Treat Your Eczema with Immunotherapy

Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is a common problem, impacting at least 1 in 10 Americans. During a flare-up, eczema leads to a wide range of uncomfortable symptoms, such as:

• Thick, cracked, scaly, or dry skin
• Itching, especially at night
• Raw, swollen, and sensitive skin from itching
• Patches of red to brownish-gray skin
• Tiny, raised bumps that can ooze and crust over from scratching

Unfortunately, what many people don’t realize is that allergies often play a role in these flare-ups.

At Advanced Allergy & Asthma, our team uses the latest advancements to manage allergic conditions like eczema. If you have ongoing struggles with eczema symptoms, here’s how immunotherapy could help.

Understanding eczema

Your skin acts as a barrier to the outside world, protecting you from things in your environment, like irritants, bacteria, and allergens. However, if you have eczema, you have a gene variation that prevents your skin from performing this vital function. 

While eczema doesn’t hurt you and isn’t contagious, it does leave your skin more sensitive. It’s also more vulnerable to dryness, infection, and irritation, especially from allergens. When you have eczema, it’s common to have environmental allergies to things like: 

• Dust mites
• Pet dander or food
• Pollen 
• Mold or fungi
• Cigarette smoke or perfumes

And, for many people, food allergies are behind their symptoms.

You may not be able to control your genes or your environment, but you can manage your allergy symptoms and eczema flare-ups with immunotherapy.

How immunotherapy works

Unlike a medication you take to treat your symptoms, immunotherapy tries to prevent the symptoms from occurring in the first place.

When you have immunotherapy, we slowly introduce small amounts of your allergy triggers to your body. This process helps your immune system become accustomed to the allergen it’s reacting to. 

As you move through your immunotherapy treatment, we continue increasing the number of allergens, lowering your sensitivity to the substance. Over time, your immune system becomes accustomed to the allergen and no longer reacts to it.

In most cases, we use allergy shots to administer immunotherapy, but there are also sublingual alternatives that you place on your tongue. It’s important to note that it usually takes 3-6 months to build up your sensitivity to an allergen. During that time, you typically receive an allergy shot once or twice a week. We also offer rush therapy, which shortens this period to one day.

After reaching immunity, you have to continue receiving allergy shots periodically for several years to maintain your results.

Controlling eczema

Immunotherapy can offer significant help with managing eczema symptoms. However, it doesn’t stop there.

In addition to identifying and treating your allergies, our team can also offer guidance on the best way to protect your skin and keep it hydrated. This comprehensive treatment strategy can help reduce the likelihood and severity of your eczema flare-ups.

Do you struggle with eczema? Contact our Advanced Allergy & Asthma nearest you in Ogden, Utah, by calling today.