Nummular Eczema
A Type of Eczema Everyone Is Prone To

Nummular eczema or discoid eczema can be differentiated from other forms of dermatitis by the characteristics of its lesions. The abrasions are dry and take the shape of a coin or oval. It afflicts different age brackets but it is more prevalent on older people.

On a nummular eczema picture, you can see rounded patches that have clear boundaries, and can occur anywhere around the body but are more common on the buttocks and leg area.

One thing I found very interesting is that unlike other types of eczema, this eczema is not associated with familial predisposition and food allergens (with the exception of caffeine.)

The symptoms may persist for a long time and may recur regularly especially during winter time when the skin is dry. Similar to most eczema, the cause is unknown and it is not contagious.

Numular eczema may come and go but is believed to be triggered by caffeine intake, excessive stress, environmental irritants and dramatic temperature swings.

Treating and Curing Nummular Eczema

The treatment of nummular eczema is centered on how to keep the skin moist. Prolonged bathing and excessive use of soap makes the skin dry, therefore it makes the skin susceptible to inflammation and lesion formation.

Many doctors recommend regular application of lotions and creams, and others even say that when the lesions linger for a long period of time, one could request a pharmacist to mix coal tar with the topical ointment. When I read this I couldn't believe it. Who would want to put coal tar on their skin?

It was almost laughable to read "the downside however is that it stains clothing and emits a strong odor." How about the harmful side effects like severe allergic reactions that include difficulty breathing, rashes, hives, tightness in the chest, and swollen mouth?

Doctors say that persistent itchy outbreaks may be remedied by ultra violet treatment. On severe cases, it is also common for dermatologists to recommend applying strong topical corticosteroids on the affected parts. Long-term use however on large parts of the body needs a regular dermatologic exam for any adverse effects.

Part of a Natural treatment for nummular eczema is applying Vaseline or Alpha Keri oil every time after each shower or bath to keep the skin lubricated. This can greatly inhibit the onset of nummular eczema. Lukewarm water is ideal when taking a shower and limit the use of soap to the armpit, face, feet and the genital area. Patting the skin to dry instead of rubbing it, is the best since rubbing can trigger irritation.

When looking for clothing always read the fabric labels to make sure you avoid wool and rough clothing. Use 100% cotton fabric instead. Wash laundry with fragrance-free detergents and refrain from using fabric conditioners, that by the way, are really harmful to your skin.

If you have an infant that has this type of condition make sure all his clothing is made with organic 100% cotton. Why? simply, it absorbs like no other materials and keeps the skin against a smooth surface. Nowadays there are studies showing the harmful effects of all the pesticides growers use to produce the cotton for the fabrics used in making clothing. Just think about this: The skin is an organ that is in charge of filtering toxins for the body, why tax it by usisng synthetic products or fabrics made with harmful chemicals?

My son doesn't suffer from this type of eczema but even so, I make sure to buy him 100% cotton clothes. Many of them are clothes for eczema sufferers.