Eczema & Atropic Dermatitis

Eczema is a term used to describle a group of inflamed skin conditions that result in chronic, relapsing and very itchy rashes. About 15 million people in the United States suffer from some form of eczema, including 10 to 20 percent of all infants. Symptoms vary from person to person but often include dry or blistered, red, itchy patches on the skin. Atlantic Shore Dermatology can perform patch testing to help determine possible contact allergens. Objects and conditions that trigger itchy eczema outbreaks may include rough or coarse materials touching the skin, excessive heat or sweating, soaps, detergents, disinfectants, dust mites, animal dander, and stress. Treatment involves the restriction of scratching, use of moisturizing lotions or creams, and nonprescription anti-inflammatory corticosteroid creams and ointments. If this proves insufficient, we may prescribe an immunomodulator or corticosteroid medication, antibiotics to combat infection or antihistamines to relieve the itching.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrhea is a chronic skin condition of unknown origin, which causes scaling, oiliness, itching and redness of the skin, most commonly on the scalp (and known as dandruff), face, ears, and chest. Although symptoms imply that skin is dry, seborrhea actually involves excess oil production in the glands. For this reason, self-treatment methods such as moisturizing often prove ineffective and may even worsen the condition. Professionally recommended treatments such as cortisone or sulfur containing creams and lotions and reduction of yeast on the skin surface, in combination with frequent gentle washing and avoidance of harsh or perfumed soaps, can alleviate symptoms.

Bacterial & Fungal Infections

Bacterial infection of the skin, also called cellulitis, occurs when a break in the skin allows bacteria that normally live on the surface to enter the body, causing inflammation, redness, pain, warmth, fever/chills, fatigue and muscle aches. The break itself may arise from trauma, an animal or insect bite or sting, after some surgeries, with the use of certain drugs, or from skin wounds due to medical conditions such as diabetes or peripheral vascular disease. Left untreated, bacterial infection can lead to tissue death (gangrene), sepsis, generalized infection, shock, meningitis (if cellulitis is on the face) and lymphangitis (inflammation of the lymph vessels). Treatment may require hospitalization, oral antibiotics or analgesics to control pain.

Fungal infections of the skin are caused by microscopic organisms that live on the hair, nails (onychomycosis)’ mouth (angular cheilitis/oral thrush)’ and outer skin layers. They are quite common. The fungal infection cutaneous candidiasis, for example, which occurs in warm, moist crevices of the body, is the usual cause of diaper rash and vaginal yeast infections. Fungal infections are most likely to occur in people with diabetes, who are obese, or who take antibiotics or oral contraceptives. They are treatable (sometimes with difficulty) but often recur. Treatments include topical and systemic antifungal medicationi.