Eczema is more than dry skin. The itch can keep you up at night, distract you at work or school, and wear on your confidence. The good news: with the right diagnosis and a personalized plan, most people can calm flares and keep their skin comfortable. Here’s what to know, and how DirectDerm’s board-certified dermatologists can help, whether you’d like to be seen online or in person.<\/p>\n
What is eczema?<\/h2>\n
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Eczema is a common, non-contagious condition that makes skin dry, itchy, and inflamed. It often starts in childhood but can begin at any age, and it tends to come and go in flares. It develops when the skin’s protective barrier isn’t working as it should, with genetics, the immune system, and the environment all playing a part.<\/p>\n
Atopic dermatitis<\/a> is the most common type. Others include contact dermatitis (triggered by irritants or allergens), dyshidrotic eczema (small, itchy blisters on the hands or feet), nummular eczema (coin-shaped patches), and seborrheic dermatitis (flaky patches on the scalp or face). The NEA has a helpful overview of the different types of eczema<\/a>.<\/p>\n Eczema looks and feels different from person to person, but common signs include:<\/p>\n Because eczema can look different on different skin tones, it’s sometimes missed or mistaken for another condition. Our dermatologists can confirm the diagnosis and rule out look-alikes such as psoriasis, fungal infections, or allergic reactions.<\/p>\n Fall and winter can be especially tough. Cooler, drier air pulls moisture from the skin, and longer, hotter showers make it worse. Keeping a simple log of when flares happen can help you and your dermatologist spot patterns.<\/p>\n Good daily skin care is the foundation of eczema control. The American Academy of Dermatology<\/a> recommends habits like these:<\/p>\n If you’ve been doing all of this and your skin still isn’t improving, that’s a sign it’s time for expert help.<\/p>\n Seek care promptly<\/strong> if you notice signs of infection, such as pain, pus, yellow crusting, or fever.<\/p>\n For children, our pediatric dermatology<\/a> specialists care for infants, kids, and teens with eczema.<\/p>\n There’s no one-size-fits-all eczema treatment. Our board-certified dermatologists<\/a> start by confirming the diagnosis, then help identify your personal triggers and build a skin-care plan to calm current flares and prevent new ones. Depending on your needs, treatment may include:<\/p>\n At DirectDerm, you choose how you’re seen. Many patients use a mix of both.<\/p>\n With DirectDerm teledermatology<\/a>, you describe your symptoms and upload photos of your skin from your phone or computer. A board-certified dermatologist reviews your case and sends a diagnosis, treatment plan, and any prescriptions, usually within 24 to 48 hours. There’s no waiting room and no referral needed.<\/p>\n Online visits are a great fit for busy parents and professionals, people in rural areas, and anyone who’d rather not wait weeks for an appointment. DirectDerm teledermatology is available nationwide. If you need to be seen in person, we’ll help you schedule with a dermatologist near you.<\/p>\n Start an online eczema visit<\/a><\/p>\n Some eczema care is best done face to face, such as a full-body skin exam, patch testing referrals, or in-office procedures like laser therapy. DirectDerm offers full-service dermatology at our clinics in Fresno<\/a>, Sacramento<\/a>, Salinas<\/a>, Manteca<\/a>, Merced<\/a>, and Los Banos<\/a>.<\/p>\n DirectDerm accepts many major health plans, including Medicare and also offers a self-pay option.<\/p>\n Don’t let itchy, inflamed skin run your days and nights. Whether you start online or visit one of our clinics, DirectDerm makes expert eczema care simple.<\/p>\n This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for medical advice.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" October is Eczema Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to take a closer look at this skin condition that affects far more people than most realize. According to the National Eczema Association, about 31.6 million people in the U.S., roughly 1 in 10, have some form of eczema. That includes an estimated 9.6 million […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":72,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-216839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-skin-conditions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/72"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=216839"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":216846,"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216839\/revisions\/216846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=216839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=216839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.directderm.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=216839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Common signs of eczema<\/h2>\n
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What triggers eczema flares?<\/h2>\n
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Triggers vary, but these are some of the most common:<\/p>\n\n
Everyday tips to calm and prevent flares<\/h2>\n
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When to see a dermatologist for eczema<\/h2>\n
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Make an appointment with a dermatologist if:<\/p>\n\n
How DirectDerm dermatologists treat eczema<\/h2>\n
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Two ways to get eczema care: online or in person<\/h2>\n
Teledermatology: expert eczema care from home<\/h3>\n
In-person care at our California dermatology clinics<\/h3>\n
Take the first step toward calmer skin<\/h2>\n