Dermatologists are diagnosing more cases of eczema particularly in industrial areas. So on this Chinese new year we're taking a look at some of the eastern beliefs -- and remedies of this chronic condition.
Barbara Ann Singer has eczema all over her eye lids and hands. Her face is swollen and sometimes her hands, she says doing everyday tasks like washing her hair is painful.
"With my skin cracking the hairs get caught in the cracks and the shampoo stings."
Eczema is a chronic condition where the skin becomes inflamed causing rashes, flaking, blistering, and bleeding. It also makes you itch.
Dermatologist Dr. Richard Thomas says the itching takes up a lot of energy and it also thickens up the skin and then breaking up the skin creates sores everywhere. He adds that winters can be especially harsh.
"One of the problems with the skin of eczema is the inability to keep water in the skin so we know that when the air is cold there is less water that the air can hold so you have this increased evaporation of water from skin into air."
Ten to 15 per cent of Canadian children have eczema. Nearly half will retain it into adulthood.
There's no cure for the condition, but you can minimize flare ups by constant moisturizing like Barbara does and avoiding irritants
"Avoid excessive use of regular soaps and soap less cleansers so they don't degrease the skin you need oils in skin that waterproof skin essentially." says Dr. Thomas.
Chinese medicine Dr. Michael Cheung say to avoid things very fishy, like seafood, and other things like bamboo shoots, they should avoid like mango.
Dr. Cheung offers alternative advice. In eastern medicine, it's believed there are two types of people with eczema. One who has dampness of the skin.
"The patient might have heaviness sensation of the extremities, they're feel sluggish all the time, and the tongue they might feel a thicker, in the palms you might feel some dampness in the palms."
Others have what's called a "blood heat type" and are often thirsty.
"They might also feel some also you know sensation of warmness in the palm or their sole and they couldn't sleep well at night it's more disturbed."
Dr. Cheung says eczema can be countered by clearing heat and removing dampness of the skin. And this can be done with a combination of herbs including ging-hua or honey suckle.
Whatever your approach, education and detecting eczema early will offer you relief especially during this dry winter.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low
