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Spongiotic dermatitis is a condition that makes your skin dry, red, itchy, and cracked. It often involves some swelling caused by unnecessary fluid under the skin surface.
What is
Spongiotic dermatitis is the skin condition that involves fluid buildup in the epidermis and is considered as the cause of a huge swelling between the skin cells. This type of dermatitis can be seen as itchy, red and flaky patches on the affected areas of the skin similar to other types of eczema.
Spongiotic eczema is mainly examined by taking a skin sample for medical examination with a process called biopsy. If an individual accidentally develop a skin rash then this may be a cause due to an allergic reaction seen on the skin. For example, contact dermatitis usually happens when the skin touches a chemical or an irritant that basically worsen the skin condition.
Spongiotic Dermatitis Causes
Spongiotic dermatitis may be a feature of eczema, seborrheic eczema, atopic eczema, and other skin conditions. Few of the major causes of spongiotic dermatitis include the following:
- Fungal infection
- Stress
- Direct contact with the objects that cause skin irritation like chemicals, few ingredients in cosmetics, or metal jewelry
- Stress that can weaken up your immune system and cause breakouts
- Change in hormone level
- Frequent changes in the temperature or weather conditions
Know about the symptoms of spongiotic dermatitis
As we all must be aware of the fact that spongiotic eczema/ dermatitis may be a kind of eczema, or atopic dermatitis. The symptoms may include:
- Rashes in the form of coins shape
- Scaly patches of the irritated skin
- Reddened skin
- Skin lesions
- Oozing and infection after scratching an affected area
This may be noted that spongiotic dermatitis may also affect babies with diaper rashes caused due to contact dermatitis. In a few cases, spongiotic dermatitis may indicate a type of skin cancer known as a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Who are at risk with Spongiotic Dermatitis?
- Individuals prone to allergies
- Prolonged contact with the allergens
- Individuals with a family history of atopic dermatitis
- Individuals working with metals like solvents, and nickel
- People with various health conditions like HIV, heart failure, and Parkinson’s disease are prone to spongiotic dermatitis
Essential Oils for Spongiotic Eczema
Few essential oils can help ease the symptoms of spongiotic eczema but it is always a good idea to talk to your dermatologist first before opting for home remedies.
- Coconut Oil: Oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, that can help reduce skin infection. In a study conducted on 117 children with eczema, applying virgin coconut oil for eight weeks resulted in excellent improvement in their skin condition.
- Jojoba Oil: The oil is extracted from the jojoba plant and is one of the main ingredients in beauty products that help soothe the skin. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, jojoba oil is used to calm skin irritation and inflammation caused because of spongiotic eczema.
- Calendula Oil: The oil is extracted from a marigold/calendula plant. The anti-inflammatory properties in calendula help reduce pain and swelling in the skin regions affected by eczema.
- Tea Tree Oil: The oil is extracted carefully from the tea tree plant and is helpful in treat skin conditions like insect bites, head lice, and eczema. A diluted tea tree oil can help to treat the eczema symptoms. A study was found that compared various herbs and minerals for treating contact dermatitis and deduced that tea tree oil is effective in the treatment of various skin ailments.
Also Read :- Tea Tree Oil For Eczema – Benefits, Uses, & Side Effects
- Sunflower seed oil: Extracted from the beautiful sunflower and claim to possess anti-inflammatory properties that help reducing dryness and to boost skin hydration. A source of the antioxidant vitamin E may also skin inflammation caused due to eczema.
Diagnosis
A careful skin examination is necessary to diagnose spongiotic dermatitis. Your dermatologist may also prepare a questionnaire for you asking about the family history, diet, lifestyle changes, symptoms, medications and prolonged illness if any.
A biopsy or a patch test may be recommended by the dermatologist to diagnose symptoms of spongiotic dermatitis.
- A biopsy includes the removal of a small skin sample to be tested in the lab. It can be through:
- Excisional biopsy: Removal of a skin sample with a scalpel to sample the tissue underneath your skin.
- Punch Biopsy: Removal of a skin sample with a skin punch tool. It samples the top layer of your skin and the fat just underneath your skin.
- Shave Biopsy: Removal of a skin sample with a razor. It removes a sample of only the top layer or two of your skin.
- A patch test is conducted when your dermatologist may have a doubt that you have been affected by contact dermatitis. In this test, a doctor puts a small amount of substance that you are allergic to under an adhesive skin patch to examine any allergic reaction.
How can Spongiotic Eczema be Treated?
The treatments may vary according to the causes and symptoms of spongiotic dermatitis. If you have eczema, your doctor may recommend:
- Corticosteroid cream to be applied o the irritated area
- Apply vaseline to the skin daily
- Take bleach baths
- Probiotics in diet – Read complete guide on Eczema diet plan
- Try to relax if stress is making your condition worse
- To avoid the use of soaps, detergents, shower gels, and other irritants that may trigger eczema flareup
- Antihistamines to relieve allergy symptoms
- Phototherapy or light treatment therapy
- Apply wet wraps, dressings or bandages to avoid the ointments from rubbing off
Prevention: The preventive measures include
- Regular moisturization to improve the skin condition
- Avoiding triggers such as cosmetics, detergents, fragrances, soaps and pollens
- Avoid synthetic fabrics
- Avoid sweating and overheating to avoid flare-ups
- Wear loose fitted and breathable cotton cloths
- Avoid scratching
This may be noted that spongiotic dermatitis is not contagious, so there is no need to worry about spreading it to your friends, family, or other people. Proper skincare management can help to prevent a serious skin condition.
Also Read:
Contact Dermatitis | Weeping Eczema | Eczema on Lips | Dyshidrotic Eczema | Eczema on Hands | Follicular Eczema | Eczema on Ear | Eczema on Eyes | Nummular Eczema | Eczema on Face | Eczema
