Are Eczema and Dermatitis the same?
Eczema is a chronic skin condition that causes the skin to become itchy, reddened, dry and cracked.
Dermatitis is a term which is sometimes connected, in people’s minds, with exposure to chemicals. It really only means inflammation of the skin, and could be used interchangeably with eczema.
Are there different variations?
There are several types of eczema, which affect children and adults, and have different causes. The two most common forms are atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis.
Find out more about:
What causes eczema?
Eczema can be caused by a number of different factors, and may result in just a small patch of skin being affected, but can affect skin anywhere on the body.
Many things can cause eczema. The commonest is a general allergic over sensitivity (atopy). This sort of eczema is known as atopic eczema, and it is linked with asthma and hayfever. That is, these conditions often run together in a family.
Infantile eczema which often affects young babies.
Contact with substances which irritate the skin chemically.
Contact with substances which the body has become allergic to.
Find more in-depth information about the causes – Causes of Eczema and Dermatitis.
What are the symptoms of eczema and dermatitis?
In mild cases, eczema is nothing more than a slightly irritating patch of sore skin, but in severe cases extensive areas of skin may become inflamed and unbearably itchy.
Some people with these symptoms develop problems such as depression with low self-esteem, and have difficulty coping at school or work.
People with eczema are also more prone to herpes, skin fungal and wart infections.
Up to half of all babies with widespread atopic eczema will later develop asthma and rhinitis as the eczema improves. This phenomenon is referred to as the ‘allergic march‘.
Read ‘The Symptoms of Eczema’.
Is there a treatment for eczema?
Completely avoid the substance that triggers the eczematous rash and treat any existing rash with medium potency steroid ointments and moisturising emollients.
Atopic eczema is usually a little more difficult to treat and you may need to try a number of different treatments, or a combination of treatments, before finding which one works best for you.
The treatment of eczema and dermatitis is covered in – Treatments for Eczema and Dermatitis.
