Eczema Or Atopic Dermatitis Is A Skin Condition That Needs Proper Care

By Author: Ramesh Vittal
Total Articles: 26
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Eczema is a kind of inflammation of the skin that can be caused by some allergy caused by a specific allergen. The skin condition could manifest as rashes, dryness, redness, skin edema, itching or dryness. The skin will also be found to be crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, Oozing, and even bleeding. Healed injuries could leave a scar that makes the skin to appear discolored. This could be due to scratching a healing lesion.

The common types of eczema are Atopic eczema, Contact dermatitis, Xerotic eczema, and Seborrhoeic dermatitis. Of these Atopic eczema is an allergic disease that is believed to be hereditary in nature, and could be manifested as a skin allergy with people in the family suffering from Asthma. The itchy rash is found on the head, scalp, neck, inside of elbows, behind the knees, and buttocks.

Contact Dermatitis is of 2 types - allergic (caused by an allergen like poison ivy, or the metal nickel) and irritant (like wet cement) There are a few substances that cause a problem after exposure to sunlight creating photoxic dermatitis. Most cases of contact eczema are found to be of the irritant ...
... type, which is a common occupational disease. This condition can be cured by removing the allergen, with no trace left behind that the patient can come in contact with.

Xerotic eczema, which is also called winter itch or prurutis hiemalis is dry skin that turns into eczema when it becomes serious. The condition can worsen in dry winter weather and the limbs and trunks are the most affected parts. This condition is more common among the aged and a related disorder is lchthyosis which is a genetic skin disorder.

Seborrhoeic dermatitisis a condition that is closely related to dandruff. It causes dryness and peeling of the scalp, eyebrows and face. The condition is quite harmless except for a few severe cases of cradle cap or a yellowish patchy, greasy and crusty skin rash found in the scalps of newborn babies. It is normally caused due to lack of biotin known as vitamin H and can be cured by treatment.

The other common types of eczema are dsyshidrosis which only occurs on palms, soles, and the sides of fingers and toes. It is a condition that worsens during the night and in warm weather. Discoid eczema is found as round spots of rash that could be oozing, often in the lower legs. The cause for this is not known and it tends to come and go. Venous eczema affects people who suffer from poor circulation, varicose veins and edema. It is common in people over 50 and is found to strike the ankle area. Continuous scratching can lead to formation of ulcers in the legs. Neurodermatitis is caused by habitual scratching. It is curable through behavior modification and some anti-inflammatory drugs.

While the cause of eczema is not known, it is believed to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Lack of childhood exposure to infectious agents also known as hygiene hypothesis can be a cause. The natural development of the immune system is suppressed. Researchers have proved that people suffering from celiac disease which is a disease in the intestine leading to diarrhea, could also be a cause for eczema. Those suffering from eczema should remember never to go for smallpox vaccination as it can lead to eczema vaccinatum a severe and at times fatal reaction. As there is no known cure for eczema, the treatment focuses on controlling the symptoms and thereby reducing the itching and inflammation. Corticosteroids are known to be effective in controlling the symptoms in most cases. More related information is available on the programs that are aired by service providers like Dish TV Packages

Randy Collins is a freelance author who likes keeping himself updated on the latest methods of treatment for incurable chronic diseases. He likes to view related programs that are aired by popular service providers like Dish TV Packages.