Atopic Dermatitis is more and more often diagnosed in dermatological clinics. According to research, both genetic and environmental factors influence this chronic and recurrent disease. Statistics show a rapid increase in the number of patients in Poland. It almost doubled in 9 years: approx. 6.1% of patients in 2000 and approx. 11.1% of patients in 2009.

Atopic dermatitisis a chronic and relapsing disease. Concernsepidermisanddermisdermis (the two outer layers of the skin). The main symptoms are extremely intenseitching , typical localization (bends of the knees and elbows, cheeks) and a characteristic image of skin lesions (so-called exudates).

Is AZS a family disease?

Atopic dermatitis is a very complex disease and, unfortunately, it runs in families. Research shows that more and more people fall ill with each new generation. The probability that a child will inherit atopic dermatitis with one parent with the disease is approximately 20-30%. With both parents, as much as 60-70%. So far, the method of inheritance of atopic dermatitis has not been known and no specific gene responsible for this disease has been found. Most scientists believe that it is inherited because patients have the same gene.

Other causes of AD cases

Doctors indicate that the causes can be found both in hereditary tendencies and factors related to the environment in which we live. The increase in environmental pollution, more and more processed food, the tendency to over-sterilize and degrease the epidermis through washing, washing agents, long and frequent baths with the addition of chemicals, make the skin lose its natural protective properties. There is also a theory that the disease can be caused by excessive hygiene. In addition, frequent allergens and irritants in young children are food allergens, including milk, citrus, chocolate, inhaled allergens, i.e. dust, mites, grass pollen, as well as common gastrointestinal parasites: lamellae, roundworm and pinworms. Doctors suggest that the development and course of the disease are also influenced by the stress that accompanies us every day. In adults, stress diagnosis is not difficult, but in the case of children, it is the skin that alarms about it.

When activates / appearsAZS

The first symptoms of atopic dermatitis appear most often right after birth and worsen in the third month of life, when the body begins to produce antibodies responsible for most allergic reactions. In half of patients, the first symptoms of the disease appear in infancy, in one third the disease begins before the age of 5, and in others after this period. Atopic dermatitis may not appear until adulthood, but this is rare. It is comforting that the vast majority of skin symptoms almost disappear with the patient's age. Atopic dermatitis is a life-long disease. Fortunately, symptoms become less bothersome with time (75% of children grow out of severe symptoms by the age of 16).

Care and treatment of atopic skin

AD is a condition for which there is no cure yet. You can only minimize symptoms by using cosmetics and silk dermatological clothing. According to prof. dr hab. Roman Nowicki from the Department and Clinic of Dermatology, Venerology, Allergology, GUMed, in the treatment of bacterial infections in AD, it is recommended to wear silk clothing containing the antimicrobial agent AEM 5772/5 (AEGIS), which reduces the number of staphylococci and reduces the severity of eczema by reducing the number of skin colonizing staphylococci. Fortunately, such clothing is available on our market. DermaSilk® is intelligent therapeutic clothing made of purified natural silk. These products are delicate, flexible, airy, comfortable to wear both as nightwear and under clothes during the day so as not to irritate the diseased skin. The effectiveness of the DermaSilk® knitted fabric has been confirmed by as many as 8 clinical trials involving over 300 patients. DermaSilk® material is hypoallergenic, free from potential allergens found in cotton clothes: bleaches, dyes, hardeners. It can be used with emollients or other ointments to enhance their effectiveness in treatment. Itching, the main symptom of atopic dermatitis, is said to be worse than pain itself, so daily care is so important in treating AD. Atopic skin has a damaged skin fat layer. In care, it is necessary to include primarily preparations containing ingredients that renew its structure, preferably in the form of an emulsion, and should contain substances soluble in water and in fats. It should be borne in mind that the skin is extremely sensitive and prone to irritation. Therefore, it is recommended to wear special soft and perfectly smooth clothing that does not irritate the diseased skin, has a soothing effect, and gloves that prevent scratching. Silk fibers are extremely long (over 800m), thanks to which the material is smooth, the ends of the fibers do not come off it, which may irritate sensitive skin (as is the case with cotton fabrics). Silk absorbs moisture from the environment (including the surface of the skin) - up to 30% of its weight, because the moisture (and cooling) of the skin is a factor that increases sweating and itching. The advantage of silk is its ability to thermoregulate, which results in the body sweating less. The hypoallergenic nature of purified silk is an invaluable feature for babies and allergic children. DermaSilk® is antistatic, does not accumulate dust mites and everyday dust. Many mothers and patients around the world have already learned about the beneficial effects of DermaSilk® knitwear for allergic, diseased skin that requires attention and care. This fabric acts as a "second skin" and soothes sick skin. It supports it not only in acute diseases, but also prophylactically to keep the skin in good condition as long as possible. It is important to diagnose the type of skin allergy in good time and introduce the most effective form of treatment.

Important

AZS in Poland - statistics

It is estimated that up to 3.5 million children in Poland may be susceptible to atopic dermatitis. Infants and very young children face this problem more often. Slightly less often children aged 3-16 - about 4.7%, even less often adults - about 1.6%. Based on clinical data on the incidence of AD and the demographic year of the Central Statistical Office of Poland for 2010, 799,100 children aged 0-14 live in the Mazowieckie voivodship alone, of which approx. 11.38% are children who may have AD ( i.e. 90 972). If to calculate the number of families in the Mazowieckie voivodship in which AZS may occur, we take the data from the CSO's Demographic Yearbook 2010 on the number of children per one family in Poland (1.39 children), we obtain for the Mazowieckie Voivodeship the number of approx. 65,500 families with children aged 0 -14 years suffering from AD, which is about 11% of families living only in this voivodship. It is estimated that the number of adults suffering from atopic dermatitis in this voivodship is approx. 75,000 people. Many patients look for information about atopic dermatitis mainly on the Internet. Google data shows that in 2011 there were over 900,000 searches for AD-related terms - this gives almost 2,500 queries about this disease every day. The ECAP research (study of the occurrence of allergic diseases in Poland) clearly shows that the percentage of AD cases is almost twice as high in cities as in the countryside. Despite these data, there are no programs supporting AD patients or educational programs on the problem and prevention in Poland. The disease is also not listed onlist of chronic diseases.

Atopic dermatitis in children - diagnosis and treatment

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a lifelong disease. It most often occurs in newborns or between 6 and 7 years of age … Diagnostics is quite complex, especially for the smallest children. How is atopic dermatitis diagnosed? Is There An Effective Cure For Atopic Dermatitis? Listen to our expert - pediatrician Andrzej Mierzecki from the ENEL MED clinic.

Category:

Dermatology