Neurodermatitis: treatment, causes, symptoms

Neurodermatitis (or atopic dermatitis) is a common skin disease accompanied by itching and inflammation of the skin. Among all allergic skin diseases, neurodermatitis occurs in 25-30% of cases. Atopic dermatitis occurs more often in women, and residents of large cities with unfavorable environmental conditions are also more susceptible to the disease. Poor nutrition and environmental pollution lead to an increase in the incidence of allergies throughout the world. Treatment of neurodermatitis usually requires time and the complex use of medicinal and non-medicinal methods.

What it is

Neurodermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that occurs due to its increased reactivity to allergens or some nonspecific irritants.
Many people know it under another name: atopic dermatitis. Neurodermatitis is not as rare as we would like. Up to 12% of people suffer from its manifestations, with women more often than men².

Most often, the disease is observed in infants and young children, but sometimes symptoms remain with a person for life. In this case, coping with dermatitis can be difficult, but with the help of modern medications, patients with a chronic form of the disease can achieve stable remission and live a full life.

It should be noted that despite its frightening appearance (the disease manifests itself as a rash, dryness and wounds on the skin), neurodermatitis is not contagious and does not pose a threat to life, although it can cause a lot of trouble, mainly due to itching.

Clinical researches

The conducted clinical study proves the high efficiency, safety and tolerability of the product for daily skin care with mild and moderate forms of atopic dermatitis and during remission, accompanied by a decrease in the quality of life of patients. As a result of therapy, a decrease in the activity of the inflammatory process, a decrease in dryness, itching and flaking was noted.

The following have been clinically proven:

Emulsion "La-Cri" moisturizes and nourishes the skin, relieves itching and irritation, soothes and restores the skin.
Cream "La-Cri" for dry skin eliminates dryness and flaking, retains the skin's own moisture, protects the skin from wind and cold
La-Cri cream for sensitive skin reduces itching and irritation, relieves skin redness, moisturizes and gently cares for the skin.

The properties of the products are confirmed by a clinical study conducted jointly with the St. Petersburg Union of Pediatricians of Russia.

Sources:

V.V. Chebotarev, N.V. Chebotareva, M.S. Askhakov, E.V. Bronnikova, Sensitive skin: causes, methods of therapy, journal Medical Bulletin of the North Caucasus, 2015
E.G. Sanakaeva, S.A. Masyukova, I.V. Ilyina, E.V. Vvedenskaya and others, Modern therapy of acne and acneiform dermatoses, Russian Journal of Skin and Venereal Diseases, 2013
N.D. Odinaeva, G.V. Yatsyk, I.A. Belyaeva Correction of dry skin in newborns, Pediatrics journal, 2011
T.A. Bokova, Diaper dermatitis in a newborn, Medical Council journal, 2018

Symptoms of neurodermatitis

A special place among the symptoms is occupied by itching, or rather, an almost unbearable desire to scratch the skin. It is this that often causes the condition to worsen, since scratching in patients with neurodermatitis heals slowly, and new skin lesions, in turn, aggravate inflammation and itching.

The stress factor plays an important role here - it is no coincidence that doctors consider an unstable emotional state to be one of the causes of neurodermatitis. Stress serves as a trigger, and when the disease worsens, it serves as an additional trigger. Itching with neurodermatitis can be very disturbing, interfering with sleep and leading to increased anxiety or depression. At the same time, the growing stress due to itching intensifies the unpleasant sensations that give rise to new stress - a kind of vicious circle arises, from which it is quite difficult to get out.

How to beat the itch

If you have an exacerbation of neurodermatitis, 5 home care methods will help you cope with itching and soothe irritated skin:

Apply a cool compress to the skin. To create a compress, you can use a towel soaked in cool water. Before applying to the skin, the fabric should be wrung out well, and after removing the compress, use a moisturizer.
Prepare a colloidal oatmeal bath. Add finely ground oatmeal to warm water. The recommended time for taking such a bath is from 10 to 15 minutes. Apply cream to damp skin.
Try to calm down and relieve accumulated stress. Use techniques that help you. This could be yoga, meditation, listening to pleasant music, herbal medicine, etc.
Try pinching or tapping the area of skin adjacent to the area of neurodermatitis. Sometimes this helps relieve an attack of severe itching.
Use an itching cream or calamine. Such products usually have a cooling effect and relieve discomfort on the skin.

Itching is not the only symptom of neurodermatitis. There are also external signs of the disease:

dry skin, peeling, cracks, wounds and roughness, which are called simple chronic lichen;
rash;
pain, redness, darkening of the skin;
edema;
characteristic additional folds in the palms of the hands and under the eyes (Denny-Morgan symptom).

Exacerbations of neurodermatitis are seasonal. The skin feels better in summer and worse in winter, when the indoor air is especially dry.

As a rule, the skin with atopic dermatitis seems excessively thin and fragile and needs constant hydration. Sometimes, on the contrary, wet areas appear. Other, rarer signs of the disease include loss of eyelashes and eyebrows, blisters, and hives caused by skin contact with allergens or improper care.

The Denny-Morgan sign is an additional fold of the lower eyelid. Photo: Indian journal of dermatology / Open-i (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Most often, eczema appears on the hands (palms, elbows, forearms), neck, scalp, legs, anus and genitals³. The areas that are most affected are those that are easy to reach to scratch. A child in the first years of life is characterized by rashes and irritations on the face - around the mouth, around the eyes, on the cheeks.

Caring for inflamed skin

Living with neurodermatitis becomes easier if you take proper and regular care of your skin.

Skin moisturizing.

If inflammation is present, it is important to promptly moisturize dry, reactive skin. In this case, the cream should be applied immediately after a bath or shower. This will help strengthen the skin's lipid barrier and alleviate symptoms.

Shower and bath according to the rules.

If you approach showering and bathing wisely, this will greatly alleviate your condition, but the wrong soap or even the wrong water temperature can only ruin things. Therefore, people with neurodermatitis should always remember the following rules.

The bath time should not be extended; on a daily basis, preference should be given to the shower (10 minutes is enough);
the water should not be hot (not higher than 37°C);
It is better to take a shower daily⁵;
after a shower or bath, lubricate damp skin with a rich cream (first, you can apply a medicine recommended by a doctor to the skin, and then a nourishing cream);
the towel should be soft, use fragrance-free products when washing;
It is better to avoid washcloths and sponges; just lather the detergent with your hands;
body scrubs are prohibited;
The shower product should have a neutral pH.

Sunscreen.

Sun protection reduces the risk of skin cancer. However, atopics are advised to be more careful in the selection of funds. In people with neurodermatitis, a chemical filter cream containing isopropyl alcohol may contribute to the appearance of new areas of irritation⁴.

Diet for neurodermatitis

The presence of neurodermatitis imposes certain restrictions on a person, and one of them is a ban on certain foods. For atopic dermatitis, the following should be excluded from the diet:

salty foods;
spicy food;
spices;
simple carbohydrates;
street food;
classic allergens (eggs, dairy products, seafood, citrus fruits, red vegetables, cocoa, etc.).

For neurodermatitis, fermented milk products, herbs, vegetable oil, whole grain bread, vegetable purees and lean meat are useful. Do not forget about the drinking regime - about 1.5 liters of water per day.

Atopic dermatitis (neurodermatitis). Is it possible to cure once and for all?

This scourge has many names: atopic dermatitis, allergic dermatitis, atopic skin, neurodermatitis, diffuse neurodermatitis. But the essence is the same - a painful incurable disease, which, nevertheless, is “treated” with heavy hormonal drugs that gradually destroy the body and cause a whole bunch of diseases in addition. Is there a way out?

What is atopic dermatitis?

Chronic, itchy inflammation of the upper layers of the skin of an allergic (non-infectious) nature, which affects 10–20% of the population of developed countries, including children. It is impossible to die from it, but dermatitis can seriously torment a person. The impetus for exacerbation is often stress and nervous experiences, which is why atopic dermatitis in the past was also called neurodermatitis - “nervous” dermatitis, although stress is far from the only “catalyst” of the disease.

Neurodermatitis is often seasonal. As with allergy sufferers, exacerbations are caused by temperature changes, weather changes, and plant flowering.

Neurodermatitis symptoms

Atopic dermatitis is characterized by itchy inflammation of the upper layers of the skin. A rash (eczema) appears on different parts of the body, but more often on the neck, arms, elbows, skin around the eyes, mouth (cheilitis on the lips), in the area of the earlobes, popliteal fossae, and ankles. Neurodermatitis may be accompanied by a respiratory syndrome, reminiscent in its manifestations of attacks of bronchial asthma.

It is easy to understand that neurodermatitis causes great discomfort to the patient. Constant skin itching affects not only the physical, but also the emotional state of a person.

Psychological disorders and neuroses often occur against the background of atopic dermatitis.

Dermatitis. The real reasons

The nature of dermatitis is not known to medicine. It is only believed that this is a hereditary disease. Indeed, if the parents suffered from non-infectious dermatitis, then the child may also be genetically predisposed to the disease. However, one very important clarification is necessary here. It is not a skin rash or eczema that is inherited, but a feature of the immune system

, namely the hereditary tendency to produce excess antibodies. It is the antibodies of the immune system that cause skin rashes and itching, but this does not happen out of nowhere, but as a reaction of the immune system to internal contamination of the body. For toxins, purulent foci that our body accumulates as a result of poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle.

When the internal environment of the body is polluted, the immune system begins to perceive its own cells as foreign and the result is an “inadequate” (atopic) reaction - rash, redness, itching and peeling of the skin or inflammation of soft tissues.

But stress, allergens, food irritants, and weather changes do not cause atopic dermatitis, but only act as a trigger.

By the way, here lies the answer to a fact that is unclear to official medicine, why dermatitis is often accompanied by other allergic and autoimmune diseases - hay fever (exacerbation is caused by a variety of allergens - food, bacterial, medications, etc.), rhinitis, bronchial asthma. The nature of these diseases is the same.

Therefore, do not rush to blame genes, or your own “unhealthy” nature. Rather, on the contrary, if you suffer from non-infectious dermatitis or allergies, your body guards your health with special zeal, trying to cleanse itself and throw out through the skin everything that it does not like inside itself.

Another question is that something needs to be done about this. Dermatitis must be treated, otherwise it simply will not survive. And the sooner you start fighting the disease, the better.

How to treat dermatitis?

For the treatment of atopic dermatitis, medicine has been using hormonal drugs - systemic glucocorticoids, hormonal ointments and sprays - for more than 50 years. Even children are fed hormones! The second most popular method is the administration of immunomodulators. These are immunostimulant drugs or, conversely, immunosuppressants that suppress excessive activity of the immune system, for example, topical calcineurin inhibitors. During exacerbations, take antihistamines (Tavegil, Suprastin, Claritin, Zyrtec).

All these heavy synthetic drugs suppress the immune system, disrupt the natural self-regulation of the body, thus literally “implanting” the immune system and gradually destroying the body. At the same time, they only eliminate the external manifestations of the disease, but do not provide a therapeutic effect.

It is not surprising that neurodermatitis is considered incurable, and over time, those suffering from itchy skin “overgrow” with a whole bunch of diseases, including hypertension, asthma, diabetes, and obesity.

Treatment of atopic dermatitis

An interesting fact is that medicine does not classify atopic dermatitis as any group of diseases. It is mainly dealt with by dermatologists, but it is not “skin related”. Allergic, to the fullest – too. Doctors agree that the disease is multifactorial, and rather we are talking about an autoimmune inflammatory disease . This means, in fact, about a systemic disease of the whole organism. Therefore, the treatment of atopic dermatitis

must be comprehensive.

Is it possible to cure neurodermatitis once and for all?

As we have already said, official medicine considers atopic dermatitis to be incurable. However, the trouble with our medicine is that it does not consider the human body as a whole, but treats individual diseases and organs. Likewise, atopic dermatitis is not a separate skin disease that should be treated with hormonal ointments. This is a disease of the whole body. It only appears on the skin, and the cause is hidden in dysfunction and contamination of the liver, kidneys and lungs.

Particular attention should be paid to nutrition. Due to improper mixed nutrition, and mainly due to animal proteins - meat and dairy - the body becomes polluted and hidden purulent foci form in organs and tissues.

Animal food with a sad pattern is processed in our body into pus (rotting in the intestines, immune conflicts in the tissues), and the pus is carried with the blood and accumulates wherever possible, since the blood is filtered in the tissues - liver, kidneys, adipose tissue, even meninges. This blood purification occurs in the body constantly - the blood must be clean, otherwise we will choke on our own poisons. Our organs have very large compensatory capabilities - to accumulate and deposit these metabolic wastes in the cells, especially in the subcutaneous tissue, in the liver and lungs. This is where skin diseases appear: diathesis in children, eczema, psoriasis in adults, liver diseases, for example, Botkin’s disease, pneumonia, bronchitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis. And allergies in children and adults - to pollen, house dust, honey, citrus fruits, red vegetables and fruits. And there is only one reason: contamination of body tissues with rotting dead cells, that is, pus.

So, in order for the cure for dermatitis to be final and not temporary, you need to follow certain rules.

1. Nutrition.

About 80% of the immune system's defense cells are found in the gut,

This is why food can enhance or suppress immunity. Our health depends 90 percent on the condition of our intestines! Don't turn your intestines into a stinking sewer.

There is no place in your diet for too fatty, spicy foods, smoked meats and marinades. Strive to ensure that food is always freshly prepared, without preservatives or artificial colors. Follow the principles of separate nutrition according to Herbert Shelton. Experts also advise following a diet that is aimed at maintaining the correct acid-base balance in the body. The diet should consist of 70-80% alkali-forming foods and only 20-30% of acid-forming foods. Alkali-forming foods include almost all juicy fruits and vegetables in their natural form. Acid-forming foods contain proteins, starches, sugars, fats and oils. These include meat, grains, cheese, sugar, potatoes, beans, animal and vegetable oils, cream and meat products. Eliminate alcohol, minimize the consumption of foods containing proteins, starches, sugars, fats and oils.

2. Ecology

Don’t miss the opportunity to spend the summer at your dacha or in the countryside; give preference to this type of recreation instead of tourist trips to crowded cities. Walk outdoors more often, in the forest.

3. Movement

To increase immunity, regular physical activity is useful: fitness for an hour and a half three times a week, swimming pool, gymnastics at home every day for at least half an hour a day. Moderate physical activity, among other things, strengthens the nervous system and helps cope with stressful situations that can trigger an outbreak of the disease.

4. Be careful with medications!

You must be very careful with medications and take them only when absolutely necessary.

If you follow these simple rules, you can avoid the problems associated with this disease. And hormonal ointments can be sent to a landfill. That's where they go.

Kinesitherapy as a method of general health improvement of the body

Kinesitherapy does not directly treat dermatitis, but in many ways contributes to the cleansing and overall health of the body. If you suffer from allergies, skin rashes of non-infectious origin, and at the same time have problems with the joints and spine, kinesitherapy is the best way to make movement and an active lifestyle accessible to people of different ages, physical fitness and health status.

We have a promotion. Doctor’s consultation + diagnosis of the spine and joints – 1000 rubles.

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Treatment of neurodermatitis

In the treatment of neurodermatitis, it is very important for the patient to control himself and not scratch the rash, thus breaking the “itch-scratch” cycle. You also need to avoid individual triggers that cause the appearance of new foci of neurodermatitis. This could be plant pollen, animal hair, certain foods, climate change, certain fabrics, etc.

Skin allergy test. Photo: lev-studio-x / freepik.com

If atopic dermatitis does not go away on its own with age and becomes permanent, it is extremely difficult to get rid of it once and for all. Therefore, for people with chronic neurodermatitis, treatment comes down to stopping the exacerbation and going into long-term remission. A systematic approach helps to achieve this. This includes lifestyle changes, stress control, proper skin care and well-chosen drug treatment.

Neurodermatitis or psoriasis: how to distinguish?

For the average person, the symptoms of neurodermatitis and psoriasis can look exactly the same - like flaky, dry skin.
But every disease has its own characteristics. With psoriasis there is no such severe itching as with neurodermatitis. And the localization of the lesions is different. In patients with psoriasis this is:

scalp under hair;
small of the back;
buttocks;
elbows;
palms and soles of feet.

In addition, psoriasis is not weeping, while neurodermatitis can manifest itself in the form of a rash, the elements of which are filled with liquid.

Characteristic features of psoriasis:

changes in the nails (color changes, dents appear, nails peel);
a noticeable reaction to skin damage (a new lesion of psoriasis can occur in response to any injury, including a burn or a puncture mark).

Already by these signs, psoriasis is easy to recognize. But if this is not enough, the development of pathology can be analyzed. Psoriasis usually first appears in adolescence or in adults under 30 years of age. Neurodermatitis usually appears in children in the first years of life and later can become chronic.

External means

The treatment of neurodermatitis is based on topical glucocorticosteroids. These are hormonal drugs that locally relieve inflammation and relieve symptoms in the acute phase. This greatly simplifies the life of a patient with atopic dermatitis. Such creams and ointments may contain various compounds (alclomethasone, methylprednisolone aceponate, betamethasone, etc.) and differ in the degree of activity. Some of them contain antimicrobial or antifungal components. Before using corticosteroids, be sure to visit your doctor so that he can select a treatment regimen for you.

How to use topical corticosteroids

In order for the treatment to be effective and without side effects, it is important to follow the rules:

do not use corticosteroids constantly - after 2-4 weeks of daily use, switch to 1-2 times a week;
alternate the areas to which you apply the medicinal cream, excluding particularly sensitive areas;
if you use wet dressings (they are recommended only for severe illness), put them aside immediately after relief;
choose new generation drugs with high efficiency and low risk of side effects.

The second class of drugs used externally for neurodermatitis are calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus, pimecrolimus). They have local immunotropic activity, are not associated with unwanted reactions and are effective both in relieving inflammation in the acute phase of the disease and in preventing the appearance of rashes. They can be used by both children and adults.

Special creams and ointments relieve the symptoms of atopic dermatitis. Photo/Depositphotos

Systemic drugs

Systemic therapy includes the use of several groups of drugs, including:

H1 receptor blockers (hydroxyzine, clemastine, loratadine) to relieve itching;
glucocorticosteroids in the treatment of severe forms;
antibacterial, antifungal agents in case of secondary infection;
sedatives, psychotropic drugs, if it is necessary to correct the patient’s emotional state;
immunosuppressants (cyclosporine A, azathioprine, methotrexate)¹.

Many drugs have side effects, so they are prescribed only if topical drugs do not have the desired effect.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy is used if the allergens causing the disease are identified.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy may be indicated for patients with atopic dermatitis. Treatment with ultraviolet radiation has proven itself well¹. It is prescribed to adults and children over 12 years of age for chronic and severe neurodermatitis.

Cetrin for neurodermatitis

Cetrin is a second generation antihistamine used for acute and chronic allergic diseases. The active substance, cetirizine hydrochloride, blocks H1-histamine receptors4. This prevents the development of allergic reactions, which result in redness, swelling of the skin, and severe itching.

Advantages of the drug:

Practically does not cause drowsiness in a therapeutic dosage.
Take 1 tablet (10 mg) 1 time per day, regardless of food intake.
Begins to act 20 minutes after administration.
The effect lasts up to 3 days after the last dose of the drug.
Suitable for use in children over 6 years of age4.

Cetrin is suitable for the treatment of exacerbations of neurodermatitis in adults and children. It relieves itching, the severity of skin hyperemia, and improves the quality of life of people suffering from atopic dermatitis1.

Causes of neurodermatitis

The true cause of neurodermatitis has not yet been established. However, it is noted that allergy sufferers and those people whose relatives suffer from atopic dermatitis get sick more often. Many experts agree that neurodermatitis is of an autoimmune nature.

A warm bath relieves the condition. After the water procedure, the skin should be lubricated with a rich cream. Photo: alexeys/Depositphotos

Among the risk factors for the development of neurodermatitis are:

Gender and age. Women are more susceptible to the disease, and the age of manifestation of chronic dermatitis in adults ranges from 30 to 50 years.
The presence of other skin diseases, including psoriasis.
Anxiety disorders, increased anxiety, chronic stress.

Risk factors for neurodermatitis for children

The likelihood of developing atopic dermatitis in young children increases:

complicated course of pregnancy and childbirth in the mother;
unbalanced diet during pregnancy;
parents working in hazardous work;
poor living conditions;
artificial feeding;
past infections;
taking medications.

The trigger for itching can be many irritating factors - from an insect bite to uncomfortable clothing. Neurodermatitis can be provoked, among other things, by:

cosmetics, including those containing natural ingredients that can cause allergies;
latex used in the production of gloves and condoms;
household chemicals;
pet hair;
perfumes, home fragrances, scented candles;
food preservatives and dyes;
some metals;
cigarette smoke;
certain medications;
building materials such as glue;
disorders of skin microflora, etc.

If dermatitis is caused by an encounter with an allergen, then a rash will most likely appear at the site of contact with the irritant.

Reasons for development

In most cases, diffuse (widespread) neurodermatitis develops due to a hereditary predisposition if one of the parents or both suffer from some type of allergy. Quite often, the disease appears in childhood along with exudative (allergic) diathesis and may be accompanied by other allergic diseases (bronchial asthma, hay fever, etc.).

Most authors consider atopic* dermatitis to be synonymous with diffuse (widespread) neurodermatitis.

* atopy is a hereditary predisposition to increased sensitivity to allergens.

The following factors contribute to the occurrence of diffuse (widespread) neurodermatitis:

poor nutrition,
intoxication (poisoning),
dysfunction of internal organs (liver, stomach, kidneys),
chronic infections.

A major role in the development of the disease belongs to functional disorders of the nervous and endocrine systems.

Limited (localized, focal) neurodermatitis, or simple chronic Vidal's lichen. The main factor in the development of the disease is considered to be increased sensitivity of the skin to various external irritants. It is believed that this skin reaction is associated with the peculiarity of the nerve endings of the surface layer of the skin (epidermis).

An important role in the development of limited (localized, focal) neurodermatitis is played by metabolic disorders in the body, diseases of the digestive system, especially the biliary tract and pancreas, which results in increased absorption of allergens and chronic autointoxication (self-poisoning of the body).

Classification of neurodermatitis

To make it easier for you to navigate the types of neurodermatitis and their characteristics, we have compiled a detailed classification of the disease. Neurodermatitis, or atopic dermatitis, is classified depending on the cause of the disease (allergic and non-allergic) and its course. If we are talking about chronic neurodermatitis, then it would be appropriate to note periods of exacerbation (with severe or moderate symptoms) and remission, when the disease subsides or completely ceases to manifest itself¹.

Allergic neurodermatitis is the most common form of the disease. It accounts for up to 90% of all cases. In 30-80% of patients with atopic dermatitis, respiratory allergies develop¹.

The classification can also be based on the patient’s age, then neurodermatitis will be infant, child, adolescent or adult. Based on the severity of symptoms, there are several degrees of neurodermatitis: mild, moderate and severe. Mild neurodermatitis worsens no more than once a year, after which it may subside for several months. Severe, on the contrary, is difficult to treat and almost constantly reminds of itself.

If we evaluate the prevalence of manifestations, neurodermatitis can be divided into three types:

limited localized - covers small areas of skin, for example, on the elbows, under the knees, on the hands or neck;
widespread - characterized by large affected areas, and irritation can cover the chest, back, shoulders, and so on;
diffuse - detected when most of the skin is affected.

If you have neurodermatitis, it is important not to scratch the affected areas of the skin. Photo: James Heilman, MD / Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Consequences of neurodermatitis. Possible complications

The disease occurs differently in different situations. A combination of negative external and internal factors can speed up the process. In particular, neurodermatitis is fraught with complications during relapses of infectious diseases, when a viral or fungal infection enters the body. Patients who have been using hormone-containing drugs for medicinal purposes for a long time are most susceptible to complications of neurodermatitis.

Bacteria of the staphylococcal group are the main causative agents of infection, which contributes to the development of furunculosis, hidradenitis and folliculitis. Complications of neurodermatitis are accompanied by an increase in body temperature, a sharp change in the patient’s physiological state, from chills to increased sweating. Itching, burning, and hyperemia are observed in areas of skin lesions. Lymph nodes in the periphery are enlarged. One of the dangerous clinical forms of complications of neurodermatitis is Kaposi's eczema herpetiformis. The disease is dangerous for children and, in the absence of proper attention from doctors, can be fatal. The common herpes simplex virus becomes the causative agent of an infection that affects the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, spreading massively on the skin of the face.

Diagnosis of neurodermatitis

Before making a diagnosis, the doctor collects anamnesis, interviews the patient, and conducts an examination. Certain facts can tell a specialist the answer to the question of what is the cause of skin itching and rash. So, in favor of atopic dermatitis will be the presence of this disease in at least one of the relatives, the manifestation of the disease in early childhood, the patient’s tendency to skin infections, allergies, and so on.

The location of the rash and its nature are important. For example, in children, “favorite” places for manifestations of neurodermatitis are the elbow and popliteal folds, the back of the neck, and the area behind the ears. In adults, the face and hands are more often affected.

Manifestations of neurodermatitis in a child. Photo: jaro.p / Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

The second stage of diagnosis is an allergological examination. This may include skin tests (prick tests), as well as blood tests to determine the level of total serum IgE and IgE isotype antibodies to various allergens. It can be supplemented by immunological tests: detection of IgA, IgM and IgG in blood serum¹.

Sometimes atopic dermatitis is easily confused with other skin diseases, for example, scabies, ichthyosis, pityriasis rosea, psoriasis. To avoid mistakes, the doctor conducts a differential diagnosis, taking into account the symptoms and results of the examinations. After all, a correct diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.

Types of inguinal dermatitis in women and men

Among the possible diseases, the most common diseases in the groin area are those of a fungal nature (the so-called athlete's foot inguinal and candidiasis of the folds). Bacterial diseases (erythrasma) and inflammatory dermatoses (psoriasis, contact dermatitis, benign familial pemphigus) can manifest themselves in a similar way. Children often develop diaper dermatitis in the groin area, which is primarily caused by improper care of the diaper area.

In some cases, it is impossible to make a diagnosis from a photo. In addition to examining the affected skin, a dermatologist will take a scraping to exclude the infectious nature of the disease and conduct an examination using a special ultraviolet lamp - a Wood's lamp.

Photo 1. Inguinal dermatitis.

Photo 2. Inguinal dermatitis.

Complications

In general, neurodermatitis is not cause for concern and is not associated with serious health problems, but in the acute phase it can significantly affect the quality of life. Excessive dry skin, rashes, sores and sores increase the risk of bacterial and fungal skin infections. It is not always possible to notice them in time, for example, if foci of dermatitis involve the scalp. In this case, it may be difficult to properly care for irritated skin, which also contributes to the development of inflammation.

The second common complication of neurodermatitis is the formation of scars at the site of the rash. The main reason for their appearance is uncontrolled scratching of inflammation.

Clinical options

Neurodermatitis in children can occur in several clinical forms. They differ in the localization of the rashes, as well as the treatment regimen. Another difference lies in the severity of the signs, which depends on several conditions, including the age and characteristics of the child’s physical development.

There are the following clinical variants of the course of neurodermatitis:

local. Also called limited, which indicates the nature of the rash. They appear in one area of the body, or less often in two adjacent areas. Moreover, the rash can be observed almost everywhere: on the face, back, arms or legs, etc.;
linear. With this form of neurodermatitis, the rashes are localized mainly on the arms or legs;
diffuse. Unlike local, this variant of the flow is accompanied by the appearance of spots on different parts of the body at the same time;
hypertrophic. It has another name - Ehrmann's neurodermatitis. The form of the pathology is quite rare, accompanied by foci of inflammation in the area of the inguinal-femoral folds and the inner surface of the thighs;
psoriasiform. The rashes are represented by compacted areas of skin with elements of peeling. They appear on the face, scalp and neck;
follicular. Rashes occur in the scalp area. Papules are characterized by a pointed shape. They are localized along the mouths of the hair follicles.

Prognosis and prevention

Children's neurodermatitis often goes away as they grow older. But if it becomes chronic, there is a high probability that symptoms will appear periodically throughout life. However, complex treatment can significantly improve the quality of life of such patients, reducing the risk of relapse to a minimum.

Prevention of neurodermatitis in children includes careful planning of pregnancy, monitoring the use of medications throughout the entire gestation period, as well as following a diet that excludes the consumption of highly allergenic foods. After the baby is born, breastfeeding is preferable with a gentle diet for the nursing mother.

Prevention

The goal of preventing neurodermatitis is to eliminate or minimize the effects of factors that can trigger the onset or relapse of the disease. To do this, it is recommended to do the following: