EczemaZones - Adultzone

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   1. Getting to grips with your emollient
   2. Using topical steroids with confidence
   3. Other treatment options
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   2. Coping with sleep disruption
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Other treatment options

Many people can control their eczema with a good emollient routine, using topical steroids from time to time when their eczema flares. However, if your flare-up is particularly bad or lasts for a long time, or if you are struggling to get your eczema under control, other treatments are available. If your eczema is severe you may already be familiar with some of these options.

Other treatment options:
Topical calcineurin inhibitors
These reduce inflammation, so they are an alternative to topical steroids for some people. You may be prescribed these if topical steroids are not working well enough. Like topical steroids they should only be applied to active eczema (areas of itchy, red, inflamed skin, which may also be broken).
Dressings and bandages
These work in three ways – they reduce itchiness, stop people from scratching and stop the skin drying out. You may hear them called dry wraps, wet wraps and occlusive dressings. A member of your healthcare team who is specially trained can teach you how to apply dressings. Sometimes other treatments (like emollients and topical steroids) will be put on underneath dressings, in which case a specialist will need to show you how to do this.
Antihistamines
Usually used to treat hayfever and hives (urticaria), these are not normally recommended for eczema. However, if your sleep is being disrupted by night time itching your doctor or nurse may recommend a short course of this treatment.
Phototherapy
This treatment involves shining ultraviolet light onto areas of active eczema. Phototherapy is only available from a specialist.
Systemic therapy
A specialist will need to prescribe one of these treatments if they believe it appropriate for you. These treatments are taken orally (by mouth) and work on the whole body, whereas your emollient and topical steroid both work locally on the specific areas of the body you have applied them to.

Whilst a doctor or nurse at your local surgery or practice can prescribe most treatments, there are some which only a specialist healthcare professional can give you, in which case your doctor or nurse might refer you to them. There are several types of specialist (dermatology specialist nurses, GPs with a special interest in skin – they are sometimes called a GPwSI and consultant dermatologists); you may have seen one already if your eczema has been particularly bad.

Living with eczema » « Using topical steroids with confidence