Skin care
How this topic helps your child's learning
This topic will help children and parents understand the importance of skin in protecting the body and to identify its constituent parts.
It also highlights some of the common problems what can go wrong with the skin and how to maintain and protect it.
The resource is based around an interactive exploration of the skin.
The pupil information is designed to support both pupils aged 5-7 and 7-11 in Science and PHSE/Health Education
The basics
Did you know that one in five children in the UK suffers from dry, sensitive, itchy skin or eczema? It's more common than you think and it's often an extra thing for mums and dads to worry about on top of everything else.
Skin Conditions : Eczema
The word 'eczema' comes from Greek and literally means 'boiling over'. Normal skin acts as a barrier to prevent water loss and stop skin irritants from penetrating. If you have eczema your skin doesn't do this as effectively as it should, leading to dryness, itching and cracked, scaly skin which lets in bacteria and allergens that can cause an allergic reaction. It is not a contagious condition.
Skin Conditions : Contact Dermatitis
The words eczema and dermatitis are often used by doctors to describe the same symptoms; irritated, red and inflamed skin. Contact dermatitis is a type of eczema that is caused by contact either with an irritant, toxic substance, or with a substance that you are allergic to. Many of the substances that lead to contact dermatitis are found in the working environment.
Skin Conditions : Dry Skin
Dry skin affects at least one in five of the population. Dry skin can feel tight and uncomfortable after washing, it may flake, crack and in severe cases, even bleed. But dry skin needn't make life a misery.
Skin Conditions : Sun Protection
Most people enjoy being out and about on sunny days: sunshine makes us feel good and in moderation it can even be beneficial. However, problems can arise if we overdose on the sun and end up burning.
Useful things to know
Eczema in children
Atopic eczema affects around 1 in 8 children and almost 30% of all new-born babies carry the risk of developing the condition. It usually starts in young babies who have dry, itchy, sore cheeks, which they may try to relieve by rubbing on the pillow. The condition progresses down the body, affecting the creases of the knees and elbows if it's a mild case, or the whole body if severe. It also often occurs on the scalp. Children with widespread eczema tend to be very itchy and miserable, particularly if they're too warm at night.
The good news is that about 75% of children grow out of eczema before they reach their mid-teens. However, their skin will always remain dry and prone to hand eczema so a good skin care routine is necessary. A regime such as complete emollient therapy can help.
Eczema in adults
If you continue to experience eczema as you get older, you will probably find that it affects the face, neck, upper chest, front of the shoulders, areas where the skin creases and the backs of the hands. Again the main symptom is severe itching and the condition can be exacerbated by stress.
The itch scratch cycle
Eczema is often accompanied by a severe itching. Scratching can cause damage to the skin. This allows bacteria to penetrate the skin and the body's immune system reacts causing inflammation which in turn leads to further itching. Inflammation can result in infection which once more can lead to itching. This itch-scratch-inflammation cycle can be hard to break. Emollients with anti-itch ingredients can help.
What causes contact dermatitis?
The only real difference between eczema and contact dermatitis is the cause:
- Atopic eczema is caused by a number of inherited and environmental factors. You'll find more information in the eczema section.
- Contact dermatitis is primarily caused when the skin comes into contact with certain substances. These substances may be general irritants (which can cause a reaction in anybody), or substances which cause an allergic reaction in some individuals.
Irritant contact dermatitis (hand eczema)
If you have naturally dry skin, or you had eczema as a child, you may find that the condition reappears when the skin comes into contact with an irritant substance. This is called hand eczema. The irritants dry out the skin making it more vulnerable to damage and further attack. It's often found on the hands of nurses, housewives, gardeners, hairdressers, cooks and kitchen staff, painters, builders and engineers.
The most common irritants are:
- soap, detergents and any prolonged wet work
- disinfectants and strong chemical cleaning products, paints, DIY materials, solvents, glues and resins
- citrus fruits and vegetable juices, including tomato, onion and garlic acids and alkalis
- abrasive dust from stones, bricks, cement, sand or soil
The condition maybe aggravated by:
- cold, windy weather or extreme heat
Allergic contact dermatitis
This condition is when the skin becomes sensitised to a substance. It can happen immediately or after many years of contact, such as in the case of a favourite perfume. Once your skin has become sensitised it can persist for life.
Common allergens are:
- nickel which maybe found in jewellery, cutlery and coins
- perfume and fragrances in toiletries and skin care products
- plants, particularly chrysanthemums, primula and grass
- rubber (latex), which can be found in some protective gloves
- the adhesive used in sticking plasters
- metal primers and leather
What causes dry skin?
In healthy skin the sebaceous glands release an oily substance called sebum, which keeps the skin moist, supple and waterproof.
Sebum, together with other natural oils, known as lipids, and natural moisturising factors (NMFs), form a barrier known as the hydro-lipid system. This barrier acts to keep 'foreign substances' out of our bodies and keeps water inside the body for as long as possible. In dry skin this barrier is no longer intact so the skin suffers from increased moisture loss.
Dry skin becomes particularly prevalent as we get older, as our bodies don't produce these natural oils so effectively. Babies and young children are also often susceptible to dry skin because the oil producing glands haven't developed properly.
Whilst some people have an inherited predisposition to dry skin, there are also a number of external factors which can contribute. These are more harmful in skin which is already dry and where the hydro-lipid barrier system is impaired. Dry, cold and windy weather can cause the skin to peel, flake and thicken, as can the sun. Central heating, air conditioning, poor ventilation, chemicals, detergents, soap and solvents can all play a part in causing dry skin. Excessive contact with water also reduces the skin's natural moisturizing factors.
Common sun problems
Sun sensitive skin
Some people, particularly babies and young children and those with fair skins, are very sensitive to UV and the sun may bring them out in one of many types of rash.
Polymorphic light eruption (PLE)
Up to 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from a sun allergy known as PLE. It is a red, itchy rash that is often mistaken for prickly heat. However, unlike prickly heat it only appears on areas of the skin that are not protected by clothing. It can occur in any climate and is triggered by a sufficient quantity of sunlight. One way to deal with the problem is by applying a high factor UVA/UVB sunscreen.
Prickly heat
This usually occurs in hot, moist climates such as the Tropics. The skin sweats excessively and because the atmosphere is too humid to dry it, the result is a red, sore, itchy rash. You'll usually find it in areas where the skin has not been exposed directly to sunlight and is covered with clothing, such as around the waist and under the arms. The best way to deal with it is to keep your skin cool and dry and the rash will clear up in a couple of days.
Cold sores
Specialists believe that sunlight reduces the skin's natural defences, allowing sun activated viruses such as those found in cold sores to flourish. You can help to prevent them by using a sunblock on your lips and nose.
Allergic reactions from cosmetics and perfumes
The interaction between the sun and some chemicals found in perfume, cosmetics and toiletries can cause a skin irritation that looks like dermatitis.
Sun sensitivity caused by drugs
Some drugs can cause a skin reaction in the sun. This includes drugs for acne, blood pressure, laxatives, heart disease, diabetes, fluid retention, psychiatric disorders and bladder/kidney infections. They will usually have a warning printed on the label but if you're in any doubt ask your doctor or pharmacist.
The effect of the sun on certain skin conditions
Eczema and psoriasis
If you suffer from either of these skin conditions you may find that the symptoms either improve or worsen in the sun. In both cases you should keep your skin well moisturised and wear a high factor sunscreen which is specially formulated for sensitive skin.
Vitiligo
This skin disorder leads to an absence of the pigment melanin which means the skin has white patches. These have no natural protection so they burn very quickly and require high factor sunscreen protection all year round.
Tips & treatments
- Dress children in cotton clothes. Avoid wool as it makes the skin hot and itchy
- Bed linen should be cotton and pillows and duvets feather-free
- Keep bedrooms cool; overheating aggravates itching
- Avoid biological washing powders and fabric conditioners
- Keep pets out of the house since fur and feathers can irritate eczema
- Dust should be kept down as much as possible - house dust mites are linked to flare-ups
- Certain foods such as milk or eggs can aggravate eczema in a small number number of people. Consult your doctor or dietician
- Avoid soap and heavily fragranced bubble baths
- Keep skin moisturised day and night
E45 Junior
E45 Junior is putting the fun into skincare for children. This funky range of four products (two moisturising and two cleansing products) is designed for kids to use themselves and is suitable for dry, sensitive, itchy skin and eczema. With 50 years' skincare experience, E45 takes the chore out of caring for dry skin for you and your child.
Sources of help and information
Patient Support Groups / Support Services
The National Eczema Society website
www.eczema.org
The Psoriatic Arthropathy Alliance
www.paalliance.org
The Skincare Campaign
www.skincarecampaign.org
The Ichthyosis Support Group
www.ichthyosis.co.uk
The National Health Service
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Boots Healthcare
www.boots.com
For more information on other skin conditions such as acne:
www.skinexpert.net
Crookes Healthcare, suppliers of E45
www.crookes.co.uk
For comprehensive health information online:
The information contained on this web site does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.