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Even though the heat has slightly dropped a bit recently, the hot temperatures still remain routinely hitting triple digits. Thus, one dermatologist with knowledge of the area states that people with skin conditions, and people in general, should be wary of their skin’s health during the summer.
Around the country, millions of Americans live with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis — the most common form of eczema — and the summer heat can cause itchy and burdensome skin flare-ups all over the body that can impact daily life. Many in Laredo suffer from this condition.
“For many people living with moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, much of their lives are spent coping with persistent and often like debilitating symptoms that can be very much disruptive to their lives,” said Dr. Annabelle Garcia, a San Antonio board-certified dermatologist from Laredo. “Usually patients who have moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis tend to complain about intense, persistent itching, dry cracked skin that sometimes can be painful or ooze, and this is especially true in the summertime,”
Garcia is raising awareness about the disease and its impact on those who live with it via Now Me: Beach Mode, a program in partnership with Dupixent to educate about the realities and challenges people with moderate-to-severe AD face.
Garcia said this mainly happens as people with the condition spend time during the summer entering a body of water, such as the beach, as the saltwater causes their delicate skin to itch, and also when they enter pools that cause wrinkles and make their skin condition flare up. Though many people believe that direct sunlight aggravates the condition, the fact of the matter is that the heat alone without the sunrays is what causes it to worsen.
“More than anything, it is heat that can exacerbate this. Any times that patients complain of sweating or increased heat or feeling overheated that can definitely affect the skin and make the symptoms worse,” Garcia said. “Sunrays actually can impact patients by directly causing them more uncomfortable symptoms.”
Garcia states that sun protection of whatever kind is recommended for people that live in hot and arid areas like Laredo.
“We always advocate for sun protection, especially in places like Laredo that have a very hot climate,” she said. “Sun protection every day with at least a 30 SPF, and I do tend to recommend more physical blockers for my patients with eczema and moderate-to-severe AD, because they tend to have more sensitive skin. I recommend the physical blockers such as zinc, oxide or titanium oxide that lay on the skin to protect from powerful UV rays more than the chemical sunscreens, because the chemical sunscreens tend to be more irritating to patients with eczema.”
Although wearing long clothing and hats are good for sun protection, she states that this is not good for patients with moderate-to-severe AD or eczema as the heat will cause the irritation.
She said that in the severe cold, those with this condition can also suffer if they are exposed to extreme temperatures.
“In the colder climates, it tends to be much more dry, and there is not as much humidity environment. So eczema tends to flare actually and sometimes even more in the winter or in the colder months,” Garcia said.
People with eczema usually suffer from red, itchy and scaly plaques that can become painful, and many people even complain about them not being able to sleep because of the irritation.
Although anyone who believes that they might have moderate-to-severe AD and presents the symptoms associated with the condition, Garcia still recommends getting an official diagnosis of the condition from a certified dermatologist. She states that there are many “misconceptions” that people can have about certain skin conditions, and they can worsen what they really have as well if they do not diagnose what they have correctly.
Garcia said eczema or moderate-to-severe AD treatments range from over-the-counter topical therapies like moisturizers to prescription oral steroids, prescription creams and immune treatments and biologic treatments such as Dupixent, which she is currently working with. Staying hydrated is another way people can tone down some of the symptoms associated with the condition.
“Being hydrated definitely helps, as dehydration can affect the skin. But honestly the most important components of treating eczema is using moisturizers and other optical treatments,” Garcia said.
The dermatologist also provided other tips for people who might not suffer from eczema to ensure they do not get irritated skin.
“In general, I recommend gentle skin care, so we recommend topical treatments that do not have a lot of fragrance,” Garcia said. “One of my favorites are over-the-counter moisturizers. I also recommend that if the eczema or skin condition is not well under control to seek treatment with a board-certified dermatologist, because we do have a lot of good prescription-based options available to patients and newer treatment options that we didn’t have before.”
Treating Eczema or other skin conditions can be “life-changing” for patients, Garcia said, as many report being able to go out, swim and do more activities outside, and socialize as their condition improves.
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