LAHORE: Taking shower on a daily basis can be dangerous if you are suffering from eczema, said Dr Sabrina Pal – a dermatologist and former professor at the King Edward Medical College.

“Severity of the eczema – a skin disorder – can be lessened by avoiding excessive bathing,” she said, adding that many types of fragrance free emollients and moisturisers could help skin protection, especially in low humidity season. “Proper use of moisturisers would improve the skin barrier function of eczema patient.”

It may be mentioned that the last week of November is being observed at the International Eczema Awareness Week.

Eczema, also known as dermatitis, is a reactive disorder. It is of several different types. One of the common types is atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as atopic eczema. Many patients have family history of allergies as eczema, asthma and hay fever. It usually starts in infancy and is seen both in children and adults. Synthetic and woollen clothing; excessive use of detergents, dust and extreme temperature precipitate eczema, Dr Sabrina said.

She added that atopic dermatitis was a very itchy disorder with rashes on different parts of body sometimes due to constant rubbing. She said a number of patients suffering from eczema face difficulty in falling asleep.

However, she added, “The disease in general can be successfully managed and in some cases even prevented. Qualified dermatologists provide explanation on lifestyle, preventive measures, medical management and psychological support enabling patients to lead a quality life.”

It is pertinent to mention here that 84% of eczema patients have difficulty in falling asleep, while 47% patients feel frustrated. Similarly, 39% are embarrassed about their appearance and 35% becomes often angry about their appearance. Also, patients with atopic dermatitis have inferior mental health scores compared with those with diabetes or hypertension and inferior social functioning scores compared with patients with hypertension.