What constitutes a treatment

So, what constitutes a treatment for Atopic Dermatitis - according to conventional medicine, anyway?

According to Dr. H (dermatologist), here's what can constitute a treatment (I'm pretty sure he meant for medium to severe atopic):

1. Topical Steroids. Topical means on the spot, or in plain English, creams spread on your skin. in order to actually treat the atopic, they need to have steroids (cortisons) in them.
   
2. Immunosuppressants. These agents may calm your atopic dermatitis by way of lowering the resistance of your entire immune system.
   
3. Phototherapy - certain types of UV rays may be helpful for some cases of atopic dermatitis.
   

Now, each of these treatments has its own dangers and complications, I won't go into details right now. Let's just say, "don't try this at home". Consult an expert for the right options for you.

In a future post I'll write, accordingly, what doesn't constitute an actual treatment (but may well act as prevention).

One word of caution, according to Prof. B. (dermatologist): Systemic steroids (i.e. taken through the mouth, injected, etc.) should NOT be used for atopic, as they tend to cause a rebound reaction once the drug is discontinued. There is evidently a major difference in opinion among doctors on this point. Allergists and physicians may tend to recommend this type of treatment because it is effective for asthma and so assume it will work for atopic as well. Personally, I've experienced the rebound effect in both times I've taken systemic steroids. Readers beware.