Eczema causes red, itchy, inflamed patches on the skin Adding bleach to the bath may be an effective treatment for chronic eczema, US researchers say. In a study of 31 children, there was significant improvement in eczema in those who had diluted bleach baths compared with normal baths. The Pediatrics study also showed improvements were only on parts of the body submerged in the bath. UK experts stressed the treatment could be extremely dangerous and should only be done under the care of a specialist. Children with bad eczema suffer from chronic skin infections, most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, which worsen the eczema that can be difficult to treat. Some children get resistant MRSA infections. Bleach used incorrectly could cause enormous harm to a child with atopic eczema while in the hands of an expert it can, as this trial indicates, lead to benefit Professor Mike Cork, Sheffield Children’s Hospital Studies have shown a direct correlation between the number of bacteria on the skin and the severity of the eczema. It has been shown that bacteria cause inflammation and further weaken the skin barrier. In the study, researchers randomly assigned patients who had infection with Staphylococcus aureus to baths with half a cup of sodium hypochlorite per full tub or normal water baths for five to 10 minutes twice a week for three months. They also prescribed a topical antibiotic ointment or dummy ointment for them to put into their nose – a key site for growth of the bacteria. Eczema severity in patients reduced five times as much as those on placebo. But there was no improvement in eczema on the head and neck – areas not submerged in the bath. Rapid improvement “We’ve long struggled with staphylococcal infections in patients with eczema,” said study leader Dr Amy Paller, from Northwestern University in Chicago. She added they saw such rapid improvement in the children having bleach baths that they stopped the study early. “The eczema kept getting better and better with the bleach baths and these baths prevented it from flaring again, which is an ongoing problem for these kids. “We presume the bleach has antibacterial properties and decreased the number of bacteria on the skin, which is one of the drivers of flares.” Professor Mike Cork, head of dermatology research and a consultant at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, said antiseptic baths had been used as a treatment for eczema for quite a while but the trial was important because it highlights the benefits from reducing bacteria. “But people should not start putting bleach in their children’s bath. “Bleach used incorrectly could cause enormous harm to a child with atopic eczema while, in the hands of an expert, it can as this trial indicates lead to benefit.” He added the trial highlighted the need for children with uncontrolled eczema to be referred to a specialist for treatment.

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Is There Really a Cure for Eczema One thing that many people are unsure about when they have some sort of problem or disease is whether or not there is a cure; especially when people have eczema When it comes to learning about eczema, many people are very relieved that there is indeed a cure for eczema; even though it is not a permanent cure Even though it is said that there is a cure for eczema, there are many different “t…..More on Eczema Pictures The Real Scoop on Dyshydrotic Eczema Dyshydrotic Eczema is a skin condition in the eczema family It can affect people from age 4 to 76, but it seems to more commonly affect men between the ages of 20 and 50, with the average age in the 30s The frequency of recurring flare-ups seems to decrease after middle age The cause may be unknown, but some doctors believe dyshydrotic eczema may be genetic or an inherited response to allergen…..More on Eczema Pictures Hand Eczema Is Just One Form Of Eczema Hand Eczema is a disorder of the skin also referred to as hand dermatitis Although it can occur at any age to anyone, it is often referred to as “housewifeand#39;s eczema” Hand eczema is a variety of skin rashes and irritations that develop on the hands from different causes and irritants Individuals that have hand eczema often have eczema or dermatitis somewhere else on their body and often have re…..More on Eczema Pictures Nummular Eczema- The Unknown Eczema There are different types of eczema The one that we hear about the most is atropic eczema or infant eczema This is a bothersome skin condition, but it is not life threatening There are other types of eczema, some not as well known One type of eczema that is still a mystery to many is Nummular Eczema Nummular eczema affects men more than woman, specifically after the age of 55 In rare cases…..More on Eczema Pictures Confuse Diaper Rash with Infant Eczema Infant eczema is a form of skin rash that affects babies from as young as 2 months of age until around 2 years of age Infant eczema usually starts on the forehead and cheeks, but it may spread to the arms, legs, belly or any part of their little body Unlike adult eczema, infant eczema usually disappears by the time they are 3 Some times, their baby eczema continues as they become children and …..More on Eczema Pictures Eczema Treatments May Vary By Person and Severity of Symptom If youand#39;ve been diagnosed with eczema, youand#39;re probably relieved to finally know what has been causing you all the discomfort and embarrassment Your doctor or dermatologist will first explain what type of eczema you have and then heand#39;ll go over eczema treatments with you The type of eczema treatments will depend on the type of eczema, your medical history and the severity of your symptoms The mai…..More on Eczema Pictures What Does Eczema Look Like In Different Case Eczema is a skin condition that can affect any part of the body depending on what type of eczema it is as well as the severity of the condition Many people arenand#39;t aware of what eczema is They may have dry skin and just assume that thatand#39;s all it is and that thereand#39;ve very little they can do about it If they were told they had eczema, they ask, “What does eczema look like” Once they seen photos …..More on Eczema Pictures What is Eczema Is a Common Question for Parent If you or your child has ever been diagnosed with eczema, your first question may have been, “what is eczema” This is a very common response when patients are told they or a family member has eczema Although eczema has been around for many years, may people still wonder exactly what is eczema Eczema is a skin condition that includes skin rashes and dryness along with redness, itching, flakin…..More on Eczema Pictures Pictures Of Eczema Can Educate You On This Skin Condition They say a picture is worth a thousand words If this is true, than everything should include pictures When weand#39;re dealing with health issues, pictures can be very helpful This is especially the case with pictures of eczema Eczema is a skin condition that consists of small itchy little bumps or blisters on your body The blisters can be scaly, oozing, brownish or thick In some cases, the blist…..More on Eczema Pictures Eczema, More Condition Symptoms to Watch For One of the biggest things to worry about when having eczema is whether or not you have to keep an eye open for other condition symptoms In fact, most often when people have eczema, more condition symptoms is what they will look for; 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Nerve cells play a key role in itching

Scientists have shown scratching helps relieve an itch as it blocks activity in some spinal cord nerve cells that transmit the sensation to the brain.

However, the effect only seems to occur during itchiness itself – scratching at other times makes no difference.

While it is widely-known scratching relieves an itch, the physiological mechanisms for how this works are little understood.

The University of Minnesota study appears in Nature Neuroscience.

We all know that scratching helps alleviate itch, but this elegant study helps to show how this mechanism works Professor Patrick Haggard University College London

Previous research has suggested that a specific part of the spinal cord – the spinothalamic tract – plays a key role.

Nerve cells in this area have been shown to be more active when itchy substances are applied to the skin.

Blocks activity

The latest work, in primates, found that scratching the skin blocks activity of nerve cells in the spinothalamic tract during itchiness – preventing the spinal cord from transmitting signals from the scratched area of skin to the brain.

ITCHING There are many causes of itch, including more than 50 diseases including shingles, Aids, gallbladder problems and Hodgkin’s Disease The itch produced by many diseases can greatly affect quality of life and can not be treated currently For many types of itch, it is not clear that itch serves any clear purpose

Researcher Dr Glenn Giesler hopes the work could lead to ways to relieve chronic itch effectively for the first time. However, he said more information was still needed about the chemistry underpinning the effect.

Professor Gil Yosipovitch, an expert on itching from Wake Forest University in North Carolina, said the finding was “potentially significant”.

He said: “Although there is a long way to go, methods that can induce a pleasurable scratch sensation without damaging the skin, via mechanical stimuli or drugs that can inhibit these neurons, could be developed to treat chronic itch.”

However, Professor Yosipovitch stressed that scratching and itching were complex phenomena involving factors such as emotions as well as physiology.

“The main open question is what happens in patients who suffer from chronic itch where scratching may actually aggravate itch perception.”

Professor Patrick Haggard, of University College London, said: “We all know that scratching helps alleviate itch, but this elegant study helps to show how this mechanism works.

“It’s an interesting illustration of a very general principle of the brain controlling its own inputs, in this case by making movements that triggers an interaction between scratchy touch and itch.”

Dr Paul Bays, based at UCL’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, agreed that the study provided an important part of a physiological explanation for how the sensation of itch is reduced.

“However, it is still unclear why scratching should have this effect, or why it is only effective for itches and not for painful sensations – which are transmitted to the brain through the same pathway.”

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A clinical trial was halted when it was found that patients who use a cream containing tretonoin – a retinoid used for treating acne and other skin conditions – had a higher chance of dying, compared to patients who used a placebo, according to an article in Archives of Dermatology. However, evidence does not seem to suggest that the therapy caused the extra deaths.

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According to Archives of Dermatology, psoriasis patients receive valuable educational, psychological and social support from online support communities. Archives of Dermatology is a JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) journal. The article explains that about 0.6% to 4.8% of the world’s population is currently affected by psoriasis.