash, and when your infant scratches himself or herself – which is bound to happen – this makes it even harder for his or her skin to heal.
There are several things that parents can do to prevent and treat eczema; these include moisturising their infants’ skin, avoiding skin irritants (such as scented lotions), and avoiding allergic triggers (such as dust and mould). However, the one most important thing to do when it comes to infant eczema is to control the itching – unless you do this, your infant will continue scratching, causing his or her skin to be even more inflamed and itchy. This is a downward spiral – one that you need to ward off at all costs.
So how do you control itching? the most common choice is a topical steroid cortisone cream, which is typically seen as the “gold standard” in minimizing eczema-related itching.
A word of caution, though – these cortisone creams can result in side effects, especially if they’re used over a prolonged period of time. Side effects include thinning of skin and stretch marks forming; generally speaking, due to the potential risks, these aren’t the best option for children under the age of two.
Most people have antimicrobial defences within their skin which can prevent harmful microbes from attacking skin cells. People suffering from atopic dermatitis, on the other hand, either don’t have these defences or they are impaired. For this reason the harmful bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, amongst others, resides on the skin of 90% of eczema sufferers which disturbs the immune system of the skin. The skin is the body’s natural barrier to allergens and when harmed, these allergens can enter the body causing, amongst others, eczema and skin irritations.
Under these circumstances, you’ll need a product which specifically targets the bacteria in your infant’s eczema, and stops it from aggravating his or her condition. A highly recommended option is Dexem Repair Cream, which is clinically proven to relieve the symptoms of eczema and irritated skin by blocking harmful bacteria.
How does Dexem Repair Cream work? It contains a patented bio-active 2QR complex, which binds to harmful bacteria and neutralises them. Under extensive clinical trials, Dexem Repair Cream performed well on the Eczema Areal and Severity Index (SCORAD) index, with application of Dexem Repair Cream resulting in a 75% improvement in eczema conditions.
Other than having its patented 2QR complex neutralize bacteria, Dexem Repair Cream also acts to normalize the pH of your infant’s skin – this forms as a protective barrier that will shield your infant from bacterial overgrowth. Needless to say, Dexem also relieves itch and redness; it’s also completely steroid free – so you can use it on your infant with peace of mind, knowing that it won’t cause any side effects or irregularities further down the road.
Dexem Repair Cream is highly recommended by pharmacists across Australia due to its efficacy in treating eczema in infants and children. For more information about Dexem Repair Cream, visit http://www.dexemrepair.com.au/.