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Facts About Eczema

By: Richard Johnson Eczema is a fact of life for a great number of people. At present, there is no cure for the skin condition. It is not contagious, is very seldom infectious and with careful attention, the symptoms can be controlled to a reasonabe degree. Eczema does not choose its sufferers on the basis of sex or age. It afflicts people from the oldest to the youngest and all ages in between. It is also as common among males as it is in females. Eczema is one of the most common skin disorders throughout the world. Eczema-prone skin is itchy, red, dry, swollen and extremely sensitive. Eczema can take on various forms, from mild to moderate to severe. The most typical type of eczema is known as atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis. This variety affects approximately one in every eight children under the age of five in the United States annually.

An estimated thirty percent of babies also develop atopic eczema. Many outgrow the skin problem, often by the time they are toddlers, around two or three years old. Others will cease exhibiting symptoms as they enter their school years. However, there are still other children who continue to suffer their eczema symptoms into their teenage years and on into adulthood. Many children who continue to have eczema as adults are often those who have mild or moderate symptoms as opposed to severe cases. Generally speaking, eczema is much worse in the early years of a child's life than it will be as they age.

There are quite a few varieties of eczema. It is generally broken down into the allergenic and non-allergenic types. Allergenic eczema results from allergies and health experts theorize that it has a family link, as do such other disorders as hay fever and asthma. Often eczema-prone people are more likely to suffer other disorders as well. Eczema can in some incidences be caused by sensitivity to certain foods and/or contact allergens such as, dust or mold. Also allergenic forms of eczema can be made worse by sweating or overheating, as well as exposure to extreme hot or cold temperatures. Allergic forms of eczema include the extremely common atopic eczema, irritant contact eczema, and allergic contact eczema. Non-allergenic forms of eczema include adult seborrhoeic eczema, also known as dandruff, infantile seborrhoeic eczema, also referred to as cradle cap, varicose eczema which normally affects older people and is generally concentrated around the ankles and discoid eczema. It is believed that high stress levels play a factor in flare-ups as are women's fluctuating hormone levels experienced during the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy and during menopause. Low humidity can also be a factor when it comes to eczema flare-ups.

Eczema can be best managed by moisturizing twice daily and using fragrance and alcohol-free emollient lotions and creams and lotions; by avoiding irritants like chemicals, harsh detergents and materials like nickel that could cause a flare-up; by keeping oneself from becoming overheated or too stressed and by wearing clothes that are made of mainly cotton fabrics.