What is eczema? What is the long term prognosis for eczema? Eczema is a somewhat common, non-infectious, and chronic skin condition? Over time, it causes increasingly rough and itchy skin.
Though eczema primarily affects children, adults are also at risk. It is primarily characterized by being inflammatory and causing very itchy rashes. In the majority of cases, eczema shows signs of improvement over the years provided that diligence and appropriate countermeasures have been put into place. Hence, the importance of understanding the long term prognosis for eczema.
Long Term Prognosis for Eczema: Symptoms To Watch Out For
The symptoms of eczema, especially when considering the long term prognosis for eczema, include changes in the affected areas of the skin. Affected areas turn red and become itchy.
Over the course of time, the skin may further deteriorate, becoming cracked, dry, and thickened. Eczema may reach a stage wherein the skin’s structure changes, leading to the skin roughening, coupled with the escalation of the itching symptom.
It is worth noting that as symptoms become more observable, they simultaneously become more difficult to treat.
Long term prognosis for Eczema
A majority of children afflicted with eczema will be able to outgrow the condition or at least experience significant improvement by the time they reach puberty. For people affected by eczema as adults, the disease may become chronic and recurrent, if left untreated and unchecked.
The disease may generally be well handled if good skin care, treatment, and proper communication with a medical professional is maintained consistently. However, symptoms may flare up throughout a person’s life, at random points in time.
Eczema may arise at different periods in one’s life. It may stick with some people from infancy through adulthood, and may last their whole lives. For other people, it may surface from their teenage years and subside by the time they become young adults.
Another important factor for fully digesting the long term prognosis for eczema is to understand that the disease may become chronic and recurrent. There are currently no cures for eczema. However, treatments that have been tailored to combat the symptoms of eczema have been very effective and are proven to drastically improve the quality of life of patients with this chronic disease.
Prevention of Eczema
Prevention of Eczema is difficult as the risk of developing the condition rests mostly on hereditary factors. However, for people who already have eczema, prevention of flares is entirely possible.
Studies have shown but have not been able to conclusively prove that breastfeeding lowers the risk of eczema for infants. Following this, the World Health Organization, back in 2011, recommended mothers to fully breastfeed their children to lower the risk of developing atopic dermatitis or eczema. Maintaining a good skin care routine with mild cleansers and fragrance-free moisturizer early in life has also been found to lessen the chances of developing eczema or making it less severe.
It is also worth noting that the causes of eczema have not been fully explored due to the fact that so many factors are involved.
Key Takeaway
In conclusion, the long term prognosis for eczema is that a patient may have to manage it throughout their lives. Eczema cannot be fully prevented, nor can it be cured. However, eczema is completely manageable provided that patients take proper action.
Learn more about Dermatitis here.
