Winter in the Middle East may not be very pleasing for many residence suffering from severe atopic . According to world renound Dr. Hassan al Abdullah, dermatology and venereology consultant at the Dr Hassan Al Abdullah Medical Centre Doha Qatar, eight out of ten children coming to the medical centre, mostly Nationals, suffer from atopic dermatitis or eczema.
He said the disease was mostly inherited and very common among children. Characterized by , atopic dermatitis, among adults, caused severe irritation, splitting, and cracking of the skin, especially in the eczema-affected portion. The cold dry air and low humidity brought about by winter added to the severity of the skin didermatitis or eczemaseases.
“The skin is very sensitive to dust and other environmental factors that might worsen the condition of the skin diseases. Atopic ddryness of skinermatitis, commonly known as eczema, is also associated with the other atopic conditions as bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and high fever,” the doctor said.
Dr Al Abdullah explained that cases of atopic dermatitis went up in the winter season due to the excessive dryness of skin. “That is why we advise parents to cover their children with proper winter clothes, preferably cotton ones. Woolen and nylon clothes may cause some allergies to the skin, which children cannot tolerate,” he said.
Elaborating on atopic dermatitis, Dr al Abdullah said even one-month-old infants might already have eczema. “Dry and itchy skin rashes can be found o children’s cheeks. Among adults, atopic dermatitis causes red, itchy rashes and in some cases discoloration of the skin, and dry, itchy patches in armpits and behind knees”.
“Sometimes, the red rashes disappear due to a change in environment. There have been cases when children went abroad and the marks of eczema just disappeared,” he said.
According to Dr al Abdullah, treatment depends on the nature of the cases. “We may give anti-histamine, steroids, moisturizers, and special soaps. We also advise families to avoid collecting dust by frequently cleaning curtains and carpets at home”.
On other skin problems affecting Doha residence this winter, Dr al Abdullah said, “Some expatriates, who have just arrived here and are facing acne problem can blame the sudden change in environment or even the winter season for this. But acne is common among the residence throughout the year. Stress is a major factor as expatriates worry too much about the wellbeing of their families, being away from home. Sometimes change in food habit can also be a factor”.
Other skin diseases which are prevalent in the winter, according to Dr al Abdullah, are psoriasis and vitiligo, affecting about 2 percent of the entire world population. He clarified that none of these skin diseases was infectious, adding that psoriasis became severe during winter due to low humidity.
Severe psoriasis, if ignored, could develop into psoriatic arthritis, causing a permanent joint deformity. While severe eczema, if left untreated, could result in a secondary bacterial infection and might cause painful cracks on skin, the doctor warned. “Those who keep woolen clothes in dresser for a year, must wash them first before wearing them in winter as the clothes may have some dust in them,” he said.
For lip care during winter, Dr al Abdullah advised the residence to use lipsticks or lip moisturizers. “Vaseline creams and other similar moisturizers are best for those who don’t want to spend too much on expensive cosmetic products,” he observed.
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