People from all walks of life and all ages live with eczema; however, it typically appears in infants. Also called contact dermatitis, eczema is actually a group of skin conditions. Although it may sometimes look like a contagious condition, eczema is not contagious.Symptoms related to eczema depend on
causes and severity of form of eczema. A person with mild eczema has dry, hot, and itchy skin. Severe eczema causes skin to crack, bleed, and often takes a long time to heal. Inflammation in area is common depending on type of eczema.
Type of eczema More information
Atopic eczema - Most common form of eczema; affects children and adults.Symptoms include: - extreme itchiness - dryness of skin - redness - inflammation
Irritant contact dermatitis - Occurs when skin becomes irritated by detergents and other chemicals (e.g. perfumes, soaps, bubble bath powder and more).
Varicose eczema - Affects skin on lower legs and is caused by poor circulation of blood.
Allergic contact dermatitis - Body's immune system attacks a substance in skin. - Symptoms are similar to those listed for atopic eczema.
Infantile seborrhoeic eczema - Found on infants under one year old. - Often looks unpleasant but does not affect infant's comfort and may appear on scalp or bottom.
Discoid eczema - Typically associated with adults. - Found on upper body and lower legs.
Dealing with eczema
In order to deal with eczema, you need to figure out what type of eczema you have. A doctor can help a person living with eczema or someone caring for a child with eczema manage condition.
Diagnosis of eczema is not simple. A doctor must look at person's medical history, when they first recognized condition and what triggers condition. Some people with atopic dermatitis have allergies and may need allergy testing, especially if treatment with medication is not working.
Reducing number and frequency of outbreaks is goal of any eczema treatment. To reach this goal, a person living with eczema may need to:
- make certain lifestyle changes (e.g. avoid certain irritating products) - use medication to control outbreaks - kidneys - follow a regular skin care routine
Lifestyle changes are often useful in reducing and preventing symptoms of eczema. However, some of these lifestyle changes work for some people and not others. Some changes to consider include:
- wearing cotton clothing and using cotton bedding to reduce itchiness associated with condition. Synthetic fibres don't allow skin to breathe and wool can irritate skin. - using biological laundry detergents, also avoid using fabric softeners. Synthetic laundry detergents, and fabric softeners may increase itchiness and cause a person to scratch more often. As a result, not using them may help reduce skin's itchiness. - vacuuming, dusting, and changing bedding regularly. This is extremely important because it reduces number of house dust mites and droppings from dust mites that are found in bedding, mattresses, curtains, and carpets. - possible changes to foods you eat. Even though link between diet and eczema is not conclusive, making changes to certain foods consumed in some severe cases of eczema, especially in babies and young children seems beneficial. Always ask your doctor before making dietary changes to ensure foods eaten will include all necessary nutrients for growth and development.
