2023-09-13 08:24:00
This Thursday, September 14, is World Atopic Dermatitis Day. In Occitania, 30% of the population is affected. As much in Hérault. Meeting with Dr Du-Thanh, dermatologist at Montpellier University Hospital.
Why a World Atopic Dermatitis Awareness Day?
To raise awareness that it is common and that we should not stay in our corner. It is poorly known. The term already is a bad term, it comes from the English “atopic dermatitis”. We don’t like French speakers, it doesn’t mean anything. We prefer the term atopic eczema. Before, we used to say: “He has eczema”. In Greek, atopic means: “which are bubbling”. It speaks more, it’s red patches, it oozes but it can be dry, it wakes you up at night and appears anywhere on the body. In French, eczema is more meaningful.
But eczema is not a very serious illness…
It’s a bothersome disease. Benign but annoying. For a small fraction of patients, there are more serious forms, particularly depending on the area where it comes out: if it is the face or the hands for example. Or superinfections which can become significant. In addition, there is a form of patient resilience that is not good: “I have always lived with it.” It can also lead to isolation, it ruins life.
So you need to consult?
Yes. Because until not so long ago, we didn’t have any options for sick people: just creams. Now we have treatments to get them out of sometimes very complex situations.
Is our region very affected by this disease?
In Occitania, 30% of the population is affected. We can consider that this figure is valid in the department. There are differences in the French regions. We ask ourselves questions regarding the sun, the heat, the hardness of the water… The hardness of the water aggravates eczema but it is not the only cause. The sun is good for atopic skin. The ideal is a good quarter of an hour between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., that’s more than enough. It is a natural treatment that works almost as well as an anti-inflammatory cortisone cream.
We are still talking regarding a very widespread disease for which we can often say: it will pass on its own…
Because it is mainly associated with a childhood illness, this does not mean that it does not concern adults. In three-quarters of affected children, it progresses into adulthood. But there is still a quarter left. And it must be taken care of before the quality of life is impaired. A bit like acne. This can impact the quality of life even though we have effective healing ointments. Eczema is also treatable. There are new treatments. Some patients came out of the woods, as we say in medical jargon, they just had to come see us.
Are there really anything new?
It’s like psoriasis. In the 2000s, we had twenty dermatology beds at the Montpellier University Hospital, 15 of which were occupied by cases of psoriasis. Since then, biotherapies have revolutionized treatments. Since 2018, when it comes to psoriasis, we feel less like spectators. For eczema, biotherapies are not as spectacular but they work well. In France, 2.5 million French adults have eczema and between 10% and 15% of children are affected. Of the 2.5 million adults, 100,000 are impacted to the point that they require medication. Some are not yet “out of the woods”. Yes, there are solutions for painful forms of eczema.
This Thursday, September 14, for World Atopic Dermatitis Day, awareness and information (without consultation) will take place at Saint-Éloi hospital, in front of the dermatology building, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1694595309
#Atopic #dermatitis #eczema #Today #solutions #painful #forms
