Tips on Eczema Atopic Dermatitis Psoriasis from a Memphis Dermatologist

George Woodbury Jr. M.D. (11/26/2023)

Eczema benefits from prescription topical steroid ointments — Dr. George Woodbury with an Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis patient

We’ve just entered what Dermatologists like myself call the Eczema Season or Atopic Dermatitis Season, or Psoriasis Season because the cool dry weather of winter tends to cause people with these conditions to flare. So, let’s take a quick look at tips that can help people with Eczema or Atopic or Psoriasis can use to help their condition.

Eczema can occur on the arms, the legs, the face, and the scalp — Eczema patients can suffer from annoying itching and burning

First, what’s Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis?

Eczema can go into flares in the dry Winter weather — Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis patient with neck itching

Eczema is an itchy or sore rough dry skin condition that often starts between the ages of 3 and 30. It tends to run in families along with Asthma, Hay Fever, and Food Allergies, so we Dermatologists feel that it’s genetic. Flares of Eczema however can be brought on by chemicals that one has become allergic to, so Allergy Patch Testing is a useful type of test offered by Dermatologist to check for trigger chemicals that can cause itching to become worse, such as preservatives, fragrances, or components of latex.

Eczema tends to favor areas of skin friction like the underarms and the legs — Dr. George Woodbury with an Eczema patient

Eczema tends to occur on the hands, arms, legs, neck, and face, and it can be simply dry, or also very

itchy or sore.

Dyshidrotic Eczema often requires systemic steroids for treatment — Patient with Dyshidrotic Dermatitis or Dyshidrotic Eczema on the hands

A special type of Eczema is Dyshidrotic Dermatitis, or Dyshidrotic Eczema, which tends to present with dry itchy areas with flaking and blisters on the fingers and/or toes. This can sometimes flare explosively – requiring steroid by mouth or by injection to bring it under control.

The itching of Eczema can be brought under better control with topical steroid creams — Dr. George Woodbury with an Eczema patient

Sometimes Dermatologists like myself will do a type of test called a skin biopsy to check for Eczema or similar conditions like Dermatitis Herpetiformis which is related to a gluten sensitivity. We sometimes take a Fungal Culture to check whether the condition is actually due to a fungal infection, requiring antifungal medication to bring it under control.

Eczema can affect the whole family if it interrupts with sleep or daily activities — Couple applying steroid cream to control Eczema

Management strategies - from my perspective as a Memphis Board-certified Dermatologist, practicing in Cordova TN at Rheumatology and Dermatology (www.Rheumderm.com: 1-901-753-0168) since 1993 – include topical steroid creams and ointments, topical Crisaborole, and sometimes steroid shots of medications like prednisone, or sometimes steroid-free JAK inhibitor tablets, like abrocitinib, or upadacitinib. Dermatologists also sometimes use a new steroid-freeinjectable medicine called Dupixent® or Dupilumab that acts upon the immune system to decrease what is called cytokine signaling between the white blood cells.

The elbows, knees, and scalp are common areas for Psoriasis. — Patient with Psoriasis on the elbows

Psoriasis is also a type of genetic skin condition that can develop in one’s teens or twenties or thirties, with dry sometimes itchy areas, particularly of the front of the arms or the back of the legs, or the scalp. Inverse psoriasis is a special type that develops in the groin or in the underarms, and scalp psoriasis often presents with dandruff, itching or even with hair loss, also called alopecia, sometimes requiring prescription shampoos or even scalp injections to help to bring it under control.

Psoriasis can affect kids as well as adults — Dr. George Woobury with a Psoriasis patient

Psoriasis can often be controlled with prescription topical steroid creams and ointment, but more severe patterns may require one of over 12 prescription injectable biological therapies – including Enbrel® (etanercept) or Humira® (adalimumab) or Cosentyx® (secukinumab) – or even Tremfya (guselkumab) or Skyrizi (risakizumab) or Taltz (ixekizumab) - or oral steroid-free tablets – such as Methotrexate or Otezla® (apremilast) or Sotyktu® (deucravacitinib) - or even Zoryve® Cream (Roflumilast) or Vtama® Cream (tapinarof).

Big River's motto? Science Simplifying Skincare — Dr. George Woodbury with Big River Silk Skincare staff

Knowing that moisturizers tend to help Eczema and Psoriasis, in 2016 I incorporated a company - Big River Silk Skincare - to manufacture and distribute three lines of helpful lubricating agents (moisturizers) containing an Alpha Hydroxy Acid chemical called Glycolic Acid: GLYCOSHEA® Hand&Body Cream/Standard Strength (1 oz: $19.95; 2 oz: $29.95; 8 oz: $89.95); GLYCOSHEA® Hand&Body Cream/High Strength (1 oz: $29.95; 2 oz: $44.95; 8 oz: $139.95); and GLYCOSHEA® Facial&Neck Cream (1 oz: $39.95/2 oz; $59.95; 8 oz: $179.95). GLYCOSHEA is helpful in both moisturizing the skin and decreasing the appearance of fine lines in the skin, promoting skin smoothness, making it into an AntiWrinkle Cream.

Glycolic Acid is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid antiwrinkle ingredient — GlycoShea Hand&Body Lotion contains skin-smoothing Glycolic Acid

For people with especially sensitive skin, or for kids or seniors with dry skin or Eczema, we also manufacture fragrance-free Shea Butter moisturizers: HypoShea Moisturizer Cream and HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion (1 oz: $12.95; 2 oz: $18.95; 8 oz: $39.95).

GlycoShea's Refined Shea Butter replenishes your skin's oils — GlycoShea Facial&Neck Cream contains skin smoothing Glycolic Acid

So if you or family members are suffering from itching and rash, consider getting your condition properly diagnosed. My own Memphis Dermatology practice is with Rheumatology and Dermatology, 8143 Walnut Grove Road, Cordova TN (www.Rheumderm.com; 1-901-753-0168). Or if you want to find a "Dermatologist Near Me," or "Best Dermatologist Near Me," you can find a Dermatologist closer to you by going to the American Academy of Dermatology web site, AAD.org, then plugging your zip code into the “Find a Dermatologist” tab. Don’t delay. We have so much more to offer in 2024 to help you

get your condition under control.