Introduction to "A Topic: Dermatitis"

Hi, my name is Shiri and this blog is about atopic dermatitis.

A few clarifications and disclaimers before I start. First and foremost, I am not, I repeat, not, medical personnel of any kind. I am a young woman who was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis at eight months I've lived with it nearly all my life, on and off. Any and all recommendations in this blog are my own personal opinion. They may be based in whole or in part on many doctor's recommendations, or other people's recommendations, but eventually synthesized in my own mind and doled out however I see fit.

In fact, I recommend to take everything anyone tells you about atopic, including myself, with a massive grain of salt. Atopic is one of the least understood conditions - certainly for a condition/disease so widespread, one could expect more research and comprehension of the problem but this is not the case. What's more, atopic often varies widely among individuals or even among the same person in different periods. It is extremely important that each and every atopic patient tailor the treatment(s) to his or her own special needs. Trial and error with careful tracking of results is the best way to go. Always be careful when starting a new treatment of any kind. Be aware of the consequences and any new reactions that may stem from it.

One more thing, I live in Israel, not that it's of great relevance but has some bearing on weather-oriented recommendations, so keep that in mind.

It is my intention here in this blog to raise awareness to atopic and provide people diagnosed with atopic (or their parents) with some basic tools to handle it. Atopic Dermatitis is a difficult disease to handle, one that is not well understood neither by doctors nor by society. While asthma is nowadays considered common and no one would be surprised if a kid pulls out an inhaler in the middle of nowhere, the alternative of that same child scratching is often misconstrued, ridiculed or just evokes confusion. Meanwhile the doctors (especially pediatricians who are not dermatologists) react in various ways, often contradicting ones. Recommendations are unclear, and day-to-day recommendations are confused with actual treatment. Prognosis is always foggy and usually completely unreliable.

I want to clear away some of that fog. But again, I implore you not to trust me. Try things for yourself. I'm here to offer you the options and to share my experiences with them. I also wish you the best of luck and invite you to share your experiences with me. I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks,
-Shiri