Eczema patients should consult doctors

A survey found that about 67 percent of eczema patients had spent money on products without medical authorisation to treat the condition.

Eczema is a common skin condition that troubles many patients.

In December last year, the AD Concern Group surveyed 229 eczema patients to gather views on their experiences and treatment methods for the condition. Itchiness and dry skin are the main impacts for eczema patients, accounting for about 96 and 89 percent, respectively. Another 64 percent said they had suffered from emotional issues.

The survey shows that about 71 percent of patients have used moisturising lotions to treat the condition, followed by topical steroids, roughly 51 percent.

When asked if they had spent money on products without authorisation from medical professionals to improve the condition, including lotions and supplements from pharmacies, about 67 percent of patients said yes.

Most patients said it's difficult to find a suitable treatment method, with nearly 30 percent spending one to five years doing so. And 26 percent spent a decade or above.

A doctor said moderate-to-severe eczema patients should seek precision treatment.

MARTIN CHUNG, Specialist in Dermatology and Venereology said "Compared to traditional treatment, personalised treatment or we say precision treatment has the benefit of, first being more effective, and secondly, less side effects. And because we are only targeting one or a few targets, we are not suppressing the whole immune system and we are not affecting other organs."

Chung reminded patients to consult doctors for timely treatment instead of relying on unsupported remedies.