Below are some results of the Eczema.com.au survey.

Who suffers from a skin condition?

• 46% of respondents have children affected by a skin condition
• 43% of respondents said the skin condition affects themselves
• 11% of the respondents say other relations were effected

What condition do you or they have?

• 76% Eczema
• 22% Psoriasis
• 13%  Dermatitis

The conditions affected 53% female & 47% male.

When is the skin condition at its worst?

The most common responses were:

• Heat
• Stressed
• Certain Foods
• At night

What part of the body is most affected by the condition?

The most common responses were:

• Legs
• Arms
• Behind knees
• Face
• Elbow creases

Respondents suggested they would like to know more about:

• Available treatments
• Causes
• Food & Diet
• Household Triggers
• New Findings
• Environmental Trigger
• Emotional Triggers
• Self-help Techniques
• Home Remedies

We’ll be using this data to provide you with information that you have told us you want to know more about.  It’s that simple.  You’ll find the News Flash Newsletters will have more relevant and useful information that will help you manage and control your condition.

We’ll be starting with content such as ‘Available Treatments’ and will be working our way through researching and redeveloping informative articles to help answer your questions or concerns about your condition.

Thanks again for taking the time to complete the survey.  We have announced the winner of the $50 voucher in the January 28th edition of the Eczema News Flash.

Psoriasis affects almost 20 million people world wide however it is believed that 45% or 8 million of these people are undiagnosed.  Furthermore, public awareness of this chronic skin condition remains remarkably low.

New biologic treatments and their marketing campaigns are helping to bring the condition into the public eye.  However, it is simply not enough to reach the millions of people who would benefit from knowing about this condition.

A non-profit patient advocacy group in the US known as Psoriasis Cure Now! has decided to increase public awareness, starting with the members of Congress.

“The psoriasis community is trying to break into Congress for the first time in recent memory, using Web tools to have psoriasis patients write their lawmakers. We are forcing every congressional office, for the first time in years, to figure out what psoriasis is and how to respond to constituents writing in about it,” said Michael Paranzino a spokesperson for Psoriasis Cure Now!

Psoriasis Cure now! Is a very active group within the United States.  Several weeks ago the group urged a joint hearing of two Food and Drug Administration Advisory Committees to approve the use of some prescription only steroidal treatments to be made accessible as over the counter treatments.

Topical steroids in the form of creams and ointments are a popular form of treatment for many sufferers of psoriasis.  Having the treatment available over the counter would make the drug more convenient and less expensive than it currently is.

“ While we believe additional steroids should be available OTC, we urge the FDA to weight carefully how best to educate parents who face difficult choices about how, and how aggressively, to treat psoriasis in their children,” Paranzino added.  “Topical steroids play a role in treating many children with psoriasis, but there are non-steroid alternatives that should also be considered.”

The group are also active in pushing for funding to help in the ever increasing costs of research.  They have recently pushed for the National Institutes of Health to increase psoriasis research funding which has remained stagnant for a full decade.

Active groups fighting for the better of any condition are everywhere.  They are often what is required to keep the condition in the public eye and to keep research and treatments progressing forward rather than stagnating.  These groups are doing what we as individuals are unable to do.

Psoriasis Cure Now! Is striving to increase public awareness of psoriasis and to have the best treatments available for its sufferers.  Good Luck to them!

It’s summer and my children are keen sports.  Unfortunately though, eczema and sport do not go together.  Sport can cause you to overheat, which can make your eczema symptoms worse.  This is not only embarrassing, but uncomfortable.

Sport is however an important part of our lives, especially when we are children.  The health and social aspects are vital.  It is therefore important not to avoid sport if you have eczema, but to take extra care.

If possible play your sport during the cooler part of the day and wear cotton rather than synthetic sports clothes.  Take time out after the your sport to shower and wash off the sweat and most importantly always remember to remoisturise after exercising or playing sport.

•    Avoid exfoliating treatments as they may irritate the skin.
•    Use cotton lined water proof gloves when immersing your hands in water.
•    Wear plain cotton gloves when doing household chores like dusting and cleaning.
•    Shower or bath in lukewarm water rather than hot water.
•    Avoid vigorous drying after showering.  Dabbing with a soft towel is best.
•    Wear cotton clothing in preference to synthetic or woolen’s as these will irritate the skin.
•    Avoid tight restricting clothes which will make your skin hot and sweaty.
•    Wash new clothing before wearing to remove irritating dyes.
•    Do not allow your body to over heat and sweat.
•    Avoid central heating which will dry out the air and lead to dry skin.
•    Avoid extreme cold conditions which will also irritate the skin.
•    Avoid personal conditions which are known to trigger your eczema.
•    Avoid cosmetics and perfumes.
•    Avoid prolonged submersion in water as this will strip the skin of its natural oils.
•    Look for skin care products which are marked hypoallergenic.

Just like when they were a child the teenager with eczema must be selective about the activities they choose.  This is especially so when it comes to selecting a career.

The aim is to avoid a career that may expose you to irritants that may exacerbate your condition.  Even if you have grown out of your eczema you may still suffer dry skin and will still be susceptible to an outbreak of the condition if exposed to irritants on a regular basis.

The most common work related eczema is irritant dermatitis of the hands.  This is frequently the result of repeated contact with chemicals or prolonged submersion of the hands in water.

The careers most commonly causing a problem for eczema sufferers are hairdressing, motor mechanic, nursing, catering or in the building industry.  Cotton lined gloves will help control the condition but a complete avoidance of the irritating substance is best.

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition characterised by thick, red areas of skin covered by silvery scales or flakes.

Moisture decreases itching

Regularly moisturising the skin will help to reduce the itching and inflammation associated with psoriasis.  This in turn will help to minimise the severity of the condition and make it easier to live with.

Moisture increases flexibility

The skin remains more flexible when moisturised regularly.  Well-moisturised skin is less likely to become cracked.  Cracked skin is not only painful but also prone to infection.  Once an infection develops on the already tender skin the pain and discomfort will increase and the skin will become more difficult to care for.

The secret is to find a good moisturiser and use it regularly.  Make it a habit to moisturise after showering and after any prolonged exposure to water.  Carry a moisturiser with you so you can moisturise as needed.  Be aware that not all creams used to treat your psoriasis will be a moisturiser.  It may be necessary to use a separate moisturiser as well as your treatment creams.

Skin infections are a common problem associated with eczema.  The problem is the eczema is just so itchy it is hard not to scratch.  The skin is already tender, fragile and irritated so repeated scratching can easily break the skin.  An infection on top of the eczema at this point is common.

Infected eczema can be identified by raw oozing areas.  Yellow, crusted patches will also develop.  The legs, wrists, hands and face are the areas most commonly affected.  Once an infection is present it is not uncommon for movement of the area to become limited and to feel generally unwell.

Medical treatment is required.  An antibiotic cream may be prescribed to apply directly to the infected skin or in some cases oral antibiotics may be required.

The easiest way to treat an infection is to prevent it occurring in the first place.  Keep the skin clean and well moisturized and try not to scratch.  Keep nails short and if necessary wear mittens.

We all know what it is like to have eczema or to live with someone who has eczema.  And we all know how difficult it can be to keep the condition under control.

Here are some helpful hints that you can do around the home to help minimise eczema:

• Use cotton covers on vinyl or leather seats (car seats, kitchen chairs, sofas) to help reduce itching, sweating and dust mites.
• Use cotton bedding and avoid woolen or synthetic blankets and bedspreads.
• Wash all bedding in hot water regularly.
• Keep rooms well ventilated, especially during summer to avoid sweating.
• Avoid a smoky environment – do not smoke cigarettes inside, and avoid unflued wood, gas or kerosene heaters.
• Keep bedrooms cool and dry to minimise house dust mites.
• Keep humidity levels constant – not to high, not too low.
• Do not have a sandpit.  Sand at the beach is much cleaner.

Whilst not directly involved in eczema caffeine can irritate the gut lining and make it more permeable.  This in turn can make you more likely to develop a food sensitivity.  If you are prone to eczema a food sensitivity may trigger an eczema flare up. Cutting out or at least decreasing the amount of coffee, tea, chocolate and cola-type drinks is advisable.

Eczema of the hand is very common and whilst it may be the result of an allergy, as in atopic eczema, it is more often the result of the skin coming in contact with an irritant.  This form of eczema is known as Contact dermatitis, of which there are two types – Irritant Contact Dermatitis and Allergic Contact Dermatitis.

Irritant Contact Dermatitis

Irritant contact dermatitis is the result of the skins natural oil (sebum) being stripped from the skin by irritating substances coming in contact with the skin.  It is not at all related to atopic eczema, which is the result of allergy.

Without sebum the skin becomes red, dry, cracked and painful.  Anyone can develop the condition but it is most common in people whose jobs or everyday lives involve them coming in contact with strong irritating substances.  This may include nurses, hairdressers, mechanics, cleaners, farmers, painters and builders.

Common household substances like citrus fruits, washing up detergents, onions and garlic may also lead to irritant contact dermatitis, leaving anyone open to the condition.  As it is the hands that most commonly come in contact with these irritants it is the hands that irritant contact dermatitis usually affects.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Allergic contact dermatitis on the other hand is the result of a substance coming in contact with the skin that the body identifies as a harmful allergen.  An allergic reaction results.  It may take 1 – 3 days for the reaction to become apparent.

The symptoms include localised redness, inflammation and open sores where the allergen came in contact with the skin.  A secondary rash may also appear elsewhere on the skin.  The areas most commonly affected by allergic contact dermatitis include the face, neck, under arms, arms, trunk, thighs, calves and feet.