Causes of Eczema/Dermatitis
Atopic Eczema
Atopic eczema is the most common form of eczema, and mainly affects children. The exact cause of atopic eczema is unknown, but it often occurs in people who are prone to allergies (’atopic’ means sensitivity to allergens).
Approximately three in 10 people who visit their doctor with a skin problem are diagnosed with atopic eczema. The number of people who are diagnosed with it has increased in recent years. Males and females are affected equally, as are people from different ethnic backgrounds.
Possible causes include:
* Food allergy , which plays an important role in children under one year but not in adults
* Cow’s milk, hen’s eggs and peanuts are the foods most likely to exacerbate infantile eczema
* House dust mites tend to aggravate eczema in older children and adults
* Pet dander exposure, such as to cats, dogs and other furry animals, may play a role
* Certain bacteria may cause sudden, severe outbreaks of eczema
Infantile eczema which often affects young babies. This may lead to a patch below their chins, which gets wettest from dribbling, and may be associated with cradle cap.
If you have atopic eczema, you may be able to find out what you’re allergic to by having special skin-prick tests for environmental and food allergens. Once an allergen has been identified, practical steps can be taken to avoid it.
Contact Drematitis
This can be caused by:
Contact with substances which irritate the skin chemically. This is results from direct contact between the skin and the substance, which might be such things as detergents, soaps, diesel or engine oils, strong chemicals, cleaners etc.
Contact with substances which the body has become allergic to. Nickel is a very common irritant, although the use of plastics as a replacement component has helped to overcome this in a lot of cases, but jewellery and watches that still use nickel are still a common cause.
Many sufferers find their conditions are easily upset by cosmetics, soaps, detergents, etc.
People with severe eczema often find that it has a significant impact on their daily lives. It may be difficult to deal with, both physically and psychologically. However, there are many different treatments that can help control symptoms and manage the eczema.
Whatever the cause of your eczema, the skin becomes more sensitive and you may find that products you used in the past suddenly start to irritate your skin and cause problems.
