A great podcast with Dr. Jonathan Silverberg who specializes in treating some of the toughest cases of eczema.
Here are some new discoveries about eczema:
- People with atopic dermatitis have significantly higher rates of medical and mental health issues.
- 13% of children and 7% of adults suffer from eczema (US)
- During childhood – boys tend to have eczema more than girls
- Around age 5 and up it becomes more common in girls/women
- African American children are twice as likely to get eczema
- Higher rates of eczema in Urban areas
- Those that live on farms have a significantly lower risk
- Eczema is about a pattern – an irreversible pattern
- He believes eczema is an autoimmune issue because the immune system is wired to produce more inflammation
- Having a severe itch is one of the most debilitating symptoms – maybe even more burdensome to severe pain
- When patients itch, they don’t sleep well – this leads to more problems
- There’s a component of skin pain in addition to the itching
“This is a different scenario, we have to step up our treatments” ~ Dr. Jonathan Silverberg
- New discoveries show that eczema might be the cause of allergies – as the skin barrier is weakened and allows allergens to penetrate and trigger an allergy in the immune system
- Severe eczema early on in life – can really lead to harsher allergies as the patient gets older <– they are trying to figure out ways to prevent this
The mental health symptoms are actually symptoms of the eczema. So the same way I think of itch as a symptoms of eczema or pain as a symptom of eczema. I actually think of depression and anxiety as a symptom of eczema. Because for the most part, when you get really good control of their disease – those actually get better too! ~ Dr. Jonathan Silverberg
- Are starting to focus on adults with eczema – and livability
- 100% Out of the Adult Patients in a survey who had severe eczema had suffered from depression and anxiety scores
- This is a VERY STRONG STATEMENT – patients feel isolated. Especially because they aren’t asked about it
- Mental health is incredibly common – even in mild cases
- Talks about how doctors might not know what to do with this information – as they are dermatologists and not therapists
- Best to help manage the disease – once you do that the mental health gets so much better over time
- Find a good moisturizer
- Bleach baths are still highly controversial – mixed and conflicting results
- In the past doctors told patients not to take too many showers or baths a week – this affected patients in their personal lives.
- Turns out that baths and showers can actually help your condition – especially if you moisturize right after
- Bleach baths don’t kill staph – only high levels which are extremely dangerous to patients and not recommend as a treatment
- It’s hard to navigate moisturizers for patients as there are too many products.
- Recommends petroleum jelly – vaseline (not sure about this)
- During a flare – cold creams are soothing, put the moisturizer in the fridge to make it more tolerable
- There’s a conference called RAD or Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis dedicated to treatment options – topical, oral, and injectables
- People from all over will be flown in to discuss the latest eczema news
- Will be going over the major questions dealing with eczema – so they thought it would be best to have a conference addressing this
- He had eczema as a kid, which is why he’s so passionate about it
- During the Chicago winters, his skin flares up
- He studied it and became fascinated by it, as no two cases look alike
- Amazing impact on the lives of people treated is worth it
- They’re saying this is the decade of eczema – a renaissance of research in the eczema field