New Eczema Atopic Dermatitis Treatment from a Memphis Dermatologist

George Woodbury
Jul 13
4 min read

by Cordova Dermatologist George Woodbury Jr. M.D. (07/13/2025)

Atopic Dermatitis or Eczema tends to start in childhood but it can start in adulthood — Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury explaining Atopic Dermatitis or Eczema to a patient

One of the most common skin conditions world-wide is what Dermatologists call Atopic Dermatitis, or Eczema. This itchy condition can occur in children and adults in all seasons. Let’ take a look at what’s new in Eczema Treatment, my perspective being that of a Memphis Dermatologist for the last 33 years.

Atopic Dermatitis can occurs on the arms, the legs, and the neck and face — Man scratching areas of Atopic Dermatitis or Eczema on his body

So just what is Eczema, or Atopic dermatitis? It’s an itchy, dry skin condition that tends to develop on the arms, legs, neck, and face, but it can occur anywhere. The rash and itching of Eczema can certainly make people miserable, the good news being that increasingly effective Eczema Treatment is is now available.

Dyshidrotic Dermatitis tends to be a type of Eczema and it can even blister when severe — Dyhidrotic Dermatitis or Dyshidrotic Eczema tends to occur on the hands and/or feet

There are different types of Eczema, including Dyshidrotic Eczema, which tends to favor the hands and feet, and Nummular Eczema, which tends to present with coin-shaped red and sometimes itchy areas on the legs.

Atopic Dermatitis can be very itchy and it can become infected so seeing a Board-certified Dermatologist can help to get breakouts under control — Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury talking with a patient about Atopic Dermatitis or Eczema

The first step with a rash or skin eruption is to consider seeing a Board-certified Dermatologist.

As a practicing Memphis Dermatologist for over 30 years, many times I’ll talk with patients about doing a skin test called a skin biopsy or excision – particularly if the condition could in reality be Contact Dermatitis.

Dermatologists consider testing such as biopsies or Allergy Patch Testing for patients with Atopic Dermatitis

Sometimes we also consider what’s called Allergy Testing or Allergy Patch Testing, to check for chemicals that one could be allergic to – which could cause flares of itching or rash. Allergy Patch Testing involves evaluation for skin reactions to common preservatives, fragrances, components of latex, and metals. Identifying chemical triggers can lead to effective ways of avoiding these trigger factors. For more, check out a short Youtube video on Allergy Patch Testing sponsored by my Memphis Dermatology practice.

Perioral Dermatitis is a special type of overlap of Acne and Eczema that often requires careful treatment with a combination of less greasy topical steroid creams with oral Retinoid cream or gel.

Dermatologists use steroid creams and also JAK inhibitor creams for Eczema — Patient applying steroid cream for Atopic Dermatitis outbreaks

Many Board-certified Dermatologists like myself design Eczema Treatment to include prescription topical steroid creams and ointments, often giving quick relief from itching and burning. (The word “topical” means a medicine that’s applied “on top of” the skin.) Other options include steroid-free products called Protopic® Ointment (tacrolimus), Elidel® Cream (pimecrolimus), and a promising agent called Eucrisa® Ointment (crisaborole).

For severe cases of Eczema, Dermatologists sometimes consider a short course of oral steroid tablets, called prednisone, or a steroid shot. These can give patients much more prompt relief from their symptoms or rash. For more: https://www.Rheumderm.com/eczema-atopic-dermatitis.

Eczema treatment can go from topical precsription creams to oral tablets to injectable medications — Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury counsels an Eczema patient about new treatment options

Promising new therapies for eczema include Dupixent® or dupilumab monoclonal antibody injection, and Ebglyss™ or injectable lebikizumab, with both of these Eczema treatments based upon use of antibodies to counteract excessive skin inflammation.

Dermatologists have two new oral tablets –non-steroidal JAK inhibitors – Upadacitnib (Rinvoq®) and Abrocitinib (Cibinqo®). We generally monitor these treatments with bloodwork, tb testing, and sometimes Chest X-rays.

Dyshidrotic Dermatitis can often be triggered by chemical allergies so Allergy Patch Testing is a helpful option to identify triggers — Dermatologists many many new Eczema treatment options in 2025

Dermatologists also have new steroid-free topical Zoryve® or Roflumilast and new steroid-free Opzelura® or Ruxolitinib, both of which are promising new therapies to help our patients with Atopic Dermatitis.

Flagship products of Big River Silk Skincare include AmberSoy Soap Gel and HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion with Shea Butter — Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury with Big River Silk Skincare staff

It’s quite important to try to correct the environmental problems that promote flares of eczema: use of overly drying soaps, or failure to use skin lubricants or moisturizers. Dermatologists often recommend that patients with under Eczema Treatment stay with fragrance-free cleansers or soaps, such as Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser, and AmberSoy™ Soap Gel, both of which are available through Big River Silk Skincare, a company of which I’m the President (www.Bigriversilkskincare.com).

A helpful Emulsion for people with Atopic Dermatitis or Eczema is HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion with Refined Shea Butter — Shea Moisture is the active Rejuvenation ingredient in HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion

Moisturizers are also known to be helpful for people prone to Atopic Dermatitis or Eczema. Options include Lubriderm®, Moisturel®, Aveeno®, and the remarkable steroid-free topical HypoShea™ Moisturizer Lotion, a product of Big River Silk Skincare Inc., for which I serve as the President (1-901-753-0168; https://www.Bigriversilkskincare.com). HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion is often helpful because it’s fragrance-free, with no dyes, no formaldehyde and no parabens, being derived from Refined Shea Butter, acting as Rejuvenation Cream because of its nongreasy blend or emulsion with some of the purest natural water in the United States, from the Memphis Sands.

Rejuvenation relates to use of skin-nourishing Refined Shea Butter as in HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion — Couple applying Shea Moisture as in HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion

So if you have an undiagnosed rash that’s been stubborn, consider seeing a Board-certified Dermatologist. My own Memphis Dermatology practice is with Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates, in Cordova, TN, or you can find a Dermatologist closer to you, or “Best Dermatologist Near Me,” by going to the American Academy of Dermatology website, AAD.org, then plugging your zip code into the “Find a Dermatologist” tab. Never itch in silence!