Eczema, also know as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic disease of the skin affecting more than 15 million Americans and growing in numbers. Often, it affects people suffering from other conditions, such as asthma or hay fever. Skin that is affected by eczema usually looks red, dry and scaly, and is extremely itchy. Usually eczema is found in specific areas of the body but also can affect the entire body. In children, the most commonly affected areas are the cheeks, chin, back, stomach and arms. The hands, feet and creases of the elbows and knees are also affected. In adults, eczema is commonly found on the eyelids, neck, hands and wrists and behind the elbows and knees.
The cells at the center of this inflammation are called T-lymphocytes that are thought of as the soldiers of the immune reactions of the body. There is excess stimulation of T-cells by genetically altered "atopic" Langerhans cells, which are resident in the epidermis and are responsible for presenting antigens to lymphocytes. This creates a genetic defect in the epidermal barrier that makes the skin susceptible to breakdown by irritants such as detergent and dust mites which may allow increased penetration of antigens. There is a reduction in the cell-mediated immune response; chemotaxis of neutrophils and monocytes is reduced which explain the increased risk of infection of the skin in this condition. Genetic, immunological as well as skin barrier defects are important factors. If this is all too technical, just remember eczema is not just a skin disease - it is a disease of the immune system that attacks the skin.
Over the years, many treatments have been used, from topical creams and ointments to systemics drugs, to treat eczema. In many cases, the treatment has sometimes led to serious side effects, including, but not limited to liver damage and a decrease in white blood cells, which may make people more susceptible to infection. 99 percent of all pharmaceutical drugs do not heal or cure, but merely hide or mask symptoms that leave the causative factors intact. We know that people with this disease have abnormalities of the immune system.
Since most autoimmune diseases and chronic conditions, including eczema, are caused by delayed autoimmune responses to foods in the digestive track, the logical step, then, is to test for and identify the foods that cause these reactions. If you suffer from eczema then you need to be tested for delayed food allergies. By far the best test available today to accomplish this treatment is the Complement Antigen Test. Why not order now?