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Most of you that visit this website already know what eczema generally is. To those of you that don’t, it is a condition usually characterized on the skin by:

• Persistent Rashes

• Constant Itching

• Flakiness

• Bumps

• Fissures (breakage/cracking/splitting of the skin)

• Peeling

• Redness

• The symptoms listed above typically occur when you are in a certain environment or have had contact with a certain substance.

***Note: If you haven’t been diagnosed with eczema and think you might have it, seek the advice of an experienced doctor who will help you determine if you have the condition or not.**

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Though most people know what eczema looks like, many do not know how it works or what happens in the body of a person with eczema that causes their symptoms. In a nutshell, what you should know is that active inflammation under the skin causes the immune system to send inflammatory signals to the skin’s surface, causing eczema symptoms. There is also something called the “itch-scratch-rash” cycle; the inflammatory signals that cause itchiness prompt people with eczema to scratch the area. Scratching breaks down the outer layer of the skin, which not only irritates it but allows the entrance of bacteria, viruses, and allergens, which create the rashes. As the pollen or pathogens get inside the body, more inflammatory signals are sent out, which prompt the itching again. And so the cycle continues. If you don’t suffer from eczema, are reading this, and are now thinking, “why don’t they just stop scratching,” I will only answer this with three little words: you don’t understand.

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 Eczema is also a very general term that describes its several different subtypes:

• Atopic dermatitis: most common form of eczema characterized by red and itchy lesions form on skin creases, the face, and the scalp. 

  • This video is helpful in understanding atopic dermatitis in more detail: Click here to watch video

• Contact dermatitis: occurring primarily among adults and characterized by red, dry, and cracked skin rashes. These result either from direct skin contact with an allergen or direct skin contact with an irritant that strips the skin of its natural oils. 

• Discoid (nummular) eczema: most common among adults and the elderly, characterized by crusty, itchy, and oozing skin lesions that appear in “disc” shapes, hence the term discoid eczema. 

• Dyshidrotic eczema (pompholyx): characterized by tiny, fluid-filled blisters that usually appear on the palms, fingers, and soles of the feet. 

• Neurodermatitis: a condition used to describe the red, thick, dark, and leathery patches that can form as a result of the itch-scratch-rash cycle.

• Seborrhoeic eczema: characterized by scaly patches and red skin on oily areas of the body, such as the scalp, eyebrows, upper-chest, and back. Usually caused by higher-than-normal volumes of malassezia, a form of yeast present on the surface of the skin.

• Varicose eczema (stasis dermatitis): characterized by skin inflammation in the lower legs due to fluid buildup from having varicose veins, circulation issues, or heart disease.

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Depending on the type of eczema you have and its severity, doctors will either refer you to over-the-counter products, prescribe different kinds of medication to you, or both. It is possible to have more than one type of eczema, each with different levels of severity. That is why it is important to talk to an experienced doctor in order to determine if you have eczema, what type(s) of eczema you have, and how to treat symptoms.

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Dupixent is a fairly new treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, asthma, rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyposis. It has shown immense improvement in a lot of individuals who couldn’t control their eczema with over-the-counter or prescription medication. Because of this, it is often considered to be “the eczema cure” (though it doesn’t work for everyone). If you have severe eczema, dermatologists and allergists are likely to recommend this drug to you. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in March, 2017, and a few years later it was approved for teens ages 12-17. It is a biologic drug made from proteins derived from living cells or tissues. It works by blocking two types of proteins called IL-4 and IL-13 (interleukins 4 and 13) from binding to their cell receptors. IL-4 are IL-13 are two of the many interleukins that help the immune system fight pathogens in our body. Specifically, they are the interleukins that attack the body when triggered by the immune system, resulting in inflammatory conditions like eczema. This immune system overreaction is curbed when taking Dupixent. Dupixent is administered by injection, and its long-term side effects are not known as it is a new medication. However, some short-term side effects are injection site reactions, conjunctivitis (non-contagious pink eye), itchy eyes, swollen or puffy eyelids, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), oral herpes, and other herpes virus infections. If your doctor brings up Dupixent, make sure to tell them about any other health conditions you have, especially eye problems. This drug is very expensive without insurance or help from financial programs (such as Dupixent MyWay), with a staggering price of $3,110.08 per 4-week supply. With financial assistance, however, most people pay between $0-$100 out of pocket. Having a conversation about the pros and cons of starting Dupixent is important to have with your doctor if they recommend it.​

• You can learn more about Dupixent on their website: Click here

• During my journey with Dupixent, watching videos from these YouTubers has personally helped:

  • Brooke Griggs: Click here 
  • Jeffrey Lin: Click here