Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
What is the hope for long-term management of atopic dermatitis?
Although symptoms of atopic dermatitis can be very difficult and
uncomfortable, the disease can be successfully managed. People with atopic
dermatitis, as well as their families, can lead healthy, normal lives. Long-term management may include treatment with an allergist to control internal allergies and a dermatologist to monitor the skin-care component.
The skin sensitivity of this disease may be inherited and genetically determined.
The patient's skin may be "super sensitive" to many irritants.
Dry scaly patches develop in a characteristic distribution.
Itching varies but may be intense and scratching hard to resist.
Scratching can cause skin thickening and darkening and lead to further complications, including bacterial infection.
Extremely dry skin can break down and ooze or weep.
If the itch can be controlled, the rash (which is aggravated by vigorous scratching)
may be more readily contained.
Treatment of atopic dermatitis is centered around rehydrating the skin with rich moisturizers like Vaseline and cautious use of topical steroids to reduce inflammation and itching.
Oral antihistamines are often necessary to break the "itch-scratch" cycle.
Since secondary infections can aggravate the rash, topical or
oral antibiotics may also be occasionally indicated.
The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a common skin disorder in which small white or red bumps appear around hair follicles on the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, and cheeks. The cause of KP is unknown. There is no cure for keratosis pilaris, and the condition may resolve on its own. Gentle exfoliation, professional manual extraction, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion, along with topical products, are the best treatments for this condition.
Swimmer's ear (external otitis) is an infection of the skin that covers the outer ear canal. Causes of swimmer's ear include excessive water exposure that leads to trapped bacteria in the ear canal. Symptoms include a feeling of fullness in the ear, itching, and ear pain. Chronic swimmer's ear may be caused by eczema, seborrhea, fungus, chronic irritation, and other conditions. Common treatment includes antibiotic ear drops.
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