A few years ago researchers found another health risk resulting from using mobile phones – a risk of developing eczema.  These findings were not made public as there was little or no proof.

Tests carried out by Japanese scientist Dr Hajime Kimata have confirmed these earlier findings that exposure to the microwaves emitted by mobile phones can trigger a reaction in people with skin allergies.

Blood tests have shown that people with eczema or dermatitis have higher levels of chemicals pumped out by their immune system when using a mobile phone causing an allergic reaction.  It would appear that the microwaves are triggering an allergic reaction.

It is believed there are around 50 million mobile phones in use in the UK alone making the safety issue of prolonged use a major concern.

British allergy experts have said that Dr Kimata’s findings are interesting but there is no scientific explanation as to why radiation would increase allergic responses.

“This study adds to the evidence that microwave radiation may do strange things that we don’t quite understand” added Professor Tony Frew, of the Southampton University.

Fact #2
50 000 cells in your body will have died and been replaced by new cells while you have been reading this sentence.

Fact #3
The most common non contagious disease in the world today is tooth decay.

Fact #4
A person’s entire skin weighs around 4kg (8.75 lb) which is around 7% of the total body weight.

Fact #5
The average person sheds 18kg (39.5 lb) of skin cells in a life time.

Fact #6
Experts predict that 15% of young children suffer from atopic eczema.  It is more common in urban areas than rural, small families than large families and in wealthier families.  The reasons for this are unclear.

Fact #7
Eczema, asthma and hayfever are all; closely related.  They are all atopic conditions with a strong familial basis.  It is estimated that approximately 50% of children with eczema will develop asthma or hayfever.

Fact #8
Psoriasis affects approximately 2 – 4% of the population.  The first symptoms usually appear between the age of 10 – 35 years, although it can appear at any age.

Fact #9
Almost 50% of psoriasis sufferers will experience psoriasis of the fingernails where the nail appears pitted.

Fact #10
About 3% of white adults have psoriasis, however it is uncommon in colored people.  It affects both sexes equally and is rare in small children.

Fact #11
In the last 30 years the number of people with eczema has doubled.

Fact #12
In the UK 1 in 10 people suffer from eczema.  That is 1 in 12 adults and 1 in 8 children.

Fact #13
In the UK eczema costs 288 million pounds every year.  Amazingly one third of this amount is spent by the eczema sufferers themselves on topical treatments – creams, oils, ointments etc.

Fact #14
Occupational dermatitis/eczema, a type of skin inflammation caused by contact with irritant substances used in the workplace is thought to account for over half of the working dayslost in the UK every year.

Fact #15
Studies show that approximately 60% of Americans are deficient in omega 3 and 20% have so little that test methods are unable to detect any in their blood.

Elidel and Protopic are non-steroidal eczema drugs that became available by prescription in 2000 and 2001.  They were heralded as the new miracle treatments for eczema, making steroids a thing of the past.

Recent months have seen much controversy over the use of these drugs as they have been linked to skin cancer and lymphoma.  The Food and Drug Association (FDA) has ruled that both drugs must carry the “black box”, which is the strongest of all safety warnings.

The AAD believes that this warning is unnecessary and will only serve to scare patients and their doctors off using the drugs even when it is their best option of treatment.

AAD spokesperson, Abby Van Voorhees says “The AAD is very disappointed with this ruling by the FDA.  We don’t think the science supports this harsh labeling.   The link to cancer is not proven, and the data shows these medications are quite safe.”

Novartis, the manufacturer of Elidel has been publicly critical of the FDA decision.  Novartis spokesperson, Megan Humphrey stated “We want to make it very, very clear that this action is not substantiated by scientific or clinical evidence…. Based on 21 000 patients in clinical trials, and based on postmarketing use of Elidel in more than 6 million patients, there is no evidence of a causal relationship between Elidel and cancer.”

The FDA has defended their decision stating that there was a real concern for how many scripts for Elidel and Protopic were being written as a first line treatment and for children under 2 years.

The drugs have only ever been approved for adults and children over 2 years and only as a last resort when other treatments have proven unsuccessful.

Norman Fost from the FDA advisory panel said, “A “black box” warning may be excessive, may be overshoot, may be unduly inhibiting (to patients who need the drugs) but it may be that’s the only tool left to stop millions of prescriptions that are inappropriate … that may be the only way to do it.”

Eczema has proven to be a very difficult word to spell and can widely vary between:

• excema
• exema
• exma
• eccema
• ezcema
• eczma
• excma
• xma
• xema

All of these variations will be understood, but the correct spelling of the condition is Eczema.

Eczema and allergies are closely related so it stands to reason that breastfeeding your baby will be of benefit if eczema runs in the family.  If one parent has eczema there is a 30% chance the child will develop eczema.  If both parents have or had eczema there is an 80% chance of their child developing eczema.

Colostrum may prevent allergies developing

A study in the 1999 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, showed that colostrum, the milk produced by the mother after the first few days of her baby’s life may help prevent the development of inherited allergies.  The study also showed that colostrum, which is high in protein and antibodies, promotes the production of antibodies in the child.

Allergies are more prone to develop if a child is exposed to allergens early in life.  Breastfeeding a baby exclusively for the first 6 – 12 months will allow the immune system to develop more fully and will therefore reduce the risk of the child developing allergies or eczema that are triggered by foods.

Breastfeeding has many advantages

Breastfeeding your baby has many advantages.  Decreasing the chances of them developing allergies or allergy related illnesses like eczema and asthma make it all the more important.

It is very rare for a baby to be allergic to their mother’s breast milk.  They can however react to a food the mother has eaten and passed on in her milk.  The most common signs of this are the baby developing colic, frequent colds, skin rashes or restless sleeps.

The usual culprit is dairy foods in the mother’s diet.  Cutting all dairy out of the diet will usually help.  The mother should also avoid any foods that she is known to be sensitive to.

It is not known conclusively if breastfeeding will reduce the risk of allergies developing later in life but if you can give your baby an initial allergy free period that has to be a bonus.

Such a diet will help you boost your immune system and will provide you with the energy you need to help you cope with the stress of your condition.

Food is a wonderful and vital part of life.

Not only is it necessary for your survival, it contains a variety of special nutrients that actively help to fight disease. The compounds are known as photo-chemicals, and there are literally hundreds of these present in everyday foods.

Below is a list of vitamins and nutrients that are found in common foods and their impact on the human body.

Vitamin A - Repairs damaged skin and eases symptoms of allergic reactions.
Found in: Carrots, asparagus, spinach, parsley, apples, garlic

B Complex - Helps combat dryness and itchiness as well as relieving stress.
Found in: Rice, wheat germ, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, fish, eggs, almonds, liver, vegemite, yeast

Vitamin C -  Has anti-histamine effects and helps to combat skin infections.
Found in: Oranges, apples, garlic, onions, parsley, green leafy vegetables

Vitamin E - Valuable antioxidant that combats free radical damage.
Found in: Apples, parsley, rye, wheat germ, whole wheat, broccoli

Zinc - Aids healing and skin health and is a deficiency found in people with eczema.
Found in: Apricots, peaches, oysters, cocoa, eggs

Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids - Helps reduce inflammation of the skin.
Found in: Soya beans, grape seed oil, oily fish, walnuts, olive and sunflower oil

There is a definite trend towards natural therapies when it comes to treating eczema and psoriasis.  With the well known dangers of the prolonged use of steroids and now with growing fears that the wonder drugs Elidel and Protopic are not as safe as originally believed we find ourselves turning more and more to natural alternatives.

But what natural therapies should we use?

Selecting a treatment is a matter of trial and error.  Find a treatment that suits your skin and that helps relieve the symptoms and stick with it.

I have always been a strong advocate of arming yourself with as much information as possible.  Read as much as you can.  Talk to people with eczema.  Ask your doctor and your pharmacist.  The more you know the better able you will be to manage the condition.  And the better you manage your eczema the more comfortable and fulfilled your life will be.

So when you are looking for a natural treatment that you have not used before, how do you make your selection and how do you know if your new cream is working?

Selecting a new cream

1. There is no cure for eczema so beware of the products that advertise to cure your eczema.
2. Be cautious of products that do not reveal all of their ingredients.
3. Avoid products that contain added perfumes or preservatives (some preservatives are necessary but not an excessive amount).
4. Start off with a small jar and trial it on just one area of your body so that you can compare improvement.
5. Read about the new product - look for testimonials and side effects - is it a new product or has it been around for a while and proven itself as effective?
6. Consider usability - can you carry it with you or does it need to be kept in the fridge?
7. Think about what it is that you want from the cream.  Does the cream indicate that it could offer what you want?
8. Remember that not every cream will be effective for everyone.  It takes trial and error to find the correct cream for your skin.  Don’t be discouraged if the first cream you try doesn’t work for you.

How do you know if your new cream is working?

Eczema creams are designed to relieve the symptoms of eczema not to cure the condition.  If your cream is relieving the itchiness, redness, dryness or inflammation it is working.  How well it is working can only be determined by you.

Is it offering the amount of relief that you want?

If your eczema reappears when you stop using your cream this does not mean that the cream is not working but quite the opposite - your cream is working and needs to be reapplied.

If you are unsure how well the cream is working try applying it to just one area affected with eczema (ie one arm) and continue with your other methods of treatment on the rest of your body.  You can then compare the different parts of your body and the state of your eczema.

Traveling across the world to the Dead Sea is not possible for everyone.  However one psoriasis sufferer, Dan Goldberg has decided to bring the Dead Sea to the psoriasis sufferer.  Dan is the founder of Mineralee, an enriched Dead Sea water product.

Dan experienced incredible results after bathing in the Dead Sea for only 4 days, so he went on to spend the next 3 years researching the springs that release the minerals into the Dead Sea. He developed his own product that he believed would benefit many psoriasis sufferers as he himself had been helped.

Mineralee water was developed.

The Mineralee water is extracted off the Eastern Shore of the Dead Sea and has high concentrates of magnesium, sodium, potassium, bromides, sulfates and other minerals added to it.  The water is undiluted, has no added fragrance or chemicals and is completely pure.

Dan believes the water has both haling and therapeutic qualities that will have both a positive physical effect as well as a positive mental effect for people using the water.

The chronic and debilitating effects of psoriasis make any new product of interest to those concerned.  Lets hope Mineralee will be able to help many psoriasis sufferers.

Dr Steven Feldman, M.D., from Wake Forest University School of Medicine recently wrote in an issue of Archives of Dermatology “non-compliance can explain why some skin conditions may seem resistant to treatment.”

Eczema is an individual condition

Eczema is a very individual condition and similarly treatment is also individual. However, success of a treatment will often depend on how compliant the patient is with following the instructions. Treatments need to be used for several days before they can safely be ruled out as ineffective.

Dr Feldman went on to say, “Physicians must develop practical measures to improve patients’ compliance: establishing strong, trusting physician-patient relations, choosing medications that can fit patients’ lifestyles, using patient education materials designed to motivate without overly stressing risks and scheduling a follow-up visit shortly after initiating new treatment.”

Consider lifestyle when selecting treatments

A person’s lifestyle needs to be considered. Some people find applying creams several times a day difficult but are able to take oral medication without any trouble. Others find that treatments applied only at bath time or bedtime are easiest to comply with.

It is not only the type of treatment the patient is going to use that is relevant in the patients’ compliance but also the patient-doctor relationship.

Feldman noted that “Patients who are more satisfied with their visit are more trusting of their doctor, worry less about adverse effects and use their medication more regularly.”

These studies indicate the importance of doctors developing good relations with their patients and frequent follow-ups to ensure treatments are being used as instructed and offering the results required.

Patients using over the counter treatments to control their eczema need also to take these factors into consideration and select treatment forms that they feel they can comply with.

Having a positive outlook about the treatments being used will also assist in compliance and increase the chances of success with the treatment.

That is the age that atopic eczema frequently first appears.

It is rare for a baby to develop atopic eczema before the age of two months.  The reason for this is unclear however one theory is that the baby’s nervous system is too immature prior to this age to enable the baby the ability to scratch.

Eczema is characteristically quite severe in the early months often becoming less severe by the age of two years old.

Skin oozes and crusts

For a baby who develops atopic eczema between the ages of 2 – 4 months the initial symptoms include inflammation of the skin with oozing and crusting.  The cheeks and scalp are often the first areas affected.

Facial eczema usually subsides and the rash becomes more prominent on the limbs especially the wrists and hands and behind the knees and elbows.

Dry scaly eczema

Atopic eczema may continue on past the age of two years but for some the first signs do not appear until this age.  When eczema develops around the age of two years the oozing and crusting is less common as the rash is usually drier and scaly.

Scratching is a common problem for anyone with atopic eczema causing scratch marks and thickening of the skin. Excessive scratching frequently causes the skin to become broken making infection a major problem.

Atopic eczema clears spontaneously in the majority of children between the ages of two and five years.  If it does persist there is usually a marked improvement by puberty.