Foods may be responsible for contact eczema...

Eczema

The familiar rash of eczema (red, itchy flaking of the skin, particularly of the folds of a limb) affects approximately 5% of the population. It may be caused by external factors, called exogenous eczema, which produce allergic contact eczema, irritant contact eczema, infective and photo-allergic eczema.

Allergic contact eczema results from allergic sensitisation by contact with a variety of substances, such as nickel, chrome, or rubber. When these are re-encountered, an area of eczema will appear at the site of contact between 24 and 96 hours later.

Foods may be responsible for contact eczema, and food handlers and eczema sufferers must be aware of this possibility. Each patient requires individual dietary assessment, as different substances provoke reactions in different people.

Eczema with no obvious external cause is called endogenous eczema. Sufferers in this group include those with a hereditary predisposition to develop allergy, which is called atopic eczema. Such patients have an excessive antibody response to common substances (antigens) and may suffer other allergic conditions, such as hay fever or asthma.

With endogenous eczema, there is often a family history of atopy, which is an IgE mediated response. The rash is typically distributed in the flexures of the body and skin prick-tests are usually positive, especially tests for house dust mite, animal dander and pollens. Tests of the blood will usually show an elevated level of immunoglobulin E, the antibody which is involved in this type of increased sensitivity. In babies, this type of eczema often starts on cessation of breast feeding, and it has been shown that many children can be helped if they avoid those foods which are commonly found to be allergy-provoking, such as cow’s milk and eggs.

It is important to note that most standard treatments are not directed at the cause of the eczema, but aim at suppressing it. In doing so, the body’s own defence mechanisms can also be weakened, and the skin can be irreversibly thinned and damaged. The weakened skin may then react to more antigens due to the reduced barrier.

How Breakspear Hospital can help eczema sufferers

It is logical to address the problem of the cause by trying to remove it, or by altering the response of the body.

This approach may be time-consuming and require more thought and effort, but it will often yield good results without drugs or the misery of itching, broken skin. This might include exclusion diets, food challenges, 24-hour urine elements analysis to provide more information on nutritional status, nutritional supplements and avoidance of dyes and salicylates, which can exacerbate eczema.

Addressing common allergies such as dust mites, dog and cat dander, food allergy and chemical sensitivities, yeast/fungi and pollens may be beneficial using allergen-specific low-dose immunotherapy (also known as provocation/neutralisation). For over two decades, Breakspear Hospital has been using this technique to address reactions to foods, inhalants and chemicals.

If you are suffering from eczema, make an appointment for a consultation with a Breakspear physician and find out which changes in diet, supplementation and allergy/sensitivity treatment programme may be best for you.

For our latest price list, see Patient Information or if you have any specific questions regarding prices, estimates and treatment programmes, please contact either one of our Patient Liaison Officers, Carly Day or Emma Roberts, by phone 01442 261 333 ext. 310, or email: cday@breakspearmedical.com or eroberts@breakspearmedical.com