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Can You Get Rid of Wrinkles After Eczema?
According to MayoClinic.com, eczema—or atopic dermatitis—is a skin condition characterized by itchy inflammation; raised growths that may ooze fluid; and by cracked, crusty, raw and sensitive skin 1. It is commonly found on the hands, feet, face, wrists, neck and the upper chest areas. Eczema is often experienced in tandem with allergies such as hay fever or asthma. A malfunction of the immune system is believed to be at fault. Environmental factors do not cause, but can worsen, eczema. The condition is also believed to run in families.
Since eczema can be a long-lasting condition, it can leave residue wrinkles. Both natural and clinical treatments are available to reduce the appearance of these wrinkles.
Soak a cotton ball or gauze pad in cold milk and apply it to your milder and finer wrinkles. Leave the solution on for 10 minutes before rinsing it off. The milk will use its glycolic acid content—a mild alpha-hydroxy acid—to lightly burn off the outer layers of skin, reducing the depth of the wrinkles and promoting new skin growth.
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Peel a papaya fruit. Mix 2 tbsp. of the fruit's pulp with 1 tbsp. of dry oatmeal (which exfoliates). Apply the mixture to your affected skin, leave it on for 10 minutes and then rinse it off. As a treatment for mild wrinkling, this mixture is full of enzymes that can help remove the outer-most layers of skin, reducing the superficial depth of the wrinkles and promoting new skin growth.
Schedule a laser resurfacing appointment at a dermatology clinic. For more severe wrinkling caused by eczema, a heated laser is used to burn off the epidermal layers—upper layers—of skin. This process of removing the upper layers not only reduces the depth and appearance of wrinkles, but it is also said to shock the body into making more collagen and, in turn, rebuilding the lost skin.
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Talk with your doctor about undergoing a dermabrasion treatment for your deeper wrinkles caused by eczema. Dermabrasion uses a small rotating wire brush to etch away the epidermal layers of skin. This reduces the superficial appearance of the wrinkles and promotes collagen production to form new skin.
Book a clinical-grade chemical peel session for your deeper wrinkles caused by eczema. Chemical peels use an acid solution to burn off the epidermal layers in order to create mild trauma in the body. This causes the body to start producing more collagen to build new skin at the wounded site. Chemical peels also reduce the appearance of surface wrinkling.
Tips
Glycolic acid is also found in fruits and sugar cane. Over-the-counter glycolic acid chemical peels are available in most drugstores. Clinical chemical peels and lasers come in different strengths and burn into the skin at varying depths, depending upon the patient’s needs. Your specialist will help you decide what strength is best for you.
Warnings
Consult your doctor for more information. It is important that your eczema has cleared before using any of these treatments, otherwise they may just cause further irritation to your skin condition. Even with the eczema gone, clinical treatments can cause side effects such as scabbing, bleeding, swelling and bruising, which may last for several days. A red wind-burned look can last several months after dermabrasion treatment.
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References
- Mayo Clinic: Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
- ''Reader's Digest, 1001 Home Remedies''; Rachel Warren Chad; 2009
- Mayo Clinic: Wrinkles
- Amaro-ortiz A, Yan B, D'orazio JA. Ultraviolet radiation, aging and the skin: prevention of damage by topical cAMP manipulation. Molecules. 2014;19(5):6202-19. doi:10.3390/molecules19056202
- Skin Caner Foundation. All about sunscreen. Updated June 2019.
- Urbańska M, Nowak G, Florek E. Cigarette smoking and its influence on skin aging. Prz Lek. 2012;69(10):1111-4.
- Bernard P, Scior T, Do QT. Modulating testosterone pathway: a new strategy to tackle male skin aging?. Clin Interv Aging. 2012;7:351-61. doi:10.2147/CIA.S34034
- Vashi NA, De castro maymone MB, Kundu RV. Aging differences in ethnic skin. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(1):31-8.
- Makrantonaki E, Bekou V, Zouboulis CC. Genetics and skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012;4(3):280-4. doi:10.4161/derm.22372
- Penn Medicine. The truth about wrinkles: 5 common wrinkle myths debunked. Updated December 1, 2019.
- Scior T, B, Do QT. Modulating testosterone pathway: a new strategy to tackle male skin aging? Clinical Interventions in Aging. 2012:351. doi:10.2147/cia.s34034.
- Wrinkles. Mayo Clinic.
Writer Bio
Stuart Biggs began writing in 2010 and specializes in health, beauty and lifestyle articles for various websites. Biggs graduated from Bournemouth University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in scriptwriting for film and TV.