What is Eczema? A Blog Explaining Skin Conditions is a blog educating readers about skin conditions and how to handle them. For instance, the article on eczema describes what eczema is, what it looks like, and how to treat it.
Eczema is a common skin condition in which patches of skin become rough and inflamed with blisters that cause itching and bleeding. It can occur anywhere on the body but it most commonly affects the hands, feet, wrists, ankles, face, neck and upper chest. The affected areas may weep or ooze fluid and form scabs as they heal.
There are several types of eczema: atopic (most common), contact dermatitis (caused by allergies), dyshidrosis (blisters on palms of hands and feet), nummular (round coin-shaped lesions) and seborrheic dermatitis (flaky scales).
WHAT IS ECZEMA?
Eczema is a common skin complaint that affects people of all ages. Eczema is not a single condition, but rather an umbrella term for a range of skin conditions that have similar symptoms. In fact, the word ‘eczema’ simply means ‘to boil over’, as the skin becomes inflamed and irritated. The most common type of eczema is atopic eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis), which predominantly affects children and young adults.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ECZEMA?
The main symptom is intense itching, which can cause the sufferer to scratch their skin until it bleeds. This can lead to inflammation, swelling and pain. Eczema can also cause redness and dryness of the affected area, which may flake or peel. In more severe cases, blisters and crusts may form in the affected area, leading to oozing sores. Other symptoms include insomnia and depression due to constant itching/scratching during sleep and/or embarrassment about appearance.
HOW IS ECZEMA DIAGNOSED?
There is no single test for diagnosing eczema; diagnosis is based on a combination
Eczema is a skin condition that causes itchy, scaly, and dry skin. The most common type of eczema is called atopic dermatitis. Atopic refers to a group of diseases with an often inherited tendency to develop other allergic conditions, such as asthma and hay fever. Eczema affects people of all ages but is most often diagnosed in infants and children. Atopic dermatitis is the most common cause of eczema. In babies and young children, eczematous patches are typically found on the scalp, cheeks, forearms, legs, and trunk. In older children and adults, eczematous patches are typically found on the hands and feet.
If you have eczema or suspect you may have eczema, see your doctor or dermatologist for diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
Eczema can be caused by a number of factors including genetics, environment, stress levels and immune system functioning. It can also be triggered by certain foods (such as dairy), chemicals (such as detergents), soaps (such as antibacterial soaps), excessive chlorine exposure (such as in pools) or environmental allergens (such as pollen).
Eczema is a general term for any kind of inflammation of the skin, but it is usually used to describe atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema. Atopic refers to an allergy or hypersensitivity. Dermatitis means inflammation of the skin.
Eczema and atopic dermatitis are probably hereditary conditions in which various environmental factors play a role. Atopic dermatitis is not contagious.
The early symptoms of atopic dermatitis are dryness, itching and redness, which can appear anywhere on the body. The usual sites are the creases of the elbows and knees, the hands and feet, and the face and scalp in infants. If you scratch the affected area, it can become thickened and leathery.
The symptoms of atopic dermatitis often get worse when you are exposed to allergens such as dust mites or animal dander (skin particles). Other triggers include soaps, prescription medications, rough fabrics like wool and stress. The symptoms also worsen if your skin becomes infected with bacteria or a virus (such as herpes simplex or shingles).
What is Eczema?
Eczema is a term for a group of medical conditions that cause the skin to become inflamed or irritated. The most common type of eczema is actually known as atopic dermatitis, or atopic eczema. Atopic refers to a group of diseases with an often inherited tendency to develop other allergic conditions, such as asthma and hay fever. Eczema affects many people, and its prevalence seems to be increasing. According to the National Eczema Association, 31.6 million Americans are affected by some type of eczema. Eczema can occur on any part of the body; however, it most commonly appears on the face, hands, feet, insides of elbows and behind the knees.
Eczema is a skin condition which is characterised by dry, itchy and inflamed skin. The itchiness often causes sufferers to scratch the affected area – however this can lead to the inflamed area becoming infected and even bleeding.
It is estimated that around 15 million people in the UK suffer from some form of eczema, with 1 in 12 adults and 1 in 5 children experiencing symptoms. Eczema is one of the most common skin conditions in the UK and it is thought that 50% of cases are diagnosed before the age of 5.
It is not known what exactly causes eczema, but it is thought to be linked to an overactive response by the body’s immune system to an irritant. It is this response that causes the symptoms of eczema. This can be triggered by a number of factors such as soaps, detergents, stress and the weather.
What are the symptoms?
Eczema can vary greatly in severity – some people may only have small patches of dry skin while others may experience widespread, inflamed areas on the neck, hands, feet or legs. Areas of dry skin may also ooze fluid and crust over if scratched.
Although there are many different types of ecz
Eczema is a skin condition that results in dry, itchy, scaly skin that can be red or inflamed. It’s most common in babies and children but adults can get it too. In children, the rash often shows up on the face and the bendy parts of the body—like elbows and knees—but it can appear anywhere on the body.
The first time a person develops eczema usually happens before they are 5 years old. For some people, eczema goes away over time but for others it is a lifelong condition. Eczema affects about 10 to 20 percent of all infants.
What causes eczema?
Scientists aren’t sure what causes eczema, but it is not contagious—you cannot “catch” it from someone else. Researchers believe that people who develop eczema do so because of a combination of genes and environmental triggers. When an irritant or allergen “switches on” the immune system, skin cells don’t behave as they should causing an itchy rash to form.
It isn’t clear exactly which genes are involved in eczema but researchers know that several genes are likely to make a person