Eczema << EHK suh muh or ehg ZEE muh >> is a skin disorder characterized by itching and inflammation. The inflamed skin may be dry, swollen, and crusty, or it may ooze fluids. There are several forms of eczema, none of which is contagious. Common types include atopic eczema, neurodermatitis, and contact dermatitis.
Atopic eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, tends to run in families. Most cases begin during infancy and are outgrown by 3 or 4 years of age. Some continue through adulthood, flaring up occasionally—especially when the victim is upset, angry, or worried. Treatment includes the use of lotions or ointments, some of which may contain drugs called corticosteroids.
Neurodermatitis forms thickened patches on the skin, particularly on the back of the neck or on an ankle. In most cases, people develop the condition by scratching an area repeatedly when they are nervous. Scratching damages the skin and makes it itch even more, which leads to more scratching. Treatment involves eliminating the habit of nervous scratching.
Contact dermatitis is an allergic reaction to certain substances a person touches. Poison ivy or poison oak, for example, causes this type of eczema wherever the plant touches the skin. Treatment of contact dermatitis includes avoiding further contact with the substances that cause the reaction.
