Better Understanding Atopic Skin to Care for It

The skin serves as an effective barrier against many harmful agents. However, when it is damaged, moisture evaporates very quickly, making it very dry. As a result, harmful agents such as allergens easily penetrate the outer skin layer and cause skin problems like dermatitis: this is called atopic skin.

Recognizing this condition is already the first step towards the healing process. Then, it is necessary to find a suitable treatment to apply. It is also important to consider factors that can worsen it. These include cold, cleaning products, the use of certain cosmetic products, and so on. It is therefore urgent to know how to soothe atopic skin.

Key Points to Remember

• What is atopic skin?

Atopic skin is a permeable skin that allows moisture to evaporate very quickly and lets allergens enter, causing skin problems.

• What are the causes behind atopic skin?

The causes are not yet well known but there is a hereditary factor. Also, allergenic foods and chemical products can promote the occurrence of skin problems such as eczema flare-ups.

• How to treat atopic skin?

Atopic skin needs special care. It is therefore necessary to adopt a proper routine to limit damage. To start, you should choose a gentle, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free cleanser. Then, focus on a moisturizing and soothing body milk. Avoid as much as possible products containing chemical ingredients.

How to Recognize Atopic Skin?

Atopy is quite different from dry skin caused by lack of hydration. It is important to understand that not all dry skin is atopic or will become so. This skin condition is characterized by an insufficient amount of fats in the outer skin layer. The skin thus becomes permeable, loses water quite quickly, and allergens easily penetrate it.

Atopic skin is therefore skin prone to allergic reactions that appear as dermatitis. The reaction is immediate and marked by redness and itching. The inflammation can lead to the appearance of small blisters that may later ooze and form crusts.

This reaction can occur on different parts of the body. The arms, thighs, legs, and back are the areas most prone to dermatitis. When it recurs in the same place, the skin thickens and becomes darker and rougher.

Atopic dermatitis appears as early as the 2nd or 3rd month of life. It can appear in other children as rhinitis or asthma. The condition can cause sleep problems and reduce quality of life. Early care is even recommended for children predisposed to this condition, even if they do not yet show symptoms.

Causes Behind Atopic Skin

The causes of this condition are still not well understood. However, some studies provide reliable information.

• The chance that a child will have atopic skin is 30% if one parent has this skin problem and 70% if both parents do.
• Besides this hereditary factor, atopic skin may be linked to an overactive immune system causing inflammation and redness.
• Certain allergenic foods can cause digestive troubles and trigger eczema flare-ups.
• Other factors such as the use of chemical products, detergents, sweating, and heat can worsen the condition.
• Also, a stressful daily life, where everything moves fast, can aggravate skin problems in those with atopic skin.

To protect your skin and avoid flare-ups as much as possible, certain rules must be followed and an effective care routine adopted.

Ways to Care for Atopic Skin

When you have atopic skin, it is important to have the right daily habits. Given the extreme dryness of the skin, focus on moisturizing and soothing creams and include them in your care routine. Indeed, regular hydration allows the skin to effectively play its role as a barrier.

There are anti-irritation products specially designed to soothe and repair atopic skin.

• Apply twice a day on skin that has been previously cleansed.
• Choose a gentle, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free cleanser.
• During a flare-up, aim to reduce inflammation and itching to avoid possible secondary infections. Usually, a mild steroid cream, an antiseptic solution, and antihistamines are prescribed to relieve the sufferer.
• Intervene as early as possible to limit the progression of the condition since each inflammatory flare-up encourages relapses.
• Always carefully check labels before buying any cleansing products.
• It is better to choose natural products without chemical ingredients.

Besides these recommendations that must be followed, it is essential to avoid certain actions for someone suffering from atopic dermatitis. These include avoiding:

• swimming in chlorinated pools
• perfumes or colognes
• synthetic fabrics
• heated rooms and thus heat
• stress

Atopic skin is a chronic condition that requires special care. If you suffer from this ailment, it is essential to take measures and especially adopt good daily habits to limit the progression of the disease as much as possible.