Red patches on the skin, intense itching, rough skin, what if it's eczema? 1 in 5 babies suffer from eczema and dry skin. Not dangerous, this skin inflammation can be recognised by the appearance of red coloured eczema patches. The severe itching they cause is very uncomfortable and can disrupt your child's sleep and feeding. It is therefore essential to calm eczema flare-ups with targeted and adapted care. Find all our advice on eczema patches and discover our 100% natural products to relieve baby's and mother's atopic dermatitis.
How to recognize eczema patches ?
Eczema is a skin disease called dermatitis, which manifests itself as skin lesions in the form of plaques. This inflammation of the skin is very itchy and affects both children and adults. Eczema patches are not dangerous, but they must be treated to relieve the discomfort they cause.
Eczema patches mainly manifest themselves in 2 forms :
- Contact eczema : this skin problem follows an allergic reaction. It is easily recognisable as the eczema patches will be limited to the areas that came into contact with the allergen. In this case, it is important to identify the allergen responsible in order to avoid a new outbreak of eczema.
Be aware that the reaction may be a simple irritation and not a flare-up of eczema due to an allergic reaction. The symptoms are similar and cause the same type of lesion. In all cases, you should consult an allergist to identify the cause of the inflammation and treat the plaques.
- Atopic eczema: 10-15% of children with eczema have what is known as atopic eczema. They can appear as young as 3 months of age and continue into adolescence or even adulthood. These flare-ups are called atopic because they are caused by several environmental factors and genetic predispositions (atopias):
There are several symptoms that are characteristic of eczema flare-ups:
- Dry skin
- Red patches
- Rash
- Rough skin
- Itching
Where do eczema patches develop? For contact eczema, the development is limited to the points of contact with the allergen. Atopic eczema is more characteristic, as it appears on several areas of the body which differ according to age:
- In babies, eczema usually develops on the face, scalp, legs and arms
- In children over 2 years old, eczema patches appear on the elbows, back of the knees, ears, wrists, ankles and hands
- In adolescents and adults, atopic eczema appears on the neck, head, shoulders and chest
What causes eczema?
Contact eczema is caused by an allergic reaction. It is therefore the consequence of an interaction with an allergen that causes skin irritation. As soon as the allergen is removed, the eczema attacks subside within a few days.
Approximately 50% of children who develop so-called atopic eczema have a parent who suffers or has suffered from eczema. This predisposition to atopy then encourages eczema flare-ups in the presence of certain environmental factors:
- Sweating
- Immune deficiency
- Ambient air too dry
- Temperature too high
- Synthetic or woolen fabrics
- Chlorine (swimming pool)
- Irritating soap
This is not an exhaustive list, as there is no absolute certainty about all the causes of eczema. For example, stress and anxiety can also cause eczema flare-ups. It should be diagnosed by a health professional during a clinical examination. Note that allergy tests will be performed if the doctor suspects contact eczema to determine the allergen involved.
How do eczema patches develop?
There are approximately 2.5 million people with eczema in France, 7% of whom are children under the age of 7. It is common to observe eczema flare-ups in toddlers, which often diminish over time. However, in some cases, this atopic manifestation persists into adulthood.
In concrete terms, eczema flare-ups occur in different stages and evolve over time:
- Dry skin
- The appearance of small red patches in several places on the body
- Severe itching
- Emergence of small blisters
If the eczema flare-ups are not treated quickly, you may see oozing as a result of the blisters breaking. As a result, small crusts form on the skin that are clearly visible. The itching will then accelerate and cause your baby real discomfort with sleep and feeding problems.
In the case of contact eczema, it is also important to find the allergen responsible and to treat this skin condition. If not, your child may develop chronic contact eczema, which will affect his or her skin and health, exposing him or her to more or less serious complications:
- Bacterial superinfection: by scratching the eczema patches, the skin can become contaminated with staphylococcus and cause impetigo
- Erythroderma: eczema lesions spread all over the body and are accompanied by fever and chills
- Dyshidrosis, also known as bullous eczema: deep blisters form on the feet and hands
What treatment for eczema?
Treatment for eczema is essential to relieve your child and avoid complications. If you notice typical eczema symptoms, you should see a doctor. He or she will be able to identify the type of eczema and direct you to the right treatment.
However, the medical profession usually prescribes a cortisone cream. While this has a powerful effect on itching and inflammation, it is short-lived.
You must therefore adapt your daily routine with your baby to relieve the irritation and prevent the appearance of new eczema patches. Indeed, long-term treatment is essential to limit inflammatory reactions:
- Moisturise your baby's skin daily
- Use a soap-free cleansing base
- Give preference to showers
- Dry your baby's skin well
- Choose cotton clothes and linen
- Pay attention to the cleaning products you use and your washing powder
To help mums and dads take care of their babies, Laboratoires Téane is committed to developing 100% natural recipes. Our cosmetics respect the fragile skin of toddlers and are perfectly adapted to atopic skin.
Our Emollient Cream certified organic is perfectly adapted to relieve skin prone to atopic eczema. Developed from Cassia Alata, a plant with a thousand virtues, this smooth cream contains a repairing and anti-inflammatory active ingredient. Applied locally twice a week, it helps to combat the symptoms of severe eczema.
You can also find a complete range of products to care for baby's fragile skin in our online shop. In addition to the emollient cream, our Derma Baby range is particularly recommended for relieving and treating dry skin with a tendency to atopic eczema:
- Cleansing gel: a gel without soap or irritants to gently wash baby's skin and hair.
- Care and bath Oil: a synergy of oils enriched with essential fatty acids that deeply moisturises the skin, calms irritation and itching.
Appropriate care and treatment can help treat eczema flare-ups and relieve your baby. A small care ritual to integrate into the daily life of children to limit the appearance of eczema patches and atopic skin.
