All About Telehealth for Eczema Telehealth allows doctors to care for people virtually over a phone call, text message, or most commonly, video chat. Although some situations require an in-person visit, telehealth is a great option when you can't get to the doctor's office for your eczema. If you're new to telehealth, here's what you need to know. Medicare will cover telehealth visits just like in-person visits, but state Medicaid programs and private insurers vary, so confirm your coverage in advance. With telehealth, even though you're not in the doctor's office, your private health information is still covered by HIPAA, so it will remain confidential and secure. Although your dermatologist can't give you a physical exam via telehealth, they can write you prescriptions and offer quality care, especially if you prepare in advance. Before your telehealth appointment:- Document any eczema symptoms (including dates and severity), like dry skin, itchiness, red to brownish-gray patches, or bumps- List any triggering factors, such as soaps or detergents, smoke, sweat, dry skin, and even stress- Compile a list of your health conditions and medications, including any creams, vitamins, and supplements- Note any side effects from your eczema medications or creams, as some can cause thinning skin or affect your immune system- Record your vital signs if you own a thermometer, blood pressure monitor, or another device- Write down questions you have for your doctor- Charge your computer or phone- Make sure your internet is reliable- Download any telehealth apps your specific provider may require- Find a quiet, private space to conduct the call- Be prepared with pen and paper or a note-taking app Turn to Healthgrades to connect with the right dermatologist to treat eczema via telehealth. And share this video to help spread the word!

Dr. Jaber: There is actually no medical definition for sensitive skin. Sensitive skin is a condition where people get irritated from certain things. Eczema is totally different. Eczema is an immune-type reaction. Dr. Shah: Basically, what sensitive skin is, is it's very delicate skin that tends to react easily to a number of different things. The skin breaks out easily, turns red, gets itchy, it may be dry or burning or stinging. Dr. Strachan: Eczema is a red, scaly patch, sort of flat lesion or plaque. Dr. Goldman: Eczema tends to be chronic and recurrent. They may have multiple days in a row that their skin is very itchy, rough, uncomfortable. Dr. Strachan: Get a diagnosis, because you may have something that you just need to manage a certain way. Dr. Goldman: Is this triggered from an autoimmune background or something in your family history or is it externally triggered? Dr. Shah: I discuss with them about keeping a potential diary and figure out if anything that they're coming into contact with is causing them to flare. Dr. Strachan: You want to avoid bathing too frequently. Dr. Jaber: You want to take short showers that are more lukewarm, not as hot. Dr. Shah: The most obvious trigger that they will notice is skin care products. Dr. Jaber: You want to avoid things that have alcohol, fragrances, acids, Retinol-type creams. Dr. Goldman: If you're looking at that ingredient list and it's longer than a book, it may be time to get off of it. Dr. Shah: And then, actually moisturizing the skin, head to toe. Dr. Jaber: So you want to pick things that are thicker, usually. You want to use creams or ointments and not use lotions. Dr. Shah: We know that sun can aggravate sensitive skin. Dr. Jaber: Look for a sunscreen that's a physical blocker. Dr. Goldman: I've had patients get better simply by washing their clothes in a milder cycle and not using harsh detergents. Dr. Jaber: You may not be able to use dryer sheets. You may not be able to use fabric softener. Dr. Strachan: Humidifying your environment can be really helpful. Dr. Goldman: There's really no reason to suffer and dermatologists may have many different ways to alleviate the itching. Dr. Jaber: The most important thing for eczema treatments is first, be good to your skin. Making sure that you sleep enough, you're adequately hydrated, you eat a healthy diet. Moderate your stress, your exercise. That can also improve your skin.

John: Having severe eczema is debilitating. It takes control of your entire life. Dr. Parikh: Hi, I'm Dr. Chiti Parikh. So today we're talking about severe eczema. We have two patients who will share their stories, and our expert, who will tell a bit more about the disease condition and how to manage it. Dr. Fishman: I think of severe eczema as people whose skin gets angry really easily, and gets inflamed really easily in response to many different things. People are usually very itchy, they're very uncomfortable. They have rashes, sometimes all over their body. John: So it basically feels like red, splotchy, burning sensations all over your body. You have open sores from scratching. And the itching is just non-stop. Dr. Fishman: I would say the most common triggers are things that irritate the skin, detergents... Low humidity and cold can definitely make it worse, but unfortunately high humidity and heat can also make it worse. John: When I'm working out and stuff and I'm starting to sweat, I start to flare up. Dr. Fishman: Sweat is a trigger for a lot of people. Stress and atopic dermatitis are very good friends, and I always tell patients, you've got to deal with the stress. Miwa: The stress at my job was getting pretty bad. I had to make a lifestyle change. I think when it affects your quality of life to the point where you're not sleeping very well at night because you're itchy, it can be really hard. John: It affects your relationships with everybody. Miwa: Yes. John: With my family, with friends. Dr. Parikh: Yeah. John: I'm so anxious all the time. Miwa: Right. John: It's no way to live. Dr. Fishman: Sometimes people think, oh, this is just a skin problem. It's really so much more than that. Dr. Parikh: What lifestyle changes have you incorporated? Miwa: I started doing acupuncture, exercising regularly. And I usually only wear cotton. John: I've changed my detergents to sensitive skin detergents. Dr. Fishman: I always say look for fragrance-free, which is different from unscented. Unscented actually has fragrance in it. Miwa: Also, I know that I have to use emollients every day. John: I use a lot of beeswax and there's no other chemicals in it. Dr. Fishman: You need to use these things daily as a preventative strategy. Dr. Parikh: So, what type of treatments have you tried? Miwa: I just started a new drug. It's a new biologic. And I've been on it for about six months. I've had really good results with it. Dr. Fishman: A biologic refers to a medication that treats a specific part of the inflammatory pathway. Steroids just kind of suppress the entire immune system. These are very targeted at specific inflammation pathways that are important in this disease. Miwa: Now, it's great. My quality of life has totally improved. John: I don't think about it as much. Dr. Parikh: Yeah. John: Because I'm not as concerned about it. Dr. Fishman: So many people are doing everything right. They're eating right, they're controlling their stress, and they still have this disease. You are not a failure if you have this disease.

5 Fast Facts: Eczema 1. In the U.S., 1 in 10 people will develop eczema (atopic dermatitis) in their lifetime. It affects about 9.6 million children and 16.5 million adults. 2. With eczema, your skin isn’t able to retain moisture or protect you from irritants, allergens, and bacteria. This leads to symptoms like itching, dry skin, red or brown patches, small bumps, and scaly skin. 3. Eczema flare-ups can be triggered by many different irritants and allergens. Common triggers include cleaning products, metals, fragrances, stress, and cigarette smoke. 4. People with eczema are at higher risk of other health problems. Skin infections and allergies are quite common, and more than half of children with eczema develop asthma and hay fever. 5. Treatment for eczema is different for each patient. Depending on your age, symptoms, and other factors, your doctor may recommend prescription creams, light therapy, medications, or lifestyle changes. Turn to Healthgrades to connect with the right dermatologist to treat eczema. And share this video to help spread the word!

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Stubborn Eczema 1. Atopic dermatitis is the most common form of eczema. More than 18 million adults have atopic dermatitis, which occurs when the immune system overreacts to triggers. 2. New medications can control severe eczema.After many years without significant developments, new medications were recently approved to treat stubborn eczema. 3. Skin infections are common for people with eczema.Scratching eczema patches can open wounds, allowing bacteria, fungi and viruses to enter. 4. People with eczema should use soap sparingly.Soap tends to dry out skin, making eczema worse. If you have eczema, only soap up areas like the groin and underarms. 5. Add certain ingredients to your bath to alleviate eczema symptoms.To ease pain, add 1 cup table salt to lukewarm bath water. To relieve itching, pour in 1 cup oatmeal or 1/4 cup baking soda. Turn to Healthgrades.com to connect with the right dermatologist for treating your eczema. And share this video to help spread the word!

I'm Ashley, and this is my eczema confession. One of the most traumatic experiences with eczema would have to be the summer months. Everybody gets to wear whatever they want, short sleeves, bikinis, beautiful summer clothing. And when you have eczema, it's a whole different ball game. You cover up, your skin is exposed, it could break out at any moment in times notice. And just the stares that people inflict upon you is very, very traumatic. It's something that just doesn't leave you. And so that would be one of my most traumatic experiences, is dealing with the summer months. What scares me the most about eczema would be passing on this condition to my children. Any time I see an infant or a toddler or a small child with eczema, it is absolutely heartbreaking. So my biggest fear would be passing on this gene to my future kids. The silver lining about having eczema is that I have to become such a compassionate person. I listen to every single story. I pay attention to all the different things around me. Life is beautiful. People are beautiful. And everybody has something that they struggle through. We also have an incredible community. We are all so supportive of each other. So that's one thing I will never take for granted. I've made so many friends all across the world because eczema is global. And the last thing is that I see scientists and researchers and everything, and they are all coming together to really, really put an end to this condition. So I'm really excited about the future prospects, and hopefully we'll find a cure.

A tasty meal, low in fat, high in protein: introducing the Greek Chicken Bar, served family style. It's flavorful and healthy and will have you feeling energized and satisfied. Let's dig in. In a bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, dried oregano and garlic. The lemon juice in this recipe gets you one step closer to meeting your daily vitamin C requirements, aiding your immune system as well as collagen production, helping to keep your skin looking radiant and bright. Pour the marinade into a reusable zip top, then add chicken and smush around to thoroughly combine. Let everything sit and soak together for 20 minutes to one hour. Here's the deal with the oils. Avocado oil can withstand higher cooking temperatures than olive oil, but some prefer the taste of olive oil over avocado oil. So it's totally up to you. Preheat your grill or stove top grill pan to medium heat. Grill roughly five minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer measures the internal temperature at 165 degrees. Now for the low fat cucumber herb yogurt sauce. In a medium bowl, stir one seeded and grated English cucumber, one cup of non-fat Greek yogurt, one tablespoon of lemon zest, one tablespoon of lemon juice, two tablespoons of chopped mint leaves, two tablespoons of chopped dill, and one teaspoon of salt. Beyond the yummy crunch and fiber that cucumbers provide, it's also one of the most hydrating foods out there. So, it may even quench your thirst. Both dill and mint are booming with antioxidants, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. You may not realize it, but this meal can actually benefit your gut thanks to the probiotics and the Greek yogurt. These healthy probiotics found in the sauce help to calm stress, ease moodiness, and can even boost the immune system. So I certainly recommend you generously drizzle that yogurt sauce. Arrange your Greek Chicken Bar family style and build as you wish. This low fat and light option can be combined in so many different ways. A bowl, plate, wrap, or even a salad, you can't lose. This meal has it all, the lean protein from the chicken mixed with the Greek yogurt sauce, herbs and spices lend both health and low fat nutrition to your lunch or dinner.

Avocado toast is an easy meal to put together. It provides the perfect combo of healthy fats, satisfying protein, and slow-digesting carbohydrates that help keep your blood sugar low and stable. Start with a small bowl. Pick a ripe avocado, cut open and mash the avocado with a fork, leaving it slightly chunky into the bowl. Stir in one tablespoon of lemon juice, a quarter teaspoon of ground white pepper, one teaspoon of salt, a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder, and a quarter teaspoon of sweet paprika. Avocados are still one of the most popular fruits out there. It's also one of the most nutrient-dense fruits, too, aiding in weight and cholesterol management and hormonal balance. Drizzle a small amount of oil in a non-stick sizzling pan and let that egg fry to perfection. An egg, no matter how it's cooked, is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and protein. Toast one piece of wholegrain bread until it's brown and crisped. Top the avocado mixture and then add your fried egg. Between the avocado and fried egg, sriracha, pickled red onion, pumpkin seeds, and scallions, you have a meal that's overloaded with beneficial antioxidants that help keep the body healthy while fighting off diseases and certain cancers.