What is eczema? – Netdoctor

Reviewed byDrVictoriaLewis, consultant dermatologist

The word eczema comes from Greek words that mean to boil over. Dermatitis comes from the Greek word for skin and both terms refer to exactly the same skin condition.

For simplicity, eczema is the term generally used here, although the two words are interchangeable.

Eczema is an itchy inflammation of the skin, associated to a varying degree with other features such as:

Eczema is divided into a small number of subgroups based largely on the factors that may be most important in causing eczema in any one individual. But it's important to recognise that the symptoms and appearance of the skin in all these types can be exactly the same.

Also, the classification system is far from perfect as it is often difficult or impossible to accurately say what causes eczema to occur in any one person.

The lines of treatment of the different types of eczema are also similar.

The main differences are to do with the particular factors causing an individuals eczema. Therefore, if it's thought to be mainly due to exposure to an irritant substance at work removal or protection from this irritant will be an important part of managing that persons eczema, compared to someone else with no such history of exposure.

Eczema is a common condition. Atopic eczema affects about 10 to 20 per cent of schoolchildren and 3 to 5 per cent of adults in the UK, and it's getting more common.

An increase of between two- and five-fold has been seen over the past 30 years, for reasons that are far from clear.

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What is eczema? - Netdoctor