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Managing Atopic Dermatitis

er There are several treatment options that can be used to control the signs and symptoms of AD and improve your condition. Managing AD usually involves a mix of treatments. Your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan based on some factors such as: 1

  • Whether your condition is mild, moderate, or severe
  • How much of your body is affected
  • How much itching you have
  • Your age
  • How much AD impacts your life
  • Other health conditions you have
  • Any medicines you take
  • Your lifestyle, preferences, and personal goals

Treatment Goals

Some of the goals of treatment are to: 2

  • Control dry skin, itching, and inflammation
  • Help your skin heal
  • Prevent infections
  • Prevent flares

Medicines

Topical treatments: Topicals are applied directly on the skin. They come in different forms including creams, ointments, lotions, and sprays. Some can be purchased over-the-counter while others need to be prescribed by a doctor. 2-4

Depending on the ingredients, topicals can help:

  • Moisturize your skin and improve the skin barrier 2
  • Ease symptoms such as itching, redness, oozing, and thickened skin 3,5
  • Improve your skin's ability to keep out germs and other things that can irritate it 5
  • Reduce inflammation and prevent flares 2

Pills:

  • These medicines are usually prescribed for those with more severe, widespread AD. They work throughout your body to calm an overactive immune system and help improve your symptoms. 2,5

Injectable biologics:

  • Given through a shot under the skin, these types of medicines regulate the immune system to help control AD symptoms. 2

Phototherapy

Also called light therapy, this type of treatment exposes your skin to ultraviolet light. Your doctor may recommend this if your AD: 2

  • Is moderate to severe
  • Is widespread on your body
  • Hasn't responded to other treatments

Trigger Management

When you have AD, your skin can be very sensitive and may overreact to certain triggers which can cause a flare. Triggers can vary from person to person. Knowing what your triggers are can help you avoid them. 5

Talk with your doctor to learn what your triggers are and how to manage them.

Skin Care

When you have AD, it's important that you care for your skin every day. Here are some tips: 2

  • Bathing – Take lukewarm baths to cleanse and moisturize the skin without drying it excessively. Limit baths to once a day.
  • Soaps – Use mild, unscented soaps and cleansers that may be gentler on the skin.
  • Drying off – Pat your skin dry. Avoid rubbing too hard.
  • Moisturizer – Before your skin is completely dry, apply a moisturizer to help seal in the water. Using a moisturizer daily is important even when you don't have symptoms.
  • Avoid irritants – Protect your skin and don't wear clothes made of rough, irritating fabrics such as wool.

Other tips to protect your skin and control symptoms 2

  • Manage stress
  • Avoid scratching or rubbing which can irritate you skin and cause it to itch more
  • Keep your fingernails short
  • Keep indoor temperatures cool and the humidity level stable
  • Get restful sleep

Follow your treatment plan as directed. Partner with your doctor to ensure your treatment plan works best for you.

Living with AD

Living with AD can be hard. It can affect your sleep, self-confidence, and performance at work or school. 4 The disease can also be hard on caregivers. If AD is bothering you, talk with your doctor or other health care provider.

  1. Ständer S. Atopic dermatitis. N Eng J Med. 2021;384:1136-1143. doi:10.1056/NEJMra2023911
  2. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Atopic dermatitis: in depth. Reviewed November 2022. Accessed May 15, 2023. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/atopic-dermatitis/advanced
  3. National Eczema Association. Prescription topicals. Accessed May 15, 2023. https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/topicals/
  4. Weidinger S, Beck LA, Bieber T, Kabashima K, Irvine AD. Atopic dermatitis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018;4:1-20. doi:10.1038/s41572-018-0001-z
  5. Ludmann P. Eczema types: atopic dermatitis diagnosis and treatment. American Academy of Dermatology. Updated January 31, 2023. Accessed May 15, 2023. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/eczema/types/atopic-dermatitis/ treatment

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