Is modern life making you itch?

Soaps and shower gels, perfumes and even furniture polish are just some of the ‘everyday’ products can lead to itching and skin rashes.

But the problems really start when, instead of getting the right treatment, sufferers just scratch at the troubled area causing it to get gradually worse until real skin damage can be caused.

As the summer approaches and skin problems increase, Consultant Dermatologist Anton Alexandroff of BMI Manor Hospital in Biddenham, warns: “If the condition is not controlled the sufferers could develop severe dermatitis. Skin may become red, raised and very itchy - it can also become weeping and infected.

“A lot of people suffer in silence - mostly because they do not know that their condition is treatable. Eczema is a chronic condition so we cannot cure it but we can keep it under control and greatly improve patients' quality of life.”
Bedford accountant Ashley Knight developed a rash around his abdomen which, within days, ‘was driving me round the bend!’”

“I tried various creams and even pain killers but I couldn’t calm the irritation. I was getting more and more irritable, especially as it began to affect my sleep.”

It was two weeks before dad-of-three Ashley, who lives with his family in Biddenham, visited his GP but he was then referred to Dr Alexandroff and, within days, the rash was disappearing.

He said: “I was told to throw away my favourite soaps and shower gels. He also insisted that I moisturised regularly.

“It seems that women are much better at moisturising their skin than men – who just jump out of the shower and dry themselves down with a towel. It certainly worked for me and I was noticing the difference almost immediately.”

Dr Alexandroff explained: “Soap is known to dry out the skin so people with sensitive skin should avoid it. The same goes for lots of shower gels and shampoos. There are products out there that can be used but people need to be aware of them.

“As for moisturizing, people should do it on a daily basis with a product recommended by a dermatologist. It seems we in the UK are behind some our European counterparts on this but it really is something we need to catch up on as soon as possible.

“Modern life throws a lot at our skin and moisturising daily is just one of the things we can do to protect ourselves.”