Article: Topical corticosteroids can come in a cream, lotion or ointment and are applied when you're experiencing an eczema flare-up. This medication can help reduce inflammation and irritation, and relieve the itching. Hydrocortisone products are available as over-the-counter medications and are often used by people without eczema to reduce the symptoms of insect bites, poison ivy, and allergic reactions on the skin. They are usually quite mild and may not work for all levels of eczema. There are many side effects to using topical corticosteroids that should be discussed with your doctor before starting a treatment plan. Do not use steroid creams for too long as overuse of this medication can cause skin irritation and discoloration. Prescription-strength systemic corticosteroids are also available from your doctor to help reduce inflammation and relieve itching. Systemic corticosteroids are taken internally, but have more severe side effects than topical options. Antihistamines are over-the-counter allergy medications that can come in pill and liquid form. Their main purpose is to help reduce the symptoms of allergies like hay fever and are mainly used by people who have seasonal allergies. But they can also help relieve the itchiness of eczema breakouts. Some antihistamines, like Benadryl, can make you drowsy. This may be helpful if you hare having trouble sleeping due the itchiness of your eczema. Phototherapy is a treatment for eczema (and other skin conditions) using light. Eczema treatments are usually done with narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) light. Phototherapy has been known to reduce itchiness and inflammation, increase the production of vitamin D, and can even provide some antibacterial benefits. Phototherapy is normally used if topical treatments haven't been helpful, and works on about 60 70% of patients who have tried it. Phototherapy can take up to one to two months you experience an improvement in your symptoms. Risks include premature skin aging and predisposition to skin cancer due to UVB exposure. Psychodermatology is the treatment of skin diseases using psychological techniques. Such techniques include: relaxation, biofeedback, hypnosis and meditation. Since many skin conditions can be brought on by things like stress, being able to control your mind can actually have a positive impact on your eczema. Counseling may also be helpful for those who feel self-conscious when suffering flare-ups. The intricate details behind what causes eczema are not known. But what is known is that the person's immune system appears to be attacking itself, which is what causes the rashes, irritation and inflammation. In order to stop these symptoms from occurring, one possible method to employ is immunosuppressants, which literally suppress the immune system and its associated reactions. Because an immunosuppressant is causing your immune system not to function at full capacity, there can be some serious negative side effects. As such, most doctors and patients tend to use this as a last resort option for severe and chronic eczema. The itchiness caused by eczema can eventually lead you to scratch so much that you break the skin. And unfortunately when you break the skin, you increase your risk of infection. If one or more sites of eczema on your body have become infected, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics to help clear up the infection. Speak to your doctor about what topical treatments you can use on an infected area before applying anything.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Apply topical corticosteroids. Take antihistamines. Ask your dermatologist about phototherapy. Consider psychodermatology. Use immunosuppressants. Take oral antibiotics.