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Eczema is a prevalent skin condition. It is a long-lasting disease that affects young children and adults. High redness and itchiness are symptoms of eczema. The most vulnerable parts of the body that can be affected by this rash include the folds inside the elbow or behind the knee, face, neck, arms, hands, legs, and feet. Eczema can be acute or chronic. Chronic eczema usually impacts the skin for a long time. Before understanding the signs of severe eczema, let’s know what the reasons that lead acute eczema to severe eczema are:
Causes of severe eczema:
- Allergies:
Allergies are the leading cause of severe eczema. Food allergies, environmental allergies, or even medications can lead to severe eczema. Hormonal changes also affect children’s skin problems that can lead to severe eczema.
2 . Dry skin:
Dry skin is another reason behind severe eczema. Having dry skin increases your risk of developing an inflammatory reaction on your body parts. The eczema becomes worse due to the lack of moisture in the skin, making it scaly and red, visible signs of this condition.
3 . Fluctuating temperature & humidity levels:Â
Fluctuating temperature and humidity levels throughout the year can make you more susceptible to having severe eczema. Skin becomes too dry during winters or gets excessively sweaty in summers, resulting in eczema breakout.
4 . Stress:Â
Stress is also the primary reason for developing severe eczema on the face, neck, arms, hands, legs, and feet. When you are stressed out, your cortisol levels increase, which leads to skin problems like eczema.
5 . Genetics:Â
Genetics plays a vital role in determining the type of skin one has. Suppose there is a family history of any skin allergy. In that case, you will be more likely to develop severe eczema than others who don’t have this genetic factor playing on their body.
However, if you know what to look for and how to treat the condition, you will start feeling better in no time. Here is a list of 10 signs that may indicate that you have severe eczema:
- Extreme Itchiness
The first sign of eczema is intense itchiness which gets worse at night. This itchiness can lead to sleep deprivation since scratching makes matters even worse and may cause wounds or scars on your skin. Grind also puts pressure on the skin’s surface, which worsens the rash and intensifies the itching sensation even more than it already does.
- Cracks on The Skin
Another indication that you need medical attention for your severe eczema is the appearance of cracks on the surface of your skin. This is a result of the skin being scaly and having dry patches. Severe eczema can also cause your skin to get easily bruised or bleed from very slight injuries on the surface of your skin.
- Swollen Red Rashes
Swollen red rashes are another sign that your skin might be suffering from severe eczema, which means you need to seek medical attention ASAP if this is worrying you. The swollen red rashes will eventually lead to fluid-filled pockets within the epidermis layer of your skin, causing intense pain while walking or trying to get some relief by touching any other area of your skin.
- Flaky Skin
One of the earliest signs that you may be suffering from severe eczema is flaky and itchy skin. Your skin’s dry patches will worsen during winters because your body lacks humidity levels to keep the epidermis layer moist. Since the dry patches are very itchy, this makes it difficult for you to fall asleep at night or even rest peacefully during the daytime since these areas itch way too much than other parts of your body.
- Oozing or crusting of the skin
Oozing and crusting of the skin is a classic sign that you may be suffering from severe eczema. The oozing indicates that there may be a bacterial or viral infection on your skin, and the crusting means that your skin is scabbed and in the process of healing. However, both these conditions can cause extreme itchiness and pain, indicating that you need to see a dermatologist as soon as possible. The oozing and crusting occur due to your skin not retaining moisture, leading to blisters all over your skin, eventually drying up.
- Worsening Of Eczema During Winter
Another one of the early signs that you may be suffering from severe eczema is worsening of your symptoms during wintertime when the air has high humidity levels, which makes it difficult for your body to maintain its moisture balance. During these times, most people show signs of eczema and need to take special care of their skin whenever they step out into the cold weather.
- Sleeplessness due to severe itching
When you suffer from a severe case of eczema, at times, the itchiness in your skin makes it difficult for you to fall asleep or even rest during the daytime. You feel restless and want to find some relief from the scratching that will only make things worse in the long run.
- Presence Of dark spots on your skin
One of the more complex signs associated with having severe eczema is dark spots on your body. These dark spots are called hyperpigmentation. They appear when your body tries to heal itself by increasing its melanin levels which get darker than your original skin color and may gradually become permanent if not treated properly.
- Dry Itchy Scalp
Another common symptom of having severe eczema has a dehydrated and itchy scalp which may become so irritating that you can’t resist scratching it. This will only make matters worse since the dry patches on your scalp increase the amount of itching happening within these areas, not to mention making them prone to bruises or bleeding if scratched hard enough. It would help if you saw a dermatologist as soon as possible to cure the problem once and for all.
- Leathery Skin
Finally, one of the more obvious signs that you may be suffering from severe eczema is having leathery skin. The top layer of your skin becomes dry and itchy over time, making it seem like your skin is thicker than usual. But this isn’t true since the epidermis underneath has become very thin and dry because of all the scratching you’ve been doing to relieve yourself from itching. This scenario calls for immediate medical attention to get rid of these dark patches once and for all.
And yes, if not treated properly, severe eczema can lead even further into complications such as bacterial infections or other dermatological diseases. And while there are several creams available nowadays for treating itchiness associated with any eczema, they don’t always help the situation since they only offer temporary relief that fades away with time. And having to use creams on your body for an extended amount of time can have some harmful side effects as well, so it’s best to visit a dermatologist to get rid of this skin condition once and for all. This isn’t something you should ignore since there are several other signs associated with suffering from severe eczema, which, if not caught early, can have severe consequences down the road.
How to prevent eczema from getting severe?
You can prevent eczema from getting severe by understanding the lifestyle changes you need to make to get rid of it completely.
- Keep your skin moisturized at all times
One of the most important things you need to keep in mind when suffering from severe eczema is keeping your skin moisturized at all times. This means taking a bath in warm water, which will open up your pores and make it easier for moisture to soak into the deeper layers of your skin to prevent itching, dry patches, and rashes from appearing on the surface. You can also enhance this process by adding colloidal oatmeal or baking soda into the water before taking a bath. These ingredients are rich in anti-itch properties that reduce inflammation when applied topically.
2 Don’t scratch itchy spots
When suffering from any itchiness associated with eczema, don’t scratch the affected area since this will only aggravate your symptoms and make it harder for you to get rid of severe eczema once and for all. You need to resist the urge to scratch itchy spots because this will lead to inflammation, rashes, dark patches forming under the skin surface, and even bleeding in some cases if scratched too hard.
- Wear clean clothes when going out
Another reason why people suffer from different kinds of dermatological conditions such as severe eczema is due to wearing dirty clothes that carry an abundance of harmful microorganisms, which can cause infections when they’re left untreated. That’s why one of the best ways to prevent severe eczema from getting worse is by wearing clean clothes that are sterilized and free from any harmful microorganisms.
- Exercise in moderation
It’s also important that you don’t exercise excessively since this can worsen your condition by triggering the release of stress hormones into the body, which will only make things much harder for you when it comes to recovering from severe cases of eczema such as xerosis and atopic dermatitis. That’s why when exercising, be sure to do so in moderation and not more than what is required for maintaining good health overall.
- Avoid Stress at all costs
Stress is one of the worst triggers that lead people to get worse cases of different kinds of skin conditions such as psoriasis and even severe forms of eczema such as xerosis. Avoiding stress at all costs is necessary for preventing eczema-related problems from getting worse, so make sure you utilize techniques for relaxing your mind and body before it’s too late.
- Stay away from allergens
Besides bacteria, people suffer from severe forms of dermatological conditions such as eczema due to allergy triggers that can worsen the condition drastically if consumed or come into contact with the skin surface itself. That’s why you must stay away from any potential allergens, whether they’re foods or items that trigger an allergic reaction when used, since this will help ease the symptoms associated with severe forms of eczema over time by minimizing the likelihood of triggering an allergic reaction.
- Avoid hot water bath
A hot water bath may seem like an excellent way to get rid of itchy spots associated with eczema, especially if the itchiness is unbearable at times. However, taking hot water baths can aggravate rather than improve your condition since this will open up the pores, which will make it easier for allergens to penetrate your body and cause inflammation in some cases.
- Moisturize your skin
As already mentioned, you must moisturize your skin regularly after taking a shower, especially if you have severe forms of eczema such as xerosis and atopic dermatitis. This will keep the moisture locked inside the deeper layers of your skin, thereby preventing rashes from forming on the surface or any parts of your body that are prone to having patches of dry skin.
- Apply natural oils
If you’re suffering from dehydrated skin, applying natural oils such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, almond oil, and grapeseed oil onto affected areas should be sufficient enough for making things better since these ingredients are rich in nutrients which will make it easier for your skin to get back into good condition.
- Homeopathic treatment for eczema
Homeopathic treatment for eczema is another excellent option for people suffering from different kinds of dermatological conditions, especially if the conventional options aren’t working for you at all. Homeopathic treatment isn’t costly, so it’s worth a try to get rid of eczema completely.
The best way to prevent severe cases of eczema from developing is by taking preventive measures before it’s too late. That’s why you must follow the simple guidelines listed above to achieve maximum results without running into any side effects or further complications along the way. Remember that prevention is always better than cure, so implementing these guidelines into your daily routine will immediately impact reducing the severity of eczema over time, resulting in rapid recovery within a short span. You can book an appointment with a skin doctor or homeopathy doctor for eczema treatment through OHO Homeopathy!