Numularis dermatitis or also known as discoid eczema or discoid dermatitis is a condition that causes the skin to become reddish, swollen, itchy, and has circular patches.
This condition is more often experienced by men than women, especially at the age of 55-65 years, initially marked by the appearance of red spots on the skin which can then fuse and form red, brown, or pink spots. Spots can amount to more than one, measuring several millimeters to several centimeters. The hallmark of this disease is oval-shaped patches or coin-shaped circles.
These patches are most often formed on the arms, legs, hands, and torso (torso). These newly formed patches will generally feel itchy especially at night, swollen, and filled with fluid. However, these spots are often mistaken for ringworm because the middle part can look clean like a donut shape.
Over time these spots will dry up and crack. Ringworm is caused by a fungal infection, whereas dermatitis numularis is an inflammatory condition of the skin due to various factors. Sometimes because the appearance of the spots on these two diseases is so similar, the doctor will do a skin scraping examination then look at the skin scrapings sample in a microscope to determine whether or not the spots are caused by ringworm.
The cause of numularis dermatitis is not known with certainty. But research has found that the risk of dermatitis numularis is increased in people who often bathe in water that is too hot or who live in cold and dry climates. Also in those who have very dry skin (xerosis), experience skin disorders such as insect bites, blood flow in the feet is not smooth, have skin infections due to bacteria, or also experience other types of eczema. This condition is also more risky for people who consume certain drugs such as isotretinoin and interferon.
Alert Signs of Infection
These spots, known as dermatitis numularis, can become infected, starting with signs such as:
- The body shakes and feels pain or weakness.
- Spotting a lot of fluid or festering.
- The skin around the spots becomes hard, red, warm, swollen, and painful.
- Around the patches appear yellow crust.
Immediately consult a doctor if numularis dermatitis begins to form, especially if it has been infected and shows the above symptoms.
So As Not To Prolong
In addition to following the doctor's instructions, there are several things that can be done independently to relieve the symptoms of numularis dermatitis and prevent infection:
- Although itchy, avoid scratching the spots to prevent infection. Cutting your nails and keeping your hands clean can also help if you scratch the spots. Skin damage due to scratching or injury can aggravate this disease.
- Avoid using soap with irritants that can damage the skin. Instead, you can use soap with a moisturizing content or a soft emollient.
- Protect the area of skin that is affected so as not to get hurt, for example by using clothes or trousers, or gloves.
- Take a bath every day with lukewarm water and use a moisturizer or emollient after bathing to keep the moisture.
If there is already an infection, your doctor may give antibiotic creams or ointments, oral antibiotics, or you can also refer you to a dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis. In addition to antibiotics, doctors can also provide other medicines to relieve symptoms such as ointments or corticosteroid tablets, soap with a gentle content for the skin, antihistamines to relieve itching, and also emollients, which are moisturizers applied to the skin to protect and maintain moisture skin.
If your doctor recommends using moisturizers and ointments such as corticosteroids to treat symptoms, you might be confused about how to use both. Ideally, you can use a moisturizer first to moisturize the skin, and leave it for about 30 minutes. After that, use the corticosteroid ointment the doctor prescribed and apply it thoroughly to the skin. Sometimes, the use of corticosteroid ointments will have side effects such as thinning of the skin, acne, and skin discoloration. In severe eczema conditions, or symptoms of inflammation of the skin on a large area, your doctor may give oral corticosteroids. You need to consult a doctor before taking oral corticosteroid drugs for a long term if you suffer from diabetes, hypertension, hormonal disorders, or osteoporosis.
Alternative therapies or herbal medicines have not been clinically proven effective for treating numularis dermatitis. If medications have been tried before but the symptoms do not subside or the condition is difficult to treat, your doctor may recommend phototherapy or ultraviolet light therapy to treat numularis dermatitis.
The most important thing in dealing with this disease is to keep the skin moist and look for and prevent triggers that cause symptoms. If not treated immediately, numularis dermatitis can continue to disappear and last for a long time to a matter of weeks, months, or even years.
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