Treatment Options for Severe Dermatitis

Dermatitis is a common ailment experienced by many people worldwide. Some are reported to have suffered from the disease for a very long time. When severe dermatitis becomes out of hand and uncontrollable, profound treatments are recommended by the clinical experts.

When simple treatment such as topical steroids can no longer cure severe dermatitis, a more challenging way of remedy is being used. Systemic immunosuppressants and immunomodulators are then recommended to successfully eradicate the symptoms. However, there is only a limited time frame in which these drugs can be used since they produce systemic toxic effects.

Severe Dermatitis: What it Looks Like

Severe dermatitis is different from that of a normal dermatitis considering the appearance and the range of its spread. Typically, dermatitis causes itchiness and redness in an area of the body; but in severe dermatitis, almost all body parts experience pruritus and inflammation. The coverage is widespread in the entire body including skin folds, the head and face, trunk, and upper and lower extremities. The head also experiences alopecia, which means loss of hair. Scarring may also be present due to constant rubbing of the skin. In some cases of severe dermatitis, infection from Staphylococcus bacteria may also be present.

Tips to Lessen the Severity of Dermatitis

The recommended tips to reduce the symptoms of severe dermatitis are: frequent dusting of house furniture to ensure that there are no mites, application of skin moisturizers such as Vaseline, Aquaphor and petroleum jelly, avoidance of creams and ointments since it aggravates the eczema, bathing in lukewarm water followed by lotion application to damp skin, and religiously following the medication treatment for this ailment. In most cases, these tips are confirmed to be safe and efficient for the cure of severe dermatitis.

Aggressive Treatment for Severe Dermatitis

If the normal treatment to severe dermatitis does not work, a more challenging type of treatment will be used. This involves the usage of drugs which can bring about toxic effects in our body. Efalizumab treatment is proven to be effective in fully eradicating severe dermatitis. However, its toxic effects should also be considered because it may bring more harm than good in our body. Like all other treatments, people should weigh first the good that one type of cure brings, and the harm that goes alongside with it. Proper decision making with your physician should be considered and should be well thought of.