Eczema 101

MANILA, Philippines - Eczema affects as much as 15 to 20 percent of children and one percent to three percent of adults. It’s a long-lasting condition. Anyone can have it. It often begins early among infants and children and may continue through adulthood. It can be a burden for sufferers and can have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients. Yet people know very little about it.

The reality is that eczema can easily be misconstrued as a simple rash and may not be given the proper attention it needs. Rashes may worsen, producing intense itching especially at nighttime. This may lead to sleep deprivation in affected children. For parents, on the other hand, this may mean nightly sleep interruption of one to two hours and time off from work for doctor visits or home care.

Aside from the lack of sleep and restlessness, eczema also limits children sufferers’ extracurricular activities. They get teased by their peers, which could dampen their self-esteem. For adult sufferers, eczema affects their mood, productivity and well-being. They also lose confidence and tend to withdraw from society. 

This is why MSD decided that it’s time to educate Filipinos on the realities of eczema by launching Elica’s new educational campaign. Elica is an OTC medication specially formulated to help manage the symptoms of eczema. The campaign will feature a celebrity family that experienced eczema first hand — the Pangilinans. Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan recommends Elica. 

Elica is available at leading drugstores nationwide. It comes in a 5g cream and 5g ointment, both retailing for P428.