Dermatitis,
or eczema, is a skin condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
It has become an issue of public health concern, with its fast increasing
incidence in the post-industrialized world.
Dermatitis has a close link to the urban lifestyle and the modern environment
that has emerged after industrialization. Dermatitis is associated with
considerable psycho-social stress, stigma and trauma for the affected
individuals. Despite its common appearance and the significant negative
effects it has for those affected, most health care systems have very
little understanding of the problem. Creating greater awareness about
dermatitis can only be achieved with the active participation of dermatologists,
skin care professionals, patients and their friends and families. This
website hopes to give an added impetus to the process of educating people
about dermatitis.
Dermatitisfacts.com reviews topics according to the various broad categories
of dermatitis, which are:
- Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
- Allergic Contact Dermatitis
- Irritant Contact Dermatitis
- Other Types Of Dermatitis
The various types of dermatitis affect people of all ages. Each section
contains information about the clinical features of each type of dermatitis
which is important for a correct diagnosis of the condition. Moreover,
it goes into the details of differential diagnosis (other diseases that
can cause similar symptoms), so that every type of the disease can be
distinguished from the other as well as other underlying causes. Since
patch testing is the mainstay in the detection of allergy induced dermatitis,
there is also information about this procedure and its current trends.
The pathology and pathogenesis of the diseases are also discussed, apart
from insights into the causes of the different forms of dermatitis. Besides
its genetic association, dermatitis also has a link with our immunological
system and our interactions with our environment. This makes it necessary
for every patient to be made aware about immunological reactions in relation
to dermatitis. Since our skin comes in contact with various substances
in our environment we need to know how it is reacting to them. It is all
the more vital for dermatitis prone individuals to know how to avoid substances
that they might be sensitive to in their surroundings. The major allergens
(in our surroundings) that can cause dermatitis are also a part of this
discourse. Moreover, what we eat also has a major role to play in dermatitis.
This is another vital point that patients need to know about, in order
to be able to avoid the offending food items.
This apart, there are separate articles on various types of dermatitis,
such as dermatitis herpetiformis, psychological dermatitis, seborrheic
dermatitis, cercarial dermatitis (swimmer’s itch) and photodermatitis
(actinic dermatitis). Some other common eczema forms like shoe dermatitis,
cosmetic dermatitis, rubber latex allergy, herbal extract allergy and
fragrance allergy are also explained here. With the increasing use of
cosmetics, herbal products and personal care preparations, associated
dermatitis has seen an alarming rise (mainly among teenagers and children).
This website offers comprehensive details about how to read labels of
products and get information about their ingredients, so to avoid dermatitis
that may be caused by them.
Among the other characteristics of dermatitis, its psychological implication
is a major issue that needs to be analyzed with a dual approach. Firstly,
we have the issue of dermatitis caused by some underlying psychological
distress, which is often unknown and undetected. Secondly, the psychological
impact that dermatitis has on an individual also needs to be explored.
This website deals with these psychological aspects of dermatitis in a
separate article.
Since dermatitis is also a common syndrome during infancy and childhood,
the details have been dealt with in the relevant section. Since prevention
of eczema in children involves active avoidance of the triggering agents,
parents need to be well education about the condition, symptoms and the
causes.
Dermatitis can also occur in the elderly. The aged are often unaware
of the causes and the conditions or fail to seek medical attention. This
aggravates the dermatitis and often leads to complications. Nurses and
medical staff must also be trained about how to deal with dermatitis in
the elderly and children.
Treatment of dermatitis involves a two-pronged strategy of prevention
and medication. This website has various articles on the common, as well
as the specific, treatment methods for dermatitis. There is also a host
of information about the latest trends that mark the therapeutic advancement
in the field of dermatitis. Side effects and complications of medication
have also been discussed. How to deal with dermatitis in the pre-partum
and post-partum period in women has been given special attention.
