Babies and eczema

What is eczema?

Eczema, also known as dermatitis, is a very common skin disorder. It is characterised by itchiness (pruritus), redness (erythema), and tiny blisters (vesiculation) that appear in patches and plaques on the skin surface. The severity of eczema can vary widely. In severe cases, the skin may crack, weep and bleed and may become infected.

Long standing eczema is often dry and causes thick scaling of the skin (lichenification).

Although it can look unpleasant, eczema is not contagious; you cannot contract eczema by touching someone who has it.

What causes eczema?

There are several different types of eczema. While many types of eczema are similar to look at, each type has different triggers.

Atopic eczema is the commonest type of eczema. It is a genetic condition; in 70 percent of cases there will be a family history of eczema, hayfever or asthma. Atopic eczema is characterised by dry, itchy skin. It usually begins in infancy and can often affect the whole body, including the head and face. In more than 50 percent of cases the eczema will persist into adult life. Flare-ups can occur in response to environmental allergens such as house dust mites, animal fur, pollens, microbes and pollutants. Emotional stress and anxiety may also cause the eczema to worsen periodically.
Allergic/Contact eczema is caused by an allergic reaction to a variety of environmental substances. Where the person's body comes into physical contact with certain substances, an allergic reaction will develop causing the skin to itch severely and redden. The commonest allergies include:

Nickel sensitivity involving the skin in contact with earrings, belt buckles and often the hands and face.

Hair products such as dyes and perms affecting the face, neck and ears.

Clothing dyes in socks and shoe leather affecting the feet.

If your doctor suspects that your eczema is caused by an allergic reaction, he may carry out Patch Testing to test for allergies to a range of known irritants. You may also be referred to a dermatologist for further tests if the cause is proving difficult to identify.

Irritant/Contact eczema is a chemically induced skin irritation. It most commonly occurs on the hands as a result of repeated exposure to caustic or acidic substances and everyday household detergents.
Seborrhoeic eczema is a common, chronic disorder characterised by greasy scales overlying red patches or plaques on the skin. read more