Atrophic Dermatitis: Treatments and Triggers

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Atrophic dermatitis is a common form of eczema. It is a rather severe strain and is usually of chronic nature. Our skin’s own ability to maintain moisture is disturbed by this condition and as a result the sufferers skin becomes extremely dry and inflamed. Atrophic dermatitis typically attacks the skins natural folds and creases particularly areas like the inside of elbows, the back of knees and hands and many different parts of the face and head. Because most sufferers of this condition are prone to scratch the infected areas or the areas come in contact with clothes, the resulting sores often ooze or may crust and become painful skin lesions.

Atrophic dermatitis usually occurs more commonly amongst young children and those reaching puberty there are cases of older adults having the skin condition. Adults that suffer from Atrophic dermatitis do not usually have the inflamed skin and flakes but usually only suffer extremely dry, sensitive skin which can be easily irritated.

Atrophic Dermatitis Triggers

There are three classifications of atrophic dermatitis triggers that are very common. These are the allergens, irritants and infections.

Allergens are usually ingested in the form of food, drink or medications. Other types of allergens include animal dust mites and plant pollen. Medication that can cause an allergic reaction in an individual include but are not limited to antibiotics, anesthetics, sleeping pills, aspirin, laxatives, anti-depressants as well and many more medicine compounds.

Irritants that can contribute to the outbreak of atrophic dermatitis include smoke, fumes, solvents, chemicals, soaps and detergents, alcohol based products and many others compounds. Dust particles can also make the rash worse. If the sufferer is exposed to stressful situations or climatic changes this can also contribute to the symptoms.
Bacterial, fungal or viral infections can also cause flare-ups although these infections are not as common as the other triggers.

Treating Atrophic Dermatitis

The only effective way to treat atrophic dermatitis is to prevent scratching since this can lead to further skin complications and result to infections, scaring and in the most severe of cases, life threatening conditions. The key to minimizing the breakout of Atrophic Dermatitis is to keep the sufferers skin moist at all times. This can be most effectively done by applying lotions several times a day and this should be the case even if symptoms are not present.

Other ways of controlling the Atrophic Dermatitis is to monitor the sufferers immediate environment. Their clothing and beddings needs to be washed with special detergents that are hypo allergenic so as to prevent flare-ups. The soaps and shampoos that the individual uses must have little or no allergens so as to avoid allergic reactions. The bath water must not be too hot as this can dry skin and provoke flare-ups.

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