subject: Compounding Pharmacies Provide Relief For People Dealing With Eczema And Other Skin Disorders [print this page] Compounding pharmacies are, in a manner, throwbacks to the earlier days when pharmacists took prescription orders from physicians and produced medicines "from scratch." Over time, the drug business was taken over by the large commercial concerns that mass-produce today's modern day tinctures for what ails us. In the case of some individuals, though, particularly those struggling with skin disorders such as eczema, the old ways are best, and a visit to a compounding pharmacy is in order.
Specialty pharmacists develop medicinal substances that are free from the dyes, fillers and preservatives found in mass-produced medicines. Operating in a sterile environment that helps ensure their products are free of contamination, they are also able to make prescriptions that are especially formulated for each individual's needs and sensitivities.
In the field of Dermatology, or study of our extraordinary wrapping, the skin, Eczema is a blanket term for skin inflammations that are thought to be a result of a malfunctioning immune system. It is characterized by severe responses to soaps, makeup, clothing, detergents, jewelry, or even sweat. Abrupt changes in humidity and temperature can also bring on an attack, which leads to severe itching, skin flaking, and even angry blisters. Stress can also be another trigger.
In the United States., up to 20% of kids and one to two percent of adults suffer from this malady. It often appears in infancy, but generally clears up by age three. Many cases persist into adulthood, though, and are occasionally linked to factors such as Asthma, food allergies, or allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
Because this and other skin disorders, such as Psoriasis, warts, or Rosacea appear in a population that is overreacting to irritants around them, it would seem sensible then, for individuals to seek treatment that won't cause additional distress. A compounding pharmacist will work with the patient's doctor to create and deliver the right medicine in the right formulation for each individual's individual needs.
A sterile compounding pharmacy can produce the required medicine in just the right dosage and combination; if several drugs need to be administered at once, this can be accommodated in one application. Relief can come in creams, sprays, dermal patches, or even lollipops. The patient is monitored closely and the dosage or formulation can be modified as needed.
The goals are pain management and control of the enormous urge to itch, as well as hydration and healing of the irritated skin.
All this is guided by the principle of providing unique medicines - one unique person at a time.
