The skin condition of Excema is characterized by dry, inflamed skin which although it can be anywhere on the body, will more than likely be on the face or chest. The use of a Excema cream or lotions and emollients has done much to help relieve the symptoms of Excema.

The aim is to keep the skins moisture levels constant as it is when moisture from the skin is lost that Excema will cause the most distress. While there are aspects of Excema care that cannot be carried out without specialist help, this is an area where the sufferer is able to care for their own condition. Any product that dries the skin and removes the body's own natural oils and moisture should be stopped immediately. Skin moistening agents are called emollients and the rule of thumb for there use is to match the thicker ointments to the driest and flakiest skin. Thick emollients do not dry the skin out unlike aqueous cream which should only be used if the skin is not dry and flaking.

The purpose of these emollients is to reduce the amount of moisture the skin loses especially when washing. Creams have now been created, like Diprobase for instance, that can be used to wash with as well as moisturize. Ointments such as Epaderm and Sebexol work in the same way as Eucerin lotion, to help ease the desire to itch the afflicted skin. Quickly absorbed by the skin, creams are less effective then emollients which may only require two applications a day. For skin that is particularly sensitive, ointments are better to use than creams because ointments contain less water which means it takes longer for them to be absorbed.

For mild-moderate excema a weak steroid may be used like Hydrocortisone or Desonide, while more severe cases require a higher-potency steroid (e. Alleviating the symptoms of excema is about the best you can hope to expect from corticosteroids as they do not provide a cure. For the best results using corticosteroids, use the excema cream or ointment sparingly as they can damage the skin in time. Because of this, if used on the face or other delicate skin, only a low-strength steroid should be used. Owing to the risks that steroids pose overall, the adult eczema sufferer should only use these creams and ointments when they absolutely have too. Despite their use and success rate, steroid creams and ointments should only be used sparingly and stopped once the desire result has been achieved. Although safe to use for short periods of term, corticosteroids can be dangerous when used for longer so as soon as possible, they should be replaced with non-steroid ointments.

Finally, topical immunomodulators were developed after corticosteroid treatments, effectively suppressing the immune system in the affected area, and appear to work well in some groups of people.