subject: Atopic dermatitis Diagnosis and Treatment [print this page] Atopic dermatitis Diagnosis and Treatment
The diagnosis of atopic dermatitis is clinical. It is supplemented by elicting a detailed history of atopic diathesis in self and other members of the family. The following Hanifin and Lobitz criteria help in the diagnois.
Must have each of the following;
Pruritus
Typical morphology and distribution
Flexural lichenification in adults
Facial and extensor involvement in infancy
Tendency toward chronic or chronically relapsing dermatitis plus either.
Must have two or more of the following features;
Personal or family history of atopic diseases (Asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis)
Immediate skin test reactivity
White dermographism or delayed blanch to cholinergic agents
Anterior subscapular cataracts, or else
Must have four or more of the following features;
Xerosis/icthyosis/hyperlinear palms
Pityriasis alba
Keratosis pilaris
Facial pallor/ infraorbital darkening
Elevated serum IgE
Keratoconus
Tendency to nonspecific hand dermatitis
Tendency to repeated cutaneous infections
Treatment Burrow's (aluminium acetate) or Condy's (potassium permagnate) compresses for 10 to 20 min, 3 to 4 times per day.
Topical application of corticosteroids. Oinments are preferable except in exudative lesions localized to flexural areas. Initiate therapy with a potent corticosteroid applied twice a day; Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05 percent.
Flucinolone acetonide 0.025 percent.
Tar compounds like 5 to 10 percent liquor carbonis detergens in hydrophillic ointment may be applied for lichenified dermatitis, either alone or in combination with steroids.
Unani Treatment 1) You can take one teaspoon of sandalwood paste and mix with another teaspoon of camphor. Apply this mixture on the affected areas. You can also apply this paste on rashes and keep it for sometime.
2) One more thing that you can do is oil treatment. Take 100 grams of mustard oil in an iron container. Boil it and add 25grams of fresh neem or margosa leaves to the boiling oil. Keep heating until the leaves turn black. Leave the oil to cool and then sieve it. You can apply this oil mixture four times daily.
3) You can take sunbath as it helps in killing harmful bacteria.
4) You can also opt for some water treatments; those have been proved to be quite beneficial including cold wet fomentations and cold compress. You can take this treatment twice daily.
