Eczema Treatments For Stubborn Cases
Posted on: 17 June 2021
If you struggle with eczema, the first thing your dermatologist is likely to recommend is either medicated shampoos and washes or corticosteroid creams containing hydrocortisone. In some cases, they may recommend both. For many people, these interventions work, and the eczema clears up. But if you have a really stubborn case of eczema, you may not get much relief from these remedies. When this occurs, your dermatologist may instead recommend one of the following more aggressive treatments for eczema.
Dupilumab
Dipulimab is a medication that can be administered via an injection to treat stubborn cases of severe eczema. It works by inhibiting two compounds produced by your immune cells known as IL-4 and IL-13. If IL-4 and IL-13 are not able to bind to their receptors, you should not develop eczema symptoms.
Dipulimab is generally administered every two to four weeks. It is safe for children ages 6 and up, and side effects include mild throat pain, redness at the injection site, and sores in the mouth. Your dermatologist will typically give you the first injections in their office, but if you are comfortable doing so, you can administer subsequent injections at home.
Topical PDE4 Inhibitors
Another treatment option is topical PDE4 inhibitors, which work by prohibiting the action of Phosphodiesterase 4, an enzyme that is involved in the inflammatory process. By blocking the action of this enzyme, eczema symptoms can be greatly reduced. Topical PDE4 inhibitors can be used on basically any affected body part, including the face, eyelids, and genitals. It can cause slight burning after application, and it does need to be applied daily for it to be effective.
Immunosuppressants
Oral immunosuppressant drugs are usually only recommended as a last resort to treat cases of eczema that don't react to other medications. While these drugs are effective at alleviating eczema symptoms, they do so by suppressing the immune system, which does increase the patient's risk of other infections. To reduce the incidence of side effects, most dermatologists will cycle their patients on and off immunosuppressants, rather than giving them continually. Sometimes, one course of immunosuppressants is enough to bring the eczema under closer control, and then milder treatments can be used from that point forward.
If you struggle with stubborn eczema that does not respond to more conventional treatments, don't hesitate to head back to your dermatologist's office. There are harder-hitting treatments they can prescribe to give you greater control over your skin health. For more information about eczema treatment, contact a local dermatologist.
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