Complex dermatitis and eczema
Treatment options in Shanghai

When suitable topical treatment is insufficient, supervised phototherapy may be an option. It uses prescribed ultraviolet exposure and usually requires a course of repeated visits, rather than a single procedure. Ask which areas will be treated, how dose adjustments and irritation are handled, and how the team will decide whether treatment is helping. The travel burden matters if you live outside Shanghai. Ordinary sun exposure and tanning beds are not interchangeable substitutes: they lack the same controlled treatment plan and can cause burns or worsen eczema.

Systemic treatment acts beyond the skin surface. Depending on the individual situation, discussion may include biologic injections, oral JAK inhibitors or older systemic immunosuppressive medicines. These are different classes with different benefit, risk and monitoring profiles; an injection is not automatically safer or more suitable than a tablet. Ask about relevant medical conditions, other medicines, pregnancy plans, examinations or tests before starting, and what changes should prompt contact. International guidelines help frame these choices but do not establish Chinese approval, personal eligibility or local supply for a specific product.

A useful plan specifies what you hope to change: less itch at night, fewer flares, clearer skin in an important area or a more manageable daily routine. Ask when the first review should occur and what would lead to continuing, adjusting or changing treatment. Basic skin care and prescribed topical treatment may remain part of the plan even when systemic therapy begins. Do not judge success only by one photograph or stop prescribed treatment solely because the skin looks better. Long-term control and an agreed flare plan matter alongside initial improvement.