Understanding Atopic Dermatitis: A Difficult Disease to Treat
By Director Joo Ji-eon, Hidoc Medical Reporter | Source: Hidoc
Atopic dermatitis is a challenging and incurable skin disease, known for its mysterious origins. This condition typically affects babies and young children who have not yet fully developed the ability to regulate body heat. While it may improve naturally over time, proper treatment is essential as it can persist into adulthood, causing significant discomfort in daily life.
Causes by Age
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Infantile Atopy
Atopic dermatitis in babies, occurring between 2 months and 2 years of age, presents as eczema with redness on the cheeks, arms, and outer surfaces of the legs. This early onset is attributed to poor heat regulation in the body, often exacerbated if at least one parent also suffers from the condition. Main symptoms include oozing and scabbing. -
Pediatric Atopy
Children from 2 to less than 12 years old may experience atopic dermatitis, mainly affecting the face, arm and knee folds, neck, and buttocks. Allergic inflammation is the primary cause, leading to severe itching, erythema, and oozing. Prompt treatment is crucial during growth stages as sleep disturbances can hinder proper development. -
Adult Atopy
Adults who develop atopic dermatitis may already have a chronic form of the condition. The symptoms, resembling those in childhood, can manifest all over the body and may become thickened, engorged, and pigmented over time. Resistance to traditional treatments can develop, requiring rapid immunotherapy.
Regardless of age, atopic dermatitis should be treated at its core by addressing its underlying cause. While symptomatic relief through antihistamines and steroid creams is common, long-term management may require a different approach.
According to Oriental medicine, atopic dermatitis stems from immune disturbances. Herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and phototherapy are used to correct both external and internal factors. This approach aims to prevent symptom worsening and recurrence by addressing inflammation through internal immune treatment. Individualized care is recommended, considering differences in genetics, environment, and internal factors.
Written by Director Joo Ji-eon, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Hidoc Medical Reporter
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Hidoc medical reporter Director Joo Ji-eonㅣSource: Hidoc
Considered one of the most difficult diseases to treat, atopic dermatitis is an incurable skin disease whose exact cause is unknown. It usually occurs in babies and children who are immature in regulating body heat, and it gets better naturally after a certain period of time. However, proper treatment is necessary because it can continue to appear even as an adult and various symptoms cause a lot of discomfort in daily life.
Causes by age
1) Infantile atopy
Atopic dermatitis in babies, which occurs between 2 months and 2 years of age, occurs in the form of eczema along with redness on the cheeks, arms and outer surfaces of the legs. Atopic dermatitis that appears at this time occurs due to the body’s inability to regulate heat, which causes heat to be concentrated in one area. If at least one parent suffers from atopic dermatitis, the likelihood of developing it increases, and the main symptoms include oozing and scabbing.
2) Pediatric atopy
Atopic dermatitis, which occurs in childhood from 2 to less than 12 years of age, occurs on the face, the folds of the arms and knees, the neck and the buttocks, and is caused by mainly from allergic inflammation. Severe itching occurs, causing the affected area to be scratched, and erythema and oozing occur. If atopic dermatitis occurs during a period of growth, sleep disturbances can occur due to itching that interferes with sleep, which can affect growth. That is why prompt treatment is important before it becomes chronic.
3) Adult atopy
Adult atopy, which occurs in people over the age of 12, has already become chronic. The lesion occurs in a childhood-like setting, but symptoms that persist for a long time cause the area to become thickened, engorged, and pigmented. It can appear all over the body, including the neck, face, arms, legs, back and buttocks, but as it is usually a very visible area, care must be taken as it can spread to stress and psychological depression. At this stage, resistance to existing treatment methods may develop and be ineffective, so rapid immunotherapy is required.
Atopy needs to be treated fundamentally by finding the cause.
Atopic dermatitis, which causes extreme itching while also causing a rash, dryness and itching, is often treated with a focus on improving symptoms. Representative examples include taking antihistamines to relieve itching or using a prescribed steroid cream to help prevent inflammation. This is an effective method of improving symptoms in the short term. However, it may be limited in the treatment of chronic atopic dermatitis.
From the perspective of Oriental medicine, atopic dermatitis is believed to be caused by immune disturbances. Therefore, we practice herbal medicine, acupuncture, herbal medicine, moxibustion, and phototherapy to correct not only external factors but also internal immune disturbances. This type of treatment can be seen as a key treatment that prevents symptoms from worsening and recurring by expelling inflammation through internal immune treatment. During treatment, internal, genetic and environmental aspects are all different depending on the individual, so it is recommended to examine the case carefully and treat it according to the individual’s constitution and symptoms.
Written by = Hidoc Medical Reporter, Director Joo Ji-eon (doctor of oriental medicine)
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