All you want is the simple pleasure of having skin you can

enjoy that feels soft and moves with you like silky clothing.
To swim in the ocean, to play outside, to touch and hold your
loved ones, to feel relaxed in it like others do ... the way it
should be.

How Many People Have Eczema?

1. More than 15 million Americans suffer from eczema - National
Institute of Health
2. 10-20% of Americans suffer - US News and World Report
3. Up to 30% in US Afflicted - WebMD and National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Disease
4. 30% of Australians suffer from eczema - Eczema Association of
Australasia
5. Eczema still on the Increase Across the Globe - Science Daily

There was a 42% rise in diagnosis of the condition between

2001 and 2005 - BBC News.

Consider now the Census Bureau Pop Clock reporting January 2009
the US population at: 305,523,541 and the world population at
6,750,677,828. Taking the low 10% and the high 30%, the actual
figure in the USA alone is 30-90 million Americans. With eczema on
the increase in industrialized areas and on the increase in 3rd world
countries both for reasons I can speak of, up to a billion people
worldwide may be suffering from eczema.

DEFINITION
Eczema is a general term for many types of skin inflammation, also
known as dermatitis. a general term used to describe a variety of
rashes where the skin may be itchy, red & inflamed, weepy or
blistering, dry, scaly and thickened. The most common form of
eczema is atopic dermatitis (some people use these two terms
interchangeably). However, there are many different forms of
eczema.
The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin
conditions. These include dryness and recurring skin rashes which
are characterized by one or more of these symptoms: redness, skin
edema (swelling), itching and dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering,
cracking, oozing, or bleeding. Areas of temporary skin discoloration
may appear and are sometimes due to healed lesions, although
scarring is rare. In contrast to psoriasis, eczema is often likely to be
found on the flexor aspect of joints.
Eczema can affect people of any age, although the condition is most
common in infants. Eczema will permanently resolve by age 3 in
about half of affected infants. In others, the condition tends to recur
throughout life. People with eczema often have a family history of the
condition or a family history of other allergic conditions, such as
asthma or hay fever. Up to 20% of children and 1%-2% of adults are
believed to have eczema.
Although eczema can develop any place on the body, it typically
appears on the hands, wrists, arms, neck, upper chest, face and
backs of knees. It is not contagious.

Epidemiology

The lifetime clinician-recorded prevalence of eczema has been seen

to peak in infancy, with female predominance of eczema
presentations occurring during the reproductive period of 15–49
years. [4] Although little data on the trend of eczema prevalence over
time exists prior to the Second World War (1939–45), the prevalence
of eczema has been found to have increased substantially in the
latter half of the 20th Century, with increases in eczema in school-
aged children being found to increase between the late 1940’s and
2000.[5] A review of epidemiological data in the UK has also found an
inexorable rise in the prevalence of eczema over time.[6] Further
recent increases in the incidence and lifetime prevalence of eczema
in England have also been reported, such that an estimated
5,773,700 or about one in every nine people have been diagnosed
with the disease by a clinician at some point in their lives.[7]
Eczema Causes

The exact cause of eczema is not known. Although it is activated by

the immune system and is related to allergic reactions, it is not the
same as other allergic reactions. People with eczema do have the
IgE antibodies (immunoglobulin E) produced by the immune system
as part of allergic reactions.

Contact with the external trigger (allergen) causes the skin to become
inflamed. The duration of the contact is not important. Eczema can
develop on first contact (in days to weeks) or over time with repeated
contact (in months to years).

Common triggers of eczema include the following:

Soaps
Detergents
Weather (hot, cold, humid, or dry)
Environmental allergens
Jewelry
Creams
Food handling
Clothing
Sweating
Gloves
Rubbing
Bacteria
Emotional or mental stress

List of 208 causes of Eczema

This section shows a full list of all the diseases and conditions listed
as a possible cause of Eczema in our database from various sources.
2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate sensitization - allergic skin reaction
Acute Pesticide poisoning - xylene - eczema
Albright like syndrome - eczema
Allergic reactions
Allergies - eczema
Animal allergy - eczema
Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis - eczema
Bird allergy - eczema
Bubble bath allergy - eczema
Bullous Pemphigoid - eczema
Caffeine Allergy - eczema
Canary allergy - eczema
Cat allergy - eczema
Chemical allergy - eczema
Chemical poisoning - Furfural - eczema
Chemical poisoning - Palladium - eczema
Chemical poisoning - Platinum - eczema
Chemical poisoning - Vanadium - eczema
Chicken allergy - eczema
Chrome contact allergy - eczema
Chromosome 2, monosomy 2q37 - eczema
Chromosome 6p deletion syndrome - eczema
Cobalt allergy - eczema
Developmental delay - hypotonia extremities hypertrophy - eczema
Dog allergy - eczema
Drug Allergies - eczema
Duck allergy - eczema
Duhring-Brocq disease - eczema
Ectodermal dysplasia anhidrotic - eczema
Ectodermal dysplasia, Margarita type - eczema
Egg Hypersensitivity - eczema
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, classic type - eczema
Food Additive Adverse reaction - amines - eczema
Food Additive Adverse reaction - food additives - eczema
Food Additive Adverse reaction - MSG - eczema
Food Additive Adverse reaction - salicylate - eczema
Food Additive Adverse reaction - sulfite - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - amaranth - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - Annatto - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - antioxidants - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - benzoate - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - BHA antioxidants - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - BHT antioxidants - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - carageenan gum - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - Carmine - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - erythrosine - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - guar gum - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - gum - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - gum acacia - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - gum tragacanth - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - lecithin - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - locust bean gum - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - quinoline yellow - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - saffron - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - salicytes - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - sulphite - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - sulphite derivative - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - sunset yellow - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - tartrazine - eczema
Food Additive Allergy - xanthan gum - eczema
Food allergies - eczema
Food Allergy - abalone - eczema
Food Allergy - almond - eczema
Food Allergy - aniseed - eczema
Food Allergy - apple - eczema
Food Allergy - apricot - eczema
Food Allergy - avocado - eczema
Food Allergy - banana - eczema
Food Allergy - barley - eczema
Food Allergy - bean - eczema
Food Allergy - beef - eczema
Food Allergy - beer - eczema
Food Allergy - bell pepper - eczema
Food Allergy - brazil nut - eczema
Food Allergy - buckwheat - eczema
Food Allergy - cabbage - eczema
Food Allergy - carp - eczema
Food Allergy - carrot - eczema
Food Allergy - cashew - eczema
Food Allergy - castor bean - eczema
Food Allergy - celery - eczema
Food Allergy - chamomile tea - eczema
Food Allergy - cherry - eczema
Food Allergy - chestnut - eczema
Food Allergy - chick pea - eczema
Food Allergy - chicken meat - eczema
Food Allergy - cinnamon - eczema
Food Allergy - coconut - eczema
Food Allergy - codfish - eczema
Food Allergy - Coriander - eczema
Food Allergy - crab - eczema
Food Allergy - crayfish - eczema
Food Allergy - cumin - eczema
Food Allergy - date palm - eczema
Food Allergy - duck meat - eczema
Food Allergy - fennel - eczema
Food Allergy - fish - eczema
Food Allergy - frog - eczema
Food Allergy - fruit - eczema
Food Allergy - garbanzo (legume) - eczema
Food Allergy - garlic - eczema
Food Allergy - goose meat - eczema
Food Allergy - hazelnut - eczema
Food Allergy - hops - eczema
Food Allergy - kidney bean - eczema
Food Allergy - kiwi fruit - eczema
Food Allergy - lamb - eczema
Food Allergy - lentil - eczema
Food Allergy - lettuce - eczema
Food Allergy - lima bean - eczema
Food Allergy - Linden tea - eczema
Food Allergy - lobster - eczema
Food Allergy - lychee - eczema
Food Allergy - mackerel - eczema
Food Allergy - mango - eczema
Food Allergy - meat - eczema
Food Allergy - melon - eczema
Food Allergy - milk - eczema
Food Allergy - mollusk - eczema
Food Allergy - MSG - eczema
Food Allergy - mussel - eczema
Food Allergy - mustard leaf - eczema
Food Allergy - oat - eczema
Food Allergy - olive - eczema
Food Allergy - oranges - eczema
Food Allergy - papaya - eczema
Food Allergy - paprika - eczema
Food Allergy - parsley - eczema
Food Allergy - pea - eczema
Food Allergy - peach - eczema
Food Allergy - peanuts - eczema
Food Allergy - pear - eczema
Food Allergy - pecan - eczema
Food Allergy - pine nut - eczema
Food Allergy - pineapple - eczema
Food Allergy - plantain - eczema
Food Allergy - plum - eczema
Food Allergy - pomegranates - eczema
Food Allergy - pork - eczema
Food Allergy - potato - eczema
Food Allergy - pumpkin - eczema
Food Allergy - Quorn - eczema
Food Allergy - red meat - eczema
Food Allergy - rice - eczema
Food Allergy - rye - eczema
Food Allergy - salmon - eczema
Food Allergy - scallop - eczema
Food Allergy - sesame - eczema
Food Allergy - shellfish - eczema
Food Allergy - shrimp - eczema
Food Allergy - snail - eczema
Food Allergy - soy - eczema
Food Allergy - soybean - eczema
Food Allergy - spices - eczema
Food Allergy - strawberry - eczema
Food Allergy - sulfite - eczema
Food Allergy - sunflower seeds - eczema
Food Allergy - thyme - eczema
Food Allergy - tomato - eczema
Food Allergy - tree nuts - eczema
Food Allergy - tuna - eczema
Food Allergy - turnip - eczema
Food Allergy - turtle - eczema
Food Allergy - vegetable oil - eczema
Food Allergy - walnuts - eczema
Food Allergy - watermelon - eczema
Food Allergy - wheat - eczema
Food Allergy - zucchini - eczema
Fukuda-Miyanomae-Nakata syndrome - eczema
Gluten allergy - eczema
Goose allergy - eczema
Herbal Agent adverse reaction - Ginkgo biloba - allergic skin reaction
Herbal Agent overdose - Garlic - eczema
Hyper-IgE syndrome, autosomal recessive - eczema
Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia - eczema
Inborn amino acid metabolism disorder - eczema
Kartagener syndrome - nummular eczema
Leg circulation problems - can cause Stasis dermatitis
Meleda Disease - eczema
Mycosis fungoides - eczematous rash
Mycosis fungoides, familial - eczematous rash
Nickel contact allergy - eczema
Non-Food Allergy - bent grass - eczema
Non-Food Allergy - dust mites - eczema
Parakeet allergy - eczema
Parrot allergy - eczema
Pet allergy - eczema
Phenylketonuria - eczematous rash
Pigeon allergy - eczema
Pollitt syndrome - eczema
Primary immunodeficiency disorders - eczema
Pyridoxine deficiency - eczema
Rodent allergy - eczema
Say-Barber-Miller syndrome - eczema
Scabies - eczema
Seafood allergy - eczema
Skin allergy - eczema
Soap allergy - eczema
Sparrow allergy - eczema
Sunscreen allergy - eczema
Trichorrhexis nodosa syndrome - eczema
Trichothiodystrophy, type C - eczema
Trichothiodystrophy-neurocutaneous Syndrome - eczema
Trichothiodystrophy-neurotrichocutaneous Syndrome of Pollitt -
eczema
Turkey allergy - eczema
Varicose veins - eczema on legs
Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome – eczema

symptoms of eczema?

Eczema most commonly causes dry, reddened skin that itches or

burns, although the appearance of eczema varies from person to
person and varies according to the specific type of eczema. Intense
itching is generally the first symptom in most people with eczema.
Sometimes, eczema may lead to blisters and oozing lesions, but
eczema can also result in dry and scaly skin. Repeated scratching
may lead to thickened, crusty skin.

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for

Eczema includes the 76 symptoms listed below:
Symptoms depend on type of eczema and a great many symptoms
can occur
Itchy skin
Inflamed skin
Skin redness
Skin swelling
Skin cracking
Weeping
Crusting
Scaling
Blisters
Red cheek rash
Crusty rash on cheek
Arm rash
Crusty arm blisters
Leg rash
Crusty leg blisters
Rash inside the elbow
Rash behind the knees
Difficulty sleeping - because of the itch
Hyperpigmented eyelids
Allergic shiners (dark rings around the eyes)
Lichenification (leathery skin) - from excessive rubbing
Atopic pleat (Dennie-Morgan fold) - extra fold of skin under eye.
Papules (small raised bumps)
Ichthyosis (scaly skin areas)
Keratosis pilaris (small, rough bumps)
Hyperlinear palms (extra skin creases in the palms)
Urticaria - hives
Lip inflammation (Cheilitis)
Symptoms of atopic eczema in infants:
Typically symptoms start around age 3-4 months
Scalp rash
Facial rash
Small spots
Weeping spots
Itchy spots
Symptoms of discoid eczema:
Small round patches
Itchy patches
Blistered patches
Dry scaly patches
Pink scaly patches
Skin-colored scaly patches
Whitish scales
Flaking skin
Yellowish oily patches
Itchy skin patches - itching may or may not be present
Small skin bumps - initial phase
Skin blisters
Thickening skin - later phase
Cracked skin
Itching skin
Pain
Peeling skin
Lower leg swelling
Red skin on lower legs
Scaly skin on lower legs
Oozing skin on lower legs
Crusted skin on lower legs
Cracked skin on lower legs
Flaky skin on lower legs
Itchy skin on lower legs
Skin rash on lower legs
Dry flaky patches of skin
Red patches of skin
Skin rash
Itchy patches of skin
Patches of reduced skin pigmentation
Skin bumps - in early stages
Skin pain
Skin ulceration
Weeping skin patches
Oozing patches of skin
Increased serum IgE - if allergy is the underlying cause
Increased number of skin creases on palms - if allergy is the
underlying cause
Darkness around eyes - if allergy is the underlying cause
more information...»

Types of eczema

The term eczema refers to a set of clinical characteristics.

Classification of the underlying diseases has been haphazard and
unsystematic, with many synonyms used to describe the same
condition. A type of eczema may be described by location (e.g., hand
eczema), by specific appearance (eczema craquele or discoid), or by
possible cause (varicose eczema). Further adding to the confusion,
many sources use the term eczema and the term for the most
common type of eczema (atopic eczema) interchangeably.

More severe eczema

The European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology

(EAACI) published a position paper in 2001 which simplifies the
nomenclature of allergy-related diseases including atopic and allergic
contact eczemas.[8] Non-allergic eczemas are not affected by this
proposal.
The classification below is ordered by incidence frequency.

Eczema: Types list

The list of types of Eczema mentioned in various sources includes:

Atopic eczema - an allergy-related form of eczema often in children.
Contact eczema - localized red, itchy reaction to an allergen or
substance.
Allergic contact eczema - localized red, itchy, weepy reaction
Seborrheic eczema - yellowish, oily, scaly patches
Generalized eczema
Nummular eczema - round, itchy, irritated patches; crusted and scaly
Neurodermatitis - scaly patches of skin from a localized itch (e.g.
insect bite)
Stasis dermatitis - lower leg skin irritation; often caused by circulation
problems.
Dyshidrotic eczema - blisters on palms of hand and soles of feet
Atopic dermatitis
Infantile dermatitis
Discoid eczema
Rare Types of Eczema:
Atopic eczema
Contact eczema
Varicose eczema
Discoid eczema
Hand eczema
Nummular eczema
Asteatotic eczema
Stasis dermatitis
Lichen simplex chronicus
Seborrheic eczema
Irritant contact eczema
Allergic contact eczema
Pompholyx (dyshidrotic eczema)
Phototoxic eczema
Xerotic eczema
Neurodermatitis
Chemical-related eczema
Environmental allergen related eczema
Erythrodermic eczema
Eyelid eczema
Temperature-related eczema
Stress-related eczema
Gravitational eczema
Venous eczema
Irritant contact dermatitis

Types of common eczemas

Atopic eczema (aka infantile e., flexural e., atopic dermatitis) is an
allergic disease believed to have a hereditary component and often
runs in families whose members also have hay fever and asthma.
Itchy rash is particularly noticeable on head and scalp, neck, inside of
elbows, behind knees, and buttocks. Experts are urging doctors to be
more vigilant in weeding out cases that are, in actuality, irritant
contact dermatitis. It is very common in developed countries, and
rising. (L20)
Contact dermatitis is of two types: allergic (resulting from a delayed
reaction to some allergen, such as poison ivy or nickel), and irritant
(resulting from direct reaction to a detergent, such as sodium lauryl
sulfate, for example). Some substances act both as allergen and
irritant (wet cement, for example). Other substances cause a problem
after sunlight exposure, bringing on phototoxic dermatitis. About three
quarters of cases of contact eczema are of the irritant type, which is
the most common occupational skin disease. Contact eczema is
curable, provided the offending substance can be avoided and its
traces removed from one’s environment. (L23; L24; L56.1; L56.0)
Xerotic eczema (aka asteatotic e., e. craquele or craquelatum, winter
itch, pruritus hiemalis) is dry skin that becomes so serious it turns into
eczema. It worsens in dry winter weather, and limbs and trunk are
most often affected. The itchy, tender skin resembles a dry, cracked,
river bed. This disorder is very common among the older population.
Ichthyosis is a related disorder. (L30.8A; L85.0)
Seborrhoeic dermatitis or Seborrheic dermatitis ("cradle cap" in
infants) is a condition sometimes classified as a form of eczema that
is closely related to dandruff. It causes dry or greasy peeling of the
scalp, eyebrows, and face, and sometimes trunk. The condition is
harmless except in severe cases of cradle cap. In newborns it causes
a thick, yellow crusty scalp rash called cradle cap, which seems
related to lack of biotin and is often curable. (L21; L21.0)

[edit]
Less common eczemas
Dyshidrosis (aka dyshidrotic e., pompholyx, vesicular palmoplantar
dermatitis, housewife’s eczema) only occurs on palms, soles, and
sides of fingers and toes. Tiny opaque bumps called vesicles,
thickening, and cracks are accompanied by itching, which gets worse
at night. A common type of hand eczema, it worsens in warm
weather. (L30.1)
Discoid eczema (aka nummular e., exudative e., microbial e.) is
characterized by round spots of oozing or dry rash, with clear
boundaries, often on lower legs. It is usually worse in winter. Cause is
unknown, and the condition tends to come and go. (L30.0)
Venous eczema (aka gravitational e., stasis dermatitis, varicose e.)
occurs in people with impaired circulation, varicose veins and edema,
and is particularly common in the ankle area of people over 50. There
is redness, scaling, darkening of the skin and itching. The disorder
predisposes to leg ulcers. (I83.1)
Dermatitis herpetiformis (aka Duhring’s Disease) causes intensely
itchy and typically symmetrical rash on arms, thighs, knees, and
back. It is directly related to celiac disease, can often be put into
remission with appropriate diet, and tends to get worse at night.
(L13.0)
Neurodermatitis (aka lichen simplex chronicus, localized scratch
dermatitis) is an itchy area of thickened, pigmented eczema patch
that results from habitual rubbing and scratching. Usually there is only
one spot. Often curable through behavior modification and anti-
inflammatory medication. Prurigo nodularis is a related disorder
showing multiple lumps. (L28.0; L28.1)
Autoeczematization (aka id reaction, autosensitization) is an
eczematous reaction to an infection with parasites, fungi, bacteria or
viruses. It is completely curable with the clearance of the original
infection that caused it. The appearance varies depending on the
cause. It always occurs some distance away from the original
infection. (L30.2)
There are also eczemas overlaid by viral infections (e. herpeticum, e.
vaccinatum), and eczemas resulting from underlying disease (e.g.
lymphoma). Eczemas originating from ingestion of medications,
foods, and chemicals, have not yet been clearly systematized. Other
rare eczematous disorders exist in addition to those listed here.

Diagnostic Tests for Eczema

The list of diagnostic tests mentioned in various sources as used in

the diagnosis of Eczema includes:

• Bacterial culture - if suspect secondarily infected areas (look for

pus-filled lesions, crusting and weepiness).
• Viral culture - if suspect Herpes Simplex virus infected areas.
• Blood tests
o Radioallergosorbent testing (RAST) - to test for specific
allergens that may be triggering eczema ( 90% relevant if
negative, but only 20% relevant if positive).
o Ig E levels are increased
• Patch testing - for allergic contact dermatitis.
• Skin biopsy, may occasionally be warranted (but diagnosis is
usually on history and physical findings)
• Physical exam
• Skin scratch/prick tests - need careful interpretation.
• Blood tests for airborne allergens - often not very useful for
diagnosis.
• Eosinophil levels
• IgE levels
• Food diary - to watch for food allergies.