Treatment of Eczema
There are three aspects to the treatment of eczema: specific treatment aimed at removing
the cause; nonspecific treatment aimed at removing aggravating factors and controlling
symptoms; and suppressive treatment aimed at suppressing the inflammation that is
occurring in the skin.
Specific Treatment
Contact eczema is the only type of eczema for which a specific cause is known. Once the
chemical responsible for the eczema has been identified, it must be eliminated form the
environment of the patient and all further contact should be avoided. For example, if
poison ivy is thought to be the cause of a patient’s eczema, that plant and related
species such as poison oak must be avoided in the future.
Non-Specific Treatment
Several measures can be very helpful in reducing the symptoms and severity of
eczema: