Eczema and psoriasis are two skin conditions that present with very similar symptoms but how do you differentiate one from the other?
What is eczema?
Eczema is a group of inflammatory skin conditions that can itchiness, dryness and red skin. There a 7 types of eczema that include contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis and the most common kind, atopic dermatitis. On lighter skin tones, eczema presents itself as red and inflamed but on dark skin, it appears brown, grey or ashen. The most common symptom is itchy, inflamed skin
It can occur at various stages of a person’s life, with many newborn babies developing eczema within the first weeks or months after birth. Eczema is most commonly developed during childhood and will settle once an individual reaches adulthood. Eczema can develop during later periods of life but when it does, the condition is chronic.
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that causes dry, scaly and red skin. With psoriasis, the condition causes thick, piled up patches on the skin called plaques. Psoriasis can start at any period of an individual’s life but most commonly appears during adulthood. Unlike eczema, psoriasis affects more than the skin. It can impact parts of your body such as the nails, the joints by causing the to become swollen, stiff and painful and and even the eyes in some rare cases.
What are the symptoms?
Eczema
- Dry skin
- Itchy skin
- Cracked and sore skin
- Inflamed skin
- Appears in the folds of the skin such as; behind the knees, hands, face and inner crease of the arm
Psoriasis
- Dry, scaly skin
- Itchy
- Sore
- Thick, raised skin called plaques
- Various sized raised areas
- Appears in areas such as the elbows, knees and scalp
Treatments for eczema
There are various treatments that can help keep your eczema under control. These are:
Controlling eczema triggers
For people who suffer with eczema, there are several elements that can contribute to a what is known as flare up. This is when eczema symptoms begin to worsen. The triggers can include:
- A change in weather, particularly cold and dry weather
- Environmental factors like dampness, dust mites, pet fur and pollen
- Hormonal changes
- Certain materials such as wool or synthetic fabrics
- Food allergies like dairy and nuts
Emollients
Emollients work by keeping the skin moist and hydrated as well easing symptoms such as itchiness, soreness and preventing cracking in the skin. They should be used at least twice a day or more depending on how severe your eczema is. You can apply emollients to all of your skin and even after your eczema has cleared to prevent any future flare ups. Emollients are often used alongside topical corticosteroids.
Topical corticosteroids
If you eczema worsens, your doctor may prescribe a topical corticosteroid. There are various strengths available for different severities of eczema, these are:
- Mild – Hydrocortisone
- Moderate – Betamethasone valerate and clobetasone butyrate
- Strong – higher doses of betamethasone valerate and betamethasone diproprionate
- Very strong – clobetasol propionate and diflucortolone valterate
Antihistamines
Anithistamines work alongside other eczema treatments like emollients and topical corticosteroids to help control one of the biggest symptoms with eczema which is itchiness that can make you want to scratch the skin, ultimately causing issues such as cracked or sore skin. It can also cause a lack of sleep and discomfort and antihistamines can help you sleep better and control itchiness.
If you have eczema, you are more susceptible to what is known as the atopic triad. This includes eczema, allergies and asthma, meaning if you are suffering with one of these conditions, you are more than likely to deal with the other two also.
Here at Be Well, we have a range of antihistamines available to purchase that can help with eczema, allergies or both.
Treatments for psoriasis
There are some similar treatments for both psoriasis and eczema. This includes the use of topical corticosteroid creams to reduce symptoms such as inflammation and cold, dry weather. Emollients can also be prescribed to to treat psoriasis and is usually one of the treatment methods prescribed.
Some other treatment for psoriasis include the following:
Vitamin D analogues
Vitamin D analogues are synthetic forms of vitamin D that slow down skin cell growth, preventing symptoms such as red, inflamed or scaly skin that comes with someone suffering with psoriasis. Some examples of vitamin D analogues that you may be prescribed by your doctor or your GP are; calcipotriol, calcitriol and tacalcitol.
Salicylic acid
Salycylic acid is an effective treatment for psoriasis as it reduces symptoms such as scaly skin by softening and removing them. It is often found in shampoos specifically for those who deal with psoriasis.
We recommend Capasal Shampoo. It is a therapeutic shampoo to dry, scaly scalp conditions such as eczema, dandruff and psoriasis. It contains not only salicylic acid to remove flaky skin but also distilled coal tar to stop itching and restore normal skin development.
