Posts Tagged 'eczema'

Elan’s skin expert debunks more skincare myths

A young woman deep in thought - Essex skin expert Sue Ibrahim debunks skin care advice for using moisturisers and detoxing.

Essex skin expert Sue Ibrahim debunks skin care advice for using moisturisers and detoxing.

In our last blog, Sue Ibrahim, a nurse consultant dermatologist and medical director of Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Essex, stressed the importance of only believing scientifically proven advice. This time she takes a look at general skin care tips including using moisturisers and detoxing.

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Allergy tests, are they a waste of money?

Allergy testing has become increasingly popular over the years, in fact we see a lot of people at Elan Medical Skin Clinic who claim that they  have been diagnosed with certain food intolerances. But how reliable are these tests?

The medicines regulator (MHRA) has said there is no scientific basis for tests widely available in health food shops and pharmacies that claim to show food intolerances. In fact the MHRA found that there was “no scientifically valid test to diagnose food intolerance”. Many of the tests confirm the presence of IgG antibodies, which show only that a food has been eaten at some stage, not that someone is intolerant of it!

The MHRA said that attempting to self-diagnose a food intolerance or allergy using a test kit alone could potentially result in a delay in identifying or treating other medical conditions. It added that there was a clear distinction between food intolerance and food allergies, which can be potentially life-threatening.

So what should I do if I think my child has a food allergy?

Before you make big changes to your child’s diet or your own diet, it’s important to proper medical advice, so talk to your GP. If you or your child suffers from severe eczema, there are allergy specialist that you can be referred to on the NHS. If you GP is reluctant to refer, then book in to see Sue Ibrahim at Elan Medical Skin Clinic.

All forms of allergy testing, even when the results seem to be strong, must be considered together with a physical exam and a detailed patient history – both of which can help narrow down what food might be the trigger.

“You have to look at all the pieces of the puzzle because none of the tests by themselves are predictive enough of a diagnosis of a clinical allergy,” Sue Ibrahim says.

The physical exam and patient history also provide important clues, such as symptoms that could indicate whether or not a food allergy is the likely cause.

If you have hay fever you probably don’t need allergy testing as it may be obvious from your symptoms that you’re allergic to pollen. But it’s important to find out the precise cause if your symptoms are more complicated.

For example, perenial rhinitis, – a runny nose all year round – can be triggered by a variety of allergens, such as house dust mites and mould, or a food allergy could be triggered by one of a number of foods in your diet.

Allergy testing can also help monitor a diagnosed allergy. For example, babies and children with certain food allergies often grow out of them.

A test can let the parents and child know they no longer have an allergy to milk or eggs for example, so they no longer have to avoid that food.

Skin-prick testing (SPT) is the most common form of allergy testing and is used to try and identify the specific foods that a patient may be allergic to. Theses tests are only carried out at specialist medical allergy centres and if Sue Ibrahim thinks that you or your child should be referred to for allergy testing, she will refer you.

What is a skin prick test?

Drops of different serums containing individual allergens will be put the on patient’s forearm or back. A medical professional will then use a small needle to prick the skin – this feels like a small poke with a pin – so that the serum goes beneath the skin.

Skin Prick

Skin prick allergy tests are only ever carried out by medical professionals specialist allergy centres.

Then it’s a waiting game. The patient’s skin may react by forming a reddish hive, or wheal, at specific prick spots, indicating that the IgE antibodies in the skin responded to the food allergen in that serum.

A test is considered “positive” for a particular allergen if the diameter of the hive is 3 millimeters or greater than a prick site made with no allergen (known as the negative control). The bigger the hive, the more likely it is that you will react if you eat that food.

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Help, my child has eczema!

Eczema, also known as ‘atopic eczema’ or ‘atopic dermatitis’, is a skin allergy/condition causing inflammation and intense irritation. When it occurs in young babies and children it can be really upsetting for whole family.

Eczema symptoms tend to be caused by dry skin. Skin that is affected by eczema gets sore and broken when it is scratched. It can look wet and may bleed. Scratching is hard to avoid since the main distressing symptom of eczema is unbearable itching, but once the skin gets broken and cracked, infections can set in, causing even more discomfort.

baby with eczema

Help, my child has eczema!

What Does Atopy/Atopic Mean?

There are many types of eczema and dermatitis:

  • Atopic Eczema / Atopic Dermatitis
  • Discoid Eczema
  • Contact Dermatitis

Atopy, or being atopic, means having a genetic tendency for your immune system to make increased levels of IgE antibodies to certain allergens. An atopic individual is likely to have more than one allergic condition during their lifetime, such as eczema, asthma, hay fever or food allergy.

Can Food Allergies Cause Eczema?

Children are born with the tendency to have eczema, and many things can make their eczema worse. These are known as eczema ‘triggers’. Eczema in children can have various triggers, of which food can be one, especially in babies. However, foods are not the primary cause of eczema.

How can we help at Elan Medical Skin Clinic?

We all understand the pressures that GPs are under. One of the biggest problems is the pressure of TIME. At Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Essex our Dermatology Nurse Consultant, Sue Ibrahim, has over 30 years experience in helping children and their families cope with the day to day struggles of coping with eczema. She can help you identify the trigger factors in your child and thoroughly discuss the treatment options open to you. No, she cannot cure eczema but she can work with your GP to ensure that a management programme is in place and that exacerbations of eczema are dealt with quickly and effectively.

How to help us diagnose an allergy

The first step in managing an allergy is identifying the cause(s) of the problem. Diagnosing allergy can be difficult since the symptoms may be similar to other conditions. If you think your child may be allergic to something and do not know what it is, you should start to keep a record of the symptoms. In particular, the following information may help us make a diagnosis

  • Do the flare ups occur at any particular time of the day?
  • Does your child only get symptoms at certain times of the year?
  • Does your child suffer more at night time or during the day?
  • Do the flare ups occur when your child is in the house as well as outside?
  • Does exposure to animals bring on the symptoms?
  • Do you think that any food or drink brings on the symptoms?
  • Do the symptoms occur every time your child comes into contact with the allergen?
  • Do the symptoms improve when you are on holiday?

If you are at the end of your tether, and would like a consultation to discus your child’s eczema, our friendly team are here to help. Contact us today!

Is your skin condition ruining your life?

Don't let skin conditions ruin your life - speak to Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Essex & central London!

Don’t let skin conditions ruin your life – speak to Elan Medical Skin Clinic in Essex and central London

Skin conditions can be embarrassing at best – and downright painful at worst. If you suffer from acne, melasma, rosacea or psoriasis you will know only too well that no matter how common the complaint may be, they way it affects you is very personal.

Many of our patients have spent many unhappy hours visiting their GP, spent time taking prescribed drugs – some of which have horrible side effects – and spent hundreds of pounds on creams and lotions that haven’t made a scrap of difference.

A sympathetic ear

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