ECZEMA

There are several types of eczema. Each type has unique triggers that can affect your skin’s barrier function, including:

• Atopic dermatitis.
• Contact dermatitis.
• Dyshidrotic eczema.
• Neurodermatitis.
• Nummular eczema.
• Seborrheic dermatitis.

It’s possible to have more than one type of eczema at the same time.

Eczema doesn’t usually cause pain. If you scratch your skin, you could break the surface of your skin and create a sore, which could be painful. Some types of eczema, like contact dermatitis, cause a burning sensation and discomfort.

Eczema can affect anyone at any age. Symptoms usually appear during childhood and last into adulthood. You might be more at risk of having eczema if you have a family history or a diagnosis of:

• Dermatitis.
• Allergies.
• Hay fever.
• Asthma.

In numbers, about 223 million people are living with atopic dermatitis in 2022 (GBD 2022), of which around 43 million are aged 1-4. This illustrates the strikingly high prevalence in young children. In addition to the disease burden for the child and their caregivers, atopic dermatitis can also negatively affect the development of the child, education, and work. Atopic dermatitis is also often the precursor of food allergies, allergic rhinitis and asthma. Many adult and adolescent patients with atopic dermatitis suffer of psychological co-morbidities, such as social withdrawal, anxiety and depression.

Eczema can look different on each person diagnosed with the condition. If you have a dark skin tone, an eczema rash can be purple, brown or gray. If you have a light skin tone, an eczema rash can look pink, red or purple.

Symptoms of eczema can show up anywhere on your skin. The most common places where you’ll notice symptoms of eczema include on your:

• Hands.

• Neck.

• Elbows.

• Ankles.

• Knees

• Feet.

• Face, especially cheeks.

• In and around ears.

• Lips

While less common, eczema can also occur on your:

• Nipples.

• Breasts.

• Folds of skin near your vagina (vulva).

• Penis.

Eczema affects each person diagnosed with the condition differently. What causes your symptoms to flare up might not trigger someone else with the condition. Common triggers that cause eczema include:

• Dry weather (low humidity).

• Fabrics or clothing material.

• Makeup or skin care products.

• Smoke and pollutants.

• Soaps and detergents.

• Stress or your emotional well-being.

• Touching something you’re allergic to.

The connection between eczema and food allergies is unclear. If you have food allergies, then one of the reasons why you must avoid that food is that it may cause or worsen your eczema symptoms. Examples of common allergies include:

• Peanuts.

• Dairy.

• Eggs.

Pay attention to what you eat. If your eczema flares up after you eat a certain food, then you might have an allergy to it. If you don’t have a food allergy, then there are no foods that will cause or worsen your eczema

No. Eczema isn’t contagious. You can’t spread eczema through person-to-person contact.

A healthcare provider will diagnose eczema after a physical exam, where they can take a close look at your skin. Most often, people receive an eczema diagnosis as a child, as it’s common among children, but a diagnosis can happen at any age when symptoms arise.

Symptoms of eczema can look similar to other conditions. Your provider might offer tests to rule out other conditions and confirm your diagnosis. Tests could include:

• An allergy test.

• Blood tests to check for causes of the rash that might be unrelated to dermatitis.

• A skin biopsy to distinguish one type of dermatitis from another.

Your treatment for eczema is unique to you and what caused your symptoms to flare up. Treatment for eczema could include:

• Using gentle or sensitive skin moisturizers throughout the day when you have dry skin. Apply moisturizer when your skin is damp after a bath or shower.

• Apply topical medications to your skin as advised by your provider, like topical steroids.

• Take oral medications like anti-inflammatory medicines, antihistamines or corticosteroids to reduce itchiness and swelling.

• Immunosuppressant drugs help regulate how your immune system functions.

• Avoid triggers that cause symptoms of eczema to flare up.

If your child has skin issues, such as eczema, you can:

• Give your child a short, warm bath instead of a long, hot bath, which can dry out their skin.

• Use moisturizers several times daily. In infants with eczema, moisturizing on a regular basis, like with each diaper change, is extremely helpful.

• Keep the room temperature as regular as possible. Changes in room temperature and humidity can dry your child’s skin.

• Keep your child dressed in cotton. Wool, silk and synthetic fabrics such as polyester can irritate their skin.

• Use sensitive skin or unscented laundry detergent.

• Help your child avoid rubbing or scratching at their skin.