Fighting and Defeating Eczema!

By Olivier Agouna-Deciat According to Dorland’s Medical Dictionary “eczema is a superficial inflammatory process involving primarily the epidermidis”, or simply stated, it is an allergic condition due to an exaggerated response of the immune system to a stimulation by an external factor. Those agents triggering the immune system and provoking a cascade or exaggerated reactions are called allergens. The same principle applies to other health condition such as Asthma or hay fever. In the case of eczema the allergen can be just about anything touching the skin. The most common form of eczema encountered  is the one referred to as atopic dermatitis characterized by a persistent recurrence of uncomfortable

skin irritation. This condition is commonly marked by redness, dryness, intense itching, small papules and vesicles, formationof a crust, and even scaling and localized hyper-pigmentation of the skin. The face, neck, arms and legs are the most affected parts of the body because of their constant exposure to the ambient environment.Eczema is very common and affects on average 20% of the US population as reported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. An overwhelming prevalence is seen in children and infants with few of them carrying the condition into adulthood.  Eczema is a chronic condition most often running in families where other related conditions such as asthma exist.Removing the cause of eczema is a tedious task near to impossible. Affected individuals are surrounded by, live in and often in contact with allergens frequently triggering disproportionate immune responses. Weather conditions, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, cloths, bacteria, other household materials, and many other environmental agents are all possible allergens. The ubiquitous state of those agents leaves the diseased individuals with only the choice of managing symptoms to improve their comfort; since we all know that removing all causes in this case can hardly be envisioned. Even though eczema is very uncomfortable to live with and can make a child very restless, it is not considered to be a life threatening emergency and can be treated and well managed.Traditional treatments are over the counter hydrocortisone ointments, moisturizers and anti-itching creams or lotions. The aim of the treatment is to relieve the common symptoms (dryness, irritation and itchiness) and reduce the underlying inflammation. In extremes cases stronger corticosteroids, antihistaminic and most recently approved topical immunomodulators can be prescribed. Another form of treatment involves ultraviolet light treatment called phototherapy. All those treatments have been proven to work and help better the condition of affected individuals; however, one should remember that due to continuous exposure to causative agents, eczema cannot be cured. Those medicines only help control flare-ups and limit symptoms.  Recurring episodes require frequent and most often prolonged use of treatments. The problem here is that using hydrocortisone and other strong corticosteroids in such a way can cause some serious side effects outweighing the benefice intended for the treatment of eczema. Side effects linked to frequent prolonged use of steroids containing medicines are but not limited to, acne-like eruptions, dryness, hair follicle inflammation, peeling of skin, secondary infections (due to suppressive effect on immune system), glandular problems and high blood sugar. Obviously the risks of side effects are even greater in young children and infants with weaker immune systems and more sensitive skins. Last but not least, it is noteworthy to point out that most of the commonly recommended over the counter and prescription moisturizers are made with petroleum derivative jelly base which often contains residual carcinogen material such as some aromatic compounds. In addition petroleum jelly has limited skin absorption potential and coats the skin thus preventing the normal functioning of pores. The moisturizing film on the skin is removed with every wash with soaps leaving no lasting effects.Fortunately, there is a safer way to treat and prevent flare-ups due to eczema. The use of natural bioactive emollients has been proven effective and is now backed by several scientific studies. Shea butter is a perfect example of such multi-potent vegetable fat that can (in its pure and unrefined form) help address the need of frequent lasting moisture and reduction of the underlying epidermidis inflammation. This butter is extracted from shea nut kernels of the African savannah shea trees and has been used for centuries by locals for skin protection and healing of superficial and underlying soft tissues ailments. Research has shown that shea butter is extremely richer in unsaponifiables compared to other similar vegetable fats. The unsaponifiable fraction of shea butter is essentially composed of phytosterols, triterpenic alcohols and tocophrol (vitamin E). The triterpenes and some of the sterols have been proven to demonstrate a strong anti-inflammatory activity, the phytosterols in general as in several other vegetable oils are known to increase and stabilize moisturization, and tocopherol a strong anti oxidant is known to prevent skin damage due to ultraviolet rays and it also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Those unsaponifiables are also known to prevent elastin destruction, promote collagen repair and inhibit some bacterial growth. An increasing number of individuals with eczema have been using shea butter in its pure raw form or in natural lotions or creams formulations to care for and prevent flare-ups. Shea butter is known for its fast penetration in the skin thus allowing it to easily reach the inflammation site. The moisturization provided is long lasting and there are no risks of overdose or side effect. There is a growing number of all natural products formulated with unrefined shea butter. A good example of such products are Shea Touch’s body lotion, facial revitalizing cream and 100% shea body butters. Do not be fooled by manufacturer using a tiny amount of “refined” shea butter still mixed in a petroleum jelly base. Shea butter and shea butter based products provide a healthy and safe mean to fight and defeat eczema regardless of race, gender or age.