These can be replaced as soon as they smell unpleasant

At the same time, the concentration of the messenger substance histamine increases in the blood, which is also released, for example, by mosquito bites. The result, in turn, is reddened and dry skin, which tightens, itches and tears. Doctors speak of an atopic dermatitis flare-up when these symptoms occur more frequently. (Chronic neurodermatitis: How those affected live with it)

lifestyle.t-online.de: Neurodermatitis: Trapped in your own skin

The most famous triggers of atopic dermatitis

Whether, when and how strong a thrust occurs is completely individual and hardly controllable. Classic triggers of neurodermatitis are indeed the allergens mentioned, but an unhealthy diet and an unbalanced sleep rhythm can also cause dry skin. Certain foods such as nuts, milk, and wheat, as well as sugary foods, are particularly problematic. Some patients also report that extreme cold, heat or humidity are typical triggers of atopic dermatitis.

Not only external influences, but also psychological factors such as stress or permanent overload are known triggers of neurodermatitis. In addition, hormonal fluctuations during menstruation or due to pregnancy can cause skin irritation. (Treating neurodermatitis: therapies against the rash)

Itch-scratch spiral: What to do against dry skin

All of these factors have one thing in common: They bring the body’s defenses and the interplay of cause and effect out of balance. Many patients move in a vicious circle: Dry skin makes the organism more receptive to allergens and other environmental influences. The inflammatory reaction to this in turn causes dry skin, and constant scratching also weakens the barrier function. This means that the immune system reacts more strongly to foreign substances.

Instead of scratching, experts advise tapping the affected area. Anyone who has dry skin anyway should refrain from washing too often and use moisturizing products from the pharmacy. In addition, you should not wear clothing that roughens or rubs the skin. Use special detergents that are suitable for atopic dermatitis. (Alternative therapies for neurodermatitis)

Neurodermatitis, also called atopic dermatitis, is one of the most agonizing skin diseases. Many sufferers suffer from eczema symptoms for life. Irritated areas dry out again and again and form so-called eczema.

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Classic eczema symptoms

The typical symptoms of neurodermatitis can be seen primarily on the outside: the skin is often dry, flaky and has reddened areas. Sometimes nodules and pustules also form. If the neurodermatitis is already more advanced, it spreads over an area. The most common areas affected by eczema are the ankles and wrists, hands, neck, hollows of the knees and the crooks of your arms. The skin is then usually rough and swollen, looks coarse and streaky. Important body functions such as perspiration, skin blood flow and temperature regulation are out of balance. (Diagnosis of neurodermatitis: not always clear)

Eczema and Scratching: A Vicious Cycle

One of the more serious symptoms of neurodermatitis, however, is itching, which can vary depending on the strength of the attack and usually gets worse in the evening hours. For many, sleep is no longer an option. Short-term relief often only provides one thing: scratching. But because that in turn damages the skin surface – and thus the body’s natural protective barrier – a vicious circle begins. Before the healing is complete, the itching starts again. Those who cannot control themselves then scratch encrusted areas and clear the way for germs. (Sport despite neurodermatitis: healthy despite sweating?)

lifestyle.t-online.de: Neurodermatitis: Trapped in your own skin

More severe eczema symptoms and complications

If the oozing and scratched eczema cannot heal, the risk of infection with bacteria or viruses increases. In many patients, the immune system is already so severely attacked that atopic dermatitis symptoms become even more pronounced: According to the "pharmacy magazine" Pustules, excessive oozing, and yellow discolored crusts are among the particularly severe symptoms of the skin disease. In the worst case, an infection can trigger a fever and swelling of the lymph nodes. In this case, be sure to visit your family doctor or a dermatologist. (Treating neurodermatitis: therapies against the rash)

Atopic dermatitis symptoms subside with age

Atopic dermatitis is particularly widespread in children: 80 percent of patients have the rash in the first six years of life. The good news: in many cases, the relapses become rarer with age. And: As the dermatologist Dietrich Abeck in an interview with "Süddeutsche Zeitung" explains, 90 percent of those affected only suffer from mild neurodermatitis: "This form can be treated wonderfully easily."

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Regular care is especially important to manage the symptoms of eczema. Don’t let your skin dry out and avoid exposing the eczema to water too often or for too long. If the feeling of tension on the skin becomes too strong, cold compresses provide relief. Instead of scratching, respond to the itching by tapping. (Neurodermatitis: Triggers and Causes)

An international team of researchers has found that a certain treatment during menopause increases the risk of breast cancer. According to the new study, even long after the therapy.

Hormone therapy for the relief of menopausal symptoms increases the risk of breast cancer in women – even years after the end of therapy. This is what an international research team reports after evaluating a total of 58 studies in the journal "The Lancet".

The scientists showed that almost every form of hormone therapy increases the risk of developing breast cancer in the long term. A German expert advises women to talk to their doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of treatment.

When to use hormone therapy

For most women, menopause begins around the age of 45. When the ovaries gradually cease to function, the level of estrogen in the body drops and progesterone almost completely disappears. For some women, this change can be accompanied by symptoms such as hot flashes, insomnia and mood swings. Hormone therapy alleviates these symptoms.

In Europe and North America, around twelve million women are currently taking hormone preparations that contain estrogen and, in some cases, also progestin, the authors write in the background information of the specialist article. Therapy could take several years. The study now shows that the risk of breast cancer may have been underestimated.

Result of the study

The research team had evaluated data from almost 500,000 women who had started menopause. Some of the women had been on hormone therapy for different periods of time, others had never taken hormones. More than 100,000 of these women had breast cancer. The analysis showed that almost every form of hormone treatment increased the risk of breast cancer, but to different degrees.

Without hormone therapy, 63 out of 1,000 women will develop breast cancer between 50 and 69 years of age. Five years of treatment with estrogen and daily progestin results in one additional case of breast cancer per fifty women. If the progestin was not taken daily, but only in phases, the risk was slightly lower: one additional case for every seventy women. When only estrogen was taken, there was one additional case of breast cancer for every two hundred women. The increased risk therefore existed in some cases more than a decade after the drug was discontinued.

The risk of the disease also depends on the duration of treatment, the researchers report. "Ten years of treatment with hormones doubles the increased risk of breast cancer compared to five years of treatment"says co-author Gillian Reeves of the University of Oxford in a press release for the journal. "But there seems to be very little risk in doing hormone therapy for less than a year. The same applies to the local, vaginal application of estrogen in the form of ointments or suppositories, which should not enter the bloodstream."

Other influencing factors

The scientists’ results were independent of personal influencing factors such as family predisposition, alcohol or cigarette consumption. In overweight women who are already at a higher risk of breast cancer, the risk of hormone therapy increased less. Starting hormone therapy very late, from the age of sixty, also reduced the risk of the disease.

In a comment on the study, also published in "The Lancet" was published, the expert Joanne Kotsopoulos from Women’s College Hospital in Toronto explains how the increased risk could be justified: "In studies, we see that the increase in breast cancer risk that comes with age is somewhat milder after menopause. Simply put, hormone therapy could de facto keep women in a pre-menopausal stage and thus not benefit from the reduced risk of post-menopausal breast cancer."

Better education of women called for

Patients should be informed about the new findings, says Olaf Ortmann from the University Women’s Clinic in Regensburg. "We didn’t know that much about the long-term effects. Until now, it has been assumed that the risk of breast cancer will return to normal a few years after the end of hormone treatment."

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The treatment should therefore not be a sure-fire success, says Ortmann, who is jointly responsible for the guidelines for hormone therapy in menopause of the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics. "Patients shouldn’t panic, but talk to their doctor. You should always check after a few years whether the medication can be reduced or tapered. Sometimes the symptoms that led to hormone therapy have already been alleviated."

Sources used: dpa news agency

Sweaty feet are initially odorless. Only when bacteria decompose sweat does the unpleasant stinging form develop "cheese"-Odor. Because, among other things, butyric acid is produced. The best tips against cheese feet.

Long treatment threatens – four important tips against nail fungus

Long treatment threatens
Four important tips against nail fungus

With these measures you can prevent the nasty disease. Video

Our body has two to three million sweat glands. They are found in particularly large numbers on the hands, feet and armpits. How much we sweat depends, among other things, on our genes. The perspiration itself can have various causes. For example, hormonal influences, an overactive thyroid or hyperhidrosis (excessive sweat production) increase the flow of sweat. Heat, stress and spicy foods also activate the sweat glands.

Preventing cheese feet: dry feet are essential

The more the feet sweat, the faster they start to smell. Bacteria feel particularly at home in the moist and warm environment. In order to prevent cheese feet, the main thing is to keep your feet as dry as possible and to slow down the growth of bacteria.

Cotton socks absorb foot sweat well

Cotton socks are the first way to get odorless feet. They absorb sweat well and are also breathable. Light, air-permeable footwear is also good for ventilating the feet. It ensures a comfortable temperature and moisture can escape. Again, natural materials such as cotton, linen or leather are better than synthetic materials.

If you have the opportunity to run barefoot or in stockings from time to time, you should take the chance. The feet are ventilated and massaged, the shoes can evaporate in the meantime. This prevents bacteria from multiplying.

Always ventilate shoes well

If you have very sweaty feet, it is best to change your shoes every day. While one pair is in use, the other can dry. Special antibacterial shoe deodorants and disinfectants inhibit the odor in the shoe and the formation of bacteria. Best to use once a week.

Insoles protect shoes from the smell of sweat

Insoles are recommended so that the smell of sweat does not get too stuck in the shoes. These can be replaced as soon as they smell unpleasant. Leather soles or cedar soles, for example, absorb moisture well.

Bacteria feed on the cornea

Proper foot care can also keep bacteria at bay. In addition to regular washing, strong calluses should also be counteracted. Dry skin can be gently removed with a pumice stone. If the feet are keratinized too much, according to dermatologists, this benefits the cheese feet, as bacteria and fungi sometimes feed on the small, dead skin particles.

Sage and oak bark inhibit perspiration

Foot baths are also a great help against sweaty feet. Additives such as oak bark or sage not only ensure a pleasant fragrance and have an antibacterial effect. They also ensure that the sweat pores on the feet contract. This reduces perspiration. Always dry your feet well after a foot bath or shower.

Dry feet protect against athlete’s foot

Keeping your feet as dry as possible is not only useful to prevent smelly cheese feet. If the damp skin swells up, not only bacteria but also fungi have an easy time. Athlete’s foot can then penetrate the skin and spread particularly easily. If it is not treated, nail fungus will eventually develop.

If it itches repeatedly between the toes or on the sole, this is a warning signal. Small cracks and dry and flaky areas can also indicate a fungal attack and should be clarified.