This bacterial infection puts the patient's life at risk due to heat and fluid loss through the damaged skin. Herpes can spread via eczema patches to regions far beyond the limited areas to which it's usually confined. Other infections or overlapping diseases such as fungi, including athlete's foot, may develop in or under the eczema, resisting detection and treatment. Treatment The detection and elimination of possible underlying allergenic causes is the first step. For those who can correlate stress with the onset of symptoms, stress management techniques may be effective in limiting the severity of the reaction.
Experts caution that the disease has highly individual effects.
No one treatment works for all. The skin of eczema patients is almost always overly dry, failing to retain water. Showers or baths are followed by applying a grease or oil-containing substance to hold the water in. Acute flare-ups may demand hospitalization and total immersion in hydrating agents. Applied as creams or ointments, topical steroids can reduce inflammation and itching.