Symptoms of Atopic Dermatitis
Symptoms of Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis manifests from a young age in most cases but can affect people at any age. The condition has severe symptoms which can cause discomfort, especially if not diagnosed early. The condition has no cure but can be treated and managed successfully. The condition often varies from patient to patient, but symptoms and treatment are often the same (Cork et al., 2020). The condition is long-lasting, but it occasionally flares off. The condition is assumed to be caused by the immune system overproducing cells that lead to inflammation. The main cause of the condition is not yet known.
The symptoms associated with atopic dermatitis vary depending on age, but general symptoms include itch, inflammation, and dry skin. For infants, symptoms of atopic dermatitis include having itchy, dry, scaly skin, which, when scratched due to itchiness, turns the skin red or brownish-gray (Cork et al., 2020). They also have a rash, mostly on the cheeks or scalp. These rashes are also itchy and contain small bumps with fluid that weeps when bubbled.
For the children, their symptoms include rashes on elbows or knee creases. Sometimes the rash can be on both knees and elbows creases. Also, around the rashes, the skin can have scaly patches. Another symptom is having light and thick spots on the skin. They might look like rashes (Bylund et al., 2020). Children with this condition also have thick leathery skin that is dry and unappealing skin. They also have very dry skin with scales. The other symptom is having rashes around the eyes, face, and neck. The hands tend to have deep lines and cracks brought by this condition.
For adults, atopic dermatitis mainly affects the back of the neck, backs of the knees, face, and elbow crooks. Having rashes around the eyes is also another symptom found in adults. Dry, scaly skin is also a symptom in adults, and it can be demoralizing to many patients making them hate themselves for their skin. Itchiness is intensive for adults, especially at night (Silverberg et al., 2019). When patients feel itchiness and scratch themselves, they get red skin and rashes in the affected areas. It also forms patches across the skin, especially when the patient scratches.
Some small pimples or bumps around the affected areas are also symptoms of atopic dermatitis. These bumps contain pus and a dry scale. They can be itchy, and when scratched, they produce crust and release the fluid inside the bumps. If the patient continues to scratch the area, they can develop wounds and get bacterial infections in those areas (Bylund et al., 2020). The bumps, itchiness, and irritation bring along a lot of discomforts. The patient might find it challenging to sleep, especially at night. The bumps and the rashes are also affected by natural light. Sweating or allergies also affect the condition, making it worse or hindering treatment.
Another symptom of atopic dermatitis has very sensitive skin. A person with atopic dermatitis feels itchy because the skin is very sensitive. If they expose themselves to the sun, they might feel like their skin is burning. Again, the skin gets swollen from the inflammation. The symptom majorly affects adults and children. The scratching contributes to the skin becoming sensitive and swollen (Silverberg et al., 2019). Again, atopic dermatitis makes the skin crack, even for people with oily skins. The cracked areas also become scaly and extremely dry.
Getting diagnosed early for this chronic condition helps the patient better manage the condition, receive better treatment, and avoid severe outcomes associated with the condition. Depending on a person, the condition occasionally flares and again goes away. It can clear up for several years before reappearing (Cork et al., 2020). Therefore, it forces people to change their lifestyles and take care of themselves to avoid it.
The condition is associated with asthma, stress, depression, hay fever, skin infections, and sleep problems. Although it is associated with these issues, they do not cause the condition. Not all people with asthma have atopic dermatitis, and not all people with atopic dermatitis have hay fever. If the symptoms persist even with treatment, it is advisable to seek professional aid.
Read about Atopic Dermatitis Treatment here.
References
Bylund, S., von Kobyletzki, L. B., Svalstedt, M., & Svensson, Å. (2020). Prevalence and incidence of atopic dermatitis: a systematic review. Acta dermato-venereologica, 100(12), 320-329. Cork, M. J., Eckert, L., Simpson, E. L., Armstrong, A., Barbarot, S., Puig, L., ... & Chao, J. (2020). Dupilumab improves patient-reported symptoms of atopic dermatitis, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and health-related quality of life in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: analysis of pooled data from the randomized trials SOLO 1 and SOLO 2. Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 31(6), 606-614. Silverberg, J. I., Gelfand, J. M., Margolis, D. J., Boguniewicz, M., Fonacier, L., Grayson, M. H., ... & Simpson, E. L. (2019). Symptoms and diagnosis of anxiety and depression in atopic dermatitis in US adults. British Journal of Dermatology, 181(3), 554-565.