The Skin You’re In (NAPSA)—Graduation and wedding celebrations are around thecorner and the season for formal wear and swimsuits is here. These are some of the times you want your skin to look its best. And when the pressureis on, an effective skin care routine can help. If your skin reacts to stressful situations by becoming red, inflamed and itchy, and no amount of moisturizer makes it go away, you may have a chronic skin condition called eczema. If so, you are not alone. More than 15 million people suffer from this treatable condition that maycall for a prescription medication to provide relief. If you suffer from recurring, persistently dry, red and itchy skin, you may want to see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Atopic dermatitis, commonly referred to as eczema, is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that usually presents itself in children under the age of five. Eczemais a common, recurring skin condition characterized by a dry, flaky, itchy rash. Eczema can make choosing comfortable clothing difficult, or may prevent you from donning skin-baring clothes or swimsuits altogether. But when the temperature goes up, it’s tough to hide red, itchy, flaky skin behind long sleeves and pants. That is why it is particularly important to take care of your dry skin and watch for any flare-ups. Moisturize daily, or more often as necessary, and stay away from products with harsh dyes and heavy perfumes. There are lots of treatment options available, and you should discuss which one is right for you with your physician. Top Skin Tips The best way fo hydrate skin is soaking 10-20 minutes in a lukewarm bath. e Use moisturizersfree from harsh dyes and heavy perfumes. Avoid using washcloths, rubbing, scrubbing or overuse of soap. Pat—don’t rub—yourskin dry. To retain moisture, apply a moisturizer within three minutesafter your bath. e If your chronic dry skin is red,itchy and flaky, you should find out if you have eczema from yourdoctor. One option you can ask your doctor about is Elidel (pimecrolimus) Cream 1%. When you or your doctor find other treatments don’t work for you, there’s concern about their risks, or you can’t tolerate them, your doctor may prescribe steroid-free Elidel. Elidel is the only steroid-free prescription cream shownto effectively treat people with mild or moderate eczema that you can use for repeated courses as directed by your doctor. Elidel is even safe for children as youngas two. There is no cure for eczema, but Elidel can help control it. The most common side effects may be a feeling of warmth or burning where applied, headache, cold-like symptoms, such as sore throat and cough; and, rarely, viral skin infection. When using Elidel, you should avoid unprotected exposure to the sun and sun lamps. Elidel is an easy-to-use, odorfree, non-staining cream that may be used on all skin surfaces. For more information about eczema and Elidel, visit www.elidel.com.
