Eczema

The unbearable itch that accompanies the chronic inflammatory skin condition eczema has a new culprit.Scientists have discovered that a familiar bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, ignites persistent itches by directly triggering sensory neurons in the skin, a finding that could help researchers devise new treatments.Eczema, which is also known as atopic dermatitis, is common in children and teenagers but also affects one in ten adults.Up until now, immune cells and the inflammatory molecules they secrete were thought to be…

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition characterized by dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. It is a common condition that affects people of all ages, but it is most prevalent in infants and children. Eczema can cause the skin to become red, scaly, and crack, leading to discomfort, pain, and itchiness.Patients experienced significant improvement in their symptoms, even up to 20 weeks after they had stopped taking the medication.Mount Sinai researchers have reported promising results from a clinical…

A clinical trial is underway testing a new kind of eczema treatment, developed to silence certain genes that play a role in skin inflammation. The results of a preclinical study were recently published demonstrating the experimental topical treatment reduced symptoms of dermatitis in mice.The researchers, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, spent a number of years developing a new kind of peptide designed to penetrate immune cells and block inflammatory signaling by silencing the activity of certain genes. Unlike…

Breast milk is the natural food for infants, providing nutrients and antibodies for proper growth and development. It is produced by the mammary glands in the breasts and contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. Breast milk also contains antibodies that may help protect infants from illness and infection.It has long been believed that breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from allergic conditions, such as <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt"…

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a condition that causes dry, itchy, and inflamed skin.New research says yes. The most common chronic, recurrent, inflammatory skin disorder in children is atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as atopic <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>eczema</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic or recurrent inflammatory skin disease. Symptoms…

The drug allows children to sleep through the night instead of scratching.More than half of the children treated saw a greater than 75% reduction in symptoms. Researchers involved in a new multi-site international phase III study led by Northwestern Medicine found that dupilumab was highly effective in reducing the signs and symptoms of moderate-to-severe <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>eczema</div><div…

Eczema (or atopic dermatitis) affects millions of people, particularly children under the age of six.The chronic inflammatory skin disorder causes the skin to go red and dry and to start oozing and itching, making life very uncomfortable.There's currently no cure for the condition, just ways of managing it – but an existing drug is incredibly effective at reducing the signs and symptoms of eczema in kids under six with moderate to severe cases of the disorder.It's the first time a complex biologic drug like this has been…

The study also found that a child’s bone density benefited long-term from taking the vitamin D supplement throughout pregnancy.Prenatal vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of eczema in newborns.According to a recent study by doctors at the University of Southampton, using vitamin D supplements during pregnancy might significantly lower the likelihood that newborns up to a year old will develop atopic <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div…

Scientists investigating the cellular basis for itching have made an important discovery, and one that could lead to new treatments of chronic conditions like eczema. The breakthrough centers on what's known as mechanical itching, with the research team behind it demonstrating how a protein can be blocked to alleviate itching sensation in mouse models of the condition.Much of the itching that we experience as humans is driven by activation of the histamine system. This system releases histamine as part of the body's…

The spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) in its caterpillar stage of life.Photo: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)A man’s suspected case of painful eczema on his left wrist turned out to be something much more unusual. Doctors in China discovered that their patient actually had caterpillar hairs lodged in his arm, likely caught while climbing an apple tree months earlier. Following a steroid injection, the man’s lesions cleared up.The tale of the embedded caterpillar hairs was detailed last month in BMJ Case Reports. The man, said to…