The skin condition, eczema, can cause 'considerable emotional distress' to those affected and their families, the Irish Skin Foundation (ISF) has said.

It is raising awareness of the condition as part of Eczema Awareness Week, which runs until September 20.

Eczema causes a dry, red itchy rash on the skin, which may appear scaly, weep, bleed or crust over. It affects one in 10 children under the age of seven and can continue into adulthood. Around one in 20 adults are affected and the condition is estimated to be 30% more frequent now than it was in the 1980s.

According to Jeannette Brazel of the ISF, eczema can be ‘very distressing' for children and their families, causing ‘considerable emotional distress as well as discomfort'.

She pointed out that as eczema is a long-term condition, community pharmacists have a key role to play in the care of those affected.

"Eczema is a long-term condition for which patients need long-term support. This means that there is an ongoing need for pharmacy expertise to complement the input from specialist nurses, dermatologists and GPs," Ms Brazel said.

Research has show that pharmacy intervention can lead to an improvement in eczema symptoms.

The first line in treating eczema is emollient (moisturising) therapy - a simple but effective treatment that is known to improve symptoms and lessen flare-ups. Other treatments, such as topical steroids, may also be recommended.

"A daily care routine is key. This often consists of complete emollient therapy, use of topical steroids when needed and learning to recognise individual triggers. Don't be afraid of using topical steroids if prescribed.

"The goal of eczema management is to get moisture back into the skin, create a barrier to protect the skin and eventually improve the patient's own skin barrier function. Your pharmacist is ideally placed to advise on the various emollients available and potency of steroids. Aqueous creams are not appropriate leave-on moisturisers and may actually cause further irritation," Ms Brazel explained.

As part of Eczema Awareness Week, the ISF has launched new child and adult information leaflets, which can be downloaded here

For more information on the ISF, click here

See also our Eczema Clinic here