What is eczema?
Eczema, also called dermatitis, is a general medical term for skin inflammation. It includes various skin conditions that cause:
- Itchy rashes
- Dry, scaly skin
- Leathery skin
- Skin redness
- Blisters
You can develop eczema on any part of your body, but it most frequently appears on the face, legs, and arms.
Researchers are still looking into what causes someone to develop eczema. However, it appears that the skin conditions usually have a physical, environmental, or lifestyle trigger.
What are the types of eczema?
The many types of eczema all cause itchy skin, but they have different forms and triggers.
Atopic dermatitis
The most common eczema is atopic dermatitis. It tends to run in families. With this type of dermatitis, you have intermittent episodes of itchy, inflamed skin.
Contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis appears when your skin touches an allergy-producing agent or irritants like perfumes, dyes, jewelry, or detergent. A poison ivy rash is contact dermatitis.
Dyshidrotic dermatitis
Dyshidrotic dermatitis causes clear, deep blisters on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet that itch and burn.
Neurodermatitis
Neurodermatitis, also called lichen simplex chronicus, is a chronic dermatitis that causes an ongoing cycle of itching and scratching. It starts as an itchy patch of skin you can’t help but scratch, making the rash and itching worse.
Nummular dermatitis
With nummular dermatitis, you develop round patches of irritated skin that are crusted, scaly, and very itchy.
Seborrheic dermatitis
Seborrheic dermatitis causes yellowish, oily, and scaly patches of skin on the scalp, face, or other body parts. Dandruff is a type of seborrheic dermatitis.
Stasis dermatitis
Stasis dermatitis, also called varicose eczema, is a skin irritation on the lower legs resulting from blood circulation problems.
How is dermatitis treated?
Treating your eczema will depend on what kind it is and how severe your symptoms are.
If your eczema is mild, you might get relief from your symptoms with over-the-counter topical creams and antihistamines. For persistent eczema, the Aesthetic and Clinical Dermatology Associates team prescribes steroid creams, oral steroids, or antibiotics.
However, the best treatment for eczema is prevention. When you visit Aesthetic and Clinical Dermatology Associates for help with your dermatitis, your board-certified dermatologist works one-on-one with you to identify what triggers your eczema and help you avoid those triggers.
To get relief from your eczema, call Aesthetic and Clinical Dermatology Associates today or request an appointment online.
