Dermatitis
Dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin.
The term dermatitis is rather generic; it can in fact be attributed to a wide range of dermatological complications.
Generally, a dermatitis is manifested by: dryness, scaling, cracking, swelling of the skin, redness, itching, recurrent skin eruptions (blisters), crusting, bleeding and sometimes depigmentation (caused by healed wounds).
The causes of dermatitis are unclear; it is assumed that (especially in chronic forms) dietary factors and autoimmune reactions are involved.
The treatment of dermatitis is pharmacological, consisting of moisturizing and / or steroid creams. If ineffective, they can be replaced by products based on calcineurin inhibitors.
Dermatitis affects 3.5% of the world population. Although not dangerous, it is related to many other serious diseases, including: osteoporosis, depression and heart disease.
Diet
The causes of dermatitis are poorly understood; moreover, this term is used to describe a very heterogeneous cutaneous discomfort.
Diet, like other risk factors, plays a different role depending on the specific case.
Herpetiformis and Celiac Dermatitis
Herpetiform dermatitis seems to be closely related to celiac disease.
The main symptoms are intense itching and skin rash; the latter is typically symmetrical on the arms, thighs, knees and back.
The treatment of dermatitis herpetiformis is specific for coeliacs and involves the total removal of gluten.
Dermatitis and Food Allergies
The study of dietary factors that can influence the evolution of dermatitis has not yet provided any absolute statistical relevance.
There is a correlation between dermatitis and diagnosable egg allergy (not food intolerance). In children, the exclusion of food leads to a progressive remission of dermatitis.
Under normal circumstances (without allergies), any exclusion diet did NOT lead to any benefit in treating dermatitis. It must be emphasized that the in-depth analyzes carried out to date are not particularly accurate, both from the point of view of the sample and as regards the method and means of research.
Dermatitis and Preventive Diet
PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING
The diet of a pregnant woman does not seem to affect the risk of dermatitis for the unborn child.
The same applies to breastfeeding or the type of milk formula used in the infant's replacement diet. The former is however preferable, as it reduces the risk of many diseases, even on an allergic basis.
PROBIOTICS
There are positive experimental tests that support the use of probiotics in childhood.
Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain the physiological bacteria of the large intestine. Known as intestinal bacterial flora, these are: Lactobacilli, Eubacteria and Bifidobacteria.
The foods that contain them "naturally" are fermented; in particular: yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, tofu, tempeh, gherkins, sauerkraut etc.
However, the advantage of dietary supplementation with probiotics is not so high that it can be considered an effective preventive intervention.
Useful Herbs and Other Supplements
HERBS
Some supporters of traditional Chinese medicine recommend herbal use for dermatitis treatment.
However, due to some side effects, it is still not clear whether these treatments are considered to be beneficial or potentially harmful.
Oral intake of borage seed oil and / or evening primrose, as well as not being particularly effective, can cause quite important gastrointestinal symptoms.
SUPPLEMENTS
In the case of eczema, some people use food supplements based on vitamins, saline and essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6).
The most consumed molecules and ions are: zinc, selenium, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).
The most commonly used dietary supplements of essential fatty acids are: sea buckthorn oil, hemp seed oil, sunflower oil and fish oil.
For the moment, there is no concrete evidence to support this nutritional therapy.
