One person out of ten has eczema at some time in their life. You cannot catch eczema from touching someone with eczema as it is not contagious. It is not passed on from person to person. All age groups can be affected, although certain types of eczema are more common at different stages in life:

Atopic eczema

Can flare up quickly and then calm down, or be almost constant showing little change and progressing slowly. The skin is dry, red and itchy. It usually starts in the first few months of life but can develop at any time. About 75% of children grow out of it by puberty. It is slightly more common in boys than in girls.  Read more »

Possibly Related Posts:

• Who Can Help Your Eczema?
• Avoid Irritates Your Eczema | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 7
• Other Ways To Help Treat Eczema Part 7 – 6
• Topical Immunomodulators | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 5
• What Do You Need To Know About Topical Steroids? Treat Eczema Part 7 – 4

Dry skin is a major sign and symptom of eczema.The two pictures illustrate the outer layer of the skin (epidermis). The skin is represented as a brick wall, where the bricks are the skin cells and the mortar filling the spaces in-between is fat (lipids).

Normal skin barrier function (no eczema)

• moisture is retained in the skin
• irritants are kept out
• the skin has a high water content and a good balance of the natural lipids
• the skin is well hydrated and supple

Breakdown of the skin barrier (eczema)

• moisture escapes
• the skin is dry and brittle and cracks easily
• irritants and bacteria can get into the skin causing redness, inflammation and itchy skin

The pictures show why the skin becomes dry when you have eczema. The brick-like structure of the skin is now broken and the barrier is more like a stone wall with lots of holes between the bricks. The situation is made worse by scratching which damages the surface of the skin even further. Treatment is aimed at restoring the skin barrier to prevent water loss and reducing the inflammation and irritation.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Who Can Help Your Eczema?
• Avoid Irritates Your Eczema | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 7
• Other Ways To Help Treat Eczema Part 7 – 6
• Topical Immunomodulators | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 5
• What Do You Need To Know About Topical Steroids? Treat Eczema Part 7 – 4

The exact cause of eczema is not known. It can be genetic (inherited or endogenous) or triggered by something in the environment (exogenous), or both.

Most endogenous eczema are caused by a combination of internal and external factors, so some people have a natural or inherited tendency to react to something in the environment which does not cause other people a problem. In atopic eczema you may have an inherited predisposition, which means that your skin is more likely to react to specific environmental triggers. Read more »

Possibly Related Posts:

• Who Can Help Your Eczema?
• Avoid Irritates Your Eczema | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 7
• Other Ways To Help Treat Eczema Part 7 – 6
• Topical Immunomodulators | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 5
• What Do You Need To Know About Topical Steroids? Treat Eczema Part 7 – 4

A flare up or worsening of eczema may be caused by different irritants in the environment. These are different things which, on coming into contact with the skin, make it itchy and red very quickly. Once the irritant is removed the skin should return to normal within a few days. Some common irritants include metals, fabrics such as wool, rubber, detergents, deodorants, perfumes, cosmetics and paint. Read more »

Possibly Related Posts:

• Who Can Help Your Eczema?
• Avoid Irritates Your Eczema | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 7
• Other Ways To Help Treat Eczema Part 7 – 6
• Topical Immunomodulators | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 5
• What Do You Need To Know About Topical Steroids? Treat Eczema Part 7 – 4

The words Eczema and Dermatitis mean the same thing and refer to a type of skin condition which has many different causes but is usually characterised by the skin becoming dry, itchy, red and inflamed. You may see both these terms (eczema and dermatitis) used in this booklet. The word eczema comes from a Greek wording meaning ‘to boil over’ -which is a good description of how the skin feels when you have eczema. Read more »

Possibly Related Posts:

• Who Can Help Your Eczema?
• Avoid Irritates Your Eczema | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 7
• Other Ways To Help Treat Eczema Part 7 – 6
• Topical Immunomodulators | Treat Eczema Part 7 – 5
• What Do You Need To Know About Topical Steroids? Treat Eczema Part 7 – 4