August 3, 2021
Neurodermatitis - causes, symptoms and care tips
by Mara Hageneier
You wouldn't want to be in this skin. However, every year around 2 million children and 2.5 million adults are affected by the skin disease atopic dermatitis (source: German Dermatological Society). It is estimated that around 14% of all people suffer from this skin condition at some point in their lives. This makes atopic dermatitis one of the most common chronic skin diseases and is now even considered a disease of civilization. One more reason to pay a little more attention to the topic. Because the more you know about your unpleasant companion, the better you can deal with it. In this article, you will find out how you can best make friends with it and what you can do.
1. What is neurodermatitis? Atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis? Clarity in the jungle of terms
The term "neurodermatitis" is derived from Greek and refers to nerve, skin and inflammation. Although it is now known that inflammation of the nerves does not trigger these skin changes, the term neurodermatitis is still widely used. Doctors, on the other hand, prefer the terms "atopic dermatitis" or "atopic eczema". Both indicate an inflammatory reaction of the skin in combination with an increased tendency to allergies and hypersensitivity reactions.
2. How does neurodermatitis develop and where does it come from?
The jungle of terms makes it clear how complex the causes of neurodermatitis are. Many of them are still unexplored. One thing is clear, however: it is a complex interplay of genetic predisposition and environmental factors.
In most cases, the starting point is a genetic predisposition. If both parents suffer from atopic dermatitis, the probability that the child will also be affected is 60 to 80%. Over time, 31 gene regions have been identified that play a role in the development of atopic dermatitis. Genetic defects lead to a lack of certain proteins that the skin normally needs to build its protective horny layer. The composition of skin fats also appears to be disturbed in people with atopic dermatitis, which leads to an enormous loss of moisture. The faulty structure of the barrier layer leads to extremely dry and cracked skin, which makes it the weak point of our body. However, this predisposition alone does not make you ill, it just makes you vulnerable. If unfavorable environmental influences are added to this, the disease only shows its unpleasant side. Pathogens and allergens that normally have difficulty passing through our skin now penetrate more easily. The mostly completely harmless substances are wrongly identified as enemies by people who are susceptible to allergies and trigger inflammatory processes. The immune system reacts with what is known as sensitization, in which cells of the immune system produce defense substances (antibodies/immunoglobulins) against the substances (antigens). If an antibody binds to an allergen, it activates the release of inflammatory messenger substances.
Neurodermatitis often develops in infancy or early childhood. The good news is that in around 60% of affected children, the symptoms subside by early adulthood.
3. How do I know if I have neurodermatitis?
Placelessness - this is a characteristic that sounds strange at first, but describes neurodermatitis best. The symptoms of the skin disease can literally appear on any part of the body. Where exactly and how severe they are varies from person to person and changes over the course of life. In infants, the head, face and limbs are usually affected. In adulthood, hands, feet, neck, and the bends of the arms and knees suffer. At any age, the disease progresses in phases that alternate with phases with few or no symptoms. I have listed the most common symptoms of neurodermatitis:Neurodermatitis often manifests itself with the following characteristics:
- Dry and sensible skin
- Tormenting itching
- Reddened skin, blisters
- Scaly, weeping areas
Typical symptoms of an acute neurodermatitis attack are:
- Severe itching with scratching attacks
- Skin redness
- Swelling and blisters
- Weeping skin areas
- Crust and scale formation
Apart from the visible skin symptoms, the itching is particularly stressful. The constant scratching causes additional damage to the skin. Injuries to the skin with bloody wounds fuel the inflammatory processes even further. Insomnia and fatigue are noticeable through reduced performance.
For many sufferers, this means a significant reduction in their quality of life. And the psychological stress often contributes to a further deterioration of the skin condition. In the next sections, you will find a little help on how to break this treacherous itch-scratch cycle.
4. Provocation factors – skin suffering from neurodermatitis cannot tolerate these at all!
Once your skin's reactivity is increased, it reacts extremely sensitively to certain key stimuli. The severity and threshold at which the body reacts to these stimuli varies from individual to individual:
- climate
- Allergens (animal hair, pollen, food)
- Infections
- Psychological factors (stress, overexertion, anxiety, excitement)
- Chemical skin irritants (chemicals, alkalis, soaps)
- Mechanical skin stimuli (wool, brush)
- Drying of the skin
- Heavy sweating (sports, sauna, humid, warm climate)
5. How to become friends with your skin again!
Neurodermatitis cannot be cured to date, but it can be managed well. As we have learned, the causes, trigger factors and symptoms are so complex that it is important to get to know your neurodermatitis in detail. You don't have to become their best friend, but if you bring a little understanding and respond to individual needs, you may find a more relaxed relationship between you. Once you have swallowed your anger and rage at the itchy spots, they may leave you alone for a longer period of time. But even in these times, neurodermatitis skin needs attention and care. To improve the general condition of your skin, you cannot avoid continuous skin care. The best way to counteract the skin's barrier effect is with a moisturizing cream. And quite a lot of it: an adult with neurodermatitis needs a good kilogram of cream per month!
Once you have found out what is irritating your skin, avoid or reduce these provoking factors. This also includes foods that you are allergic to. And if it does itch, try not to scratch. The skin will only react with renewed inflammation and will not be able to calm down. You can also clench your fists or gently tap the affected areas, albeit in an annoyed but annoying manner.
Skin care – how to clean and moisturize your skin properly
The same applies here: get to know your skin and adapt your care routine to your skin condition and the course of the disease. Pay particular attention to the ingredients in your skin care. If possible, avoid products with fragrances, colors and preservatives as well as substances that can trigger contact allergies. Your basic care should always be a combination of oil and moisture. Remember the following rule: the more inflamed the skin, the moister the base should be. For extremely dry areas and in winter, it can be a little oilier.
When cleaning your skin, you should use as little water and cleaning products as possible. This will dry out the skin and weaken its barrier function even further. Oil and Dead Sea salt baths are particularly suitable and you can also try them out as a treatment over a few weeks.
When it comes to hair care, you should also make sure not to use any irritating products and avoid fragrances. I recommend our Sensitive care line . Panthenol has a calming effect and provides moisture. Lactococcos Ferment Lysate from peas protects the skin microbiome and reduces the sensitivity of the scalp. Almond oil supplies the scalp and hair with vitamins and nutrients and sodium PCA helps to bind and retain moisture.
Time out for you and your skin
A proven therapy for neurodermatitis is staying in skin-friendly climatic regions. Why certain climatic conditions produce such good results cannot be explained with scientific precision. It may be due to lower pollen and pollutant levels in the air or the peace and relaxation that patients experience during these days. The Dead Sea region is said to have a particularly healing effect. This climate filters out harmful UVB rays, so that you can stay in the sun longer than usual and benefit from its anti-inflammatory potential. The high salt content of the sea makes it easier for the sun's rays to penetrate deeper layers of the skin and, thanks to magnesium, also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
A stay in the mountains can also have a positive effect on the condition of your skin. The healing effect of the high altitude is recommended by many patients. However, if you don't have any options or are simply not the type for mountains and sea, bring your vacation home and create your own oases of peace. Effective relaxation techniques are offered by sports clubs, adult education centers and online, and range from breathing exercises, meditation, autogenic training to yoga. You should therefore never neglect the influence of your emotional world on the course of neurodermatitis.
However, you should always seek medical advice for the treatment of acute flare-ups. The German Dermatological Society has developed a step-by-step plan that recommends a specific range of treatments depending on the severity. If the inflamed eczema is treated effectively, the skin barrier can regenerate and a worsening of the symptoms can be prevented.
The right diet as a game changer?
Especially when it comes to diet, many food allergies are directly related to atopic dermatitis. In individual cases, different foods can actually have a negative impact on the condition of your skin: What should you not eat if you have atopic dermatitis? Histamine (cheese, red wine), citrus fruits, alcohol and coffee are often not well tolerated by atopic dermatitis patients. Since our intestines, with their mix of microbes, also influence our immune system, diet plays an important role in terms of well-being and health. However, there is no universal diet to improve atopic dermatitis symptoms; in each individual case, it must be determined which foods cause a deterioration of the skin. If you suspect something, you should contact your doctor for a more precise diagnosis.
The best way to track down suspicious ingredients is to keep a food diary. Since a blanket avoidance of important staple foods can lead to a nutrient deficiency, you should really only avoid those foods that have been proven to act as a provocation factor for you.
6. My personal tips: What helps with neurodermatitis?
Easy to say, hard to do! If you are affected yourself, you can probably only laugh at the tip “don’t scratch”. Perhaps you can manage to agree on a peaceful “coexistence” with your neurodermatitis skin. With enough attention – but without too much of it. Because as the saying goes, “too much attention makes even a donkey think he’s a lion”.
Sources:
https://www.allergieinformationsdienst.de/krankheitsbilder/neurodermitis/therapie.html
https://fet-ev.eu/neurodermitis-krankheitsbild/
https://www.apotheken-umschau.de/krankheiten-symptome/hautkrankheiten/hautpflege-bei-neurodermitis-720747.html
Elsässer Sabine, Personal Care and Cosmetics, Springer Medizin Verlag Heidelberg 2008