Eczema is a general term for many types of skin inflammation or dermatitis and it usually involves swollen, reddened, itchy and inflamed skin. Dermatitis is a very common condition that usually isn’t life-threatening or contagious, but it can make you feel uncomfortable and unsure of yourself because of the symptoms. There are several types of eczema among which atopic eczema is the most common. The other types include Contact eczema, Seborrheic eczema, Nummular eczema, Neurodermatitis, Stasis eczema and Dyshidrotic eczema.
Types Of Eczema
Atopic Eczema
Atopic eczema or only eczema as it is commonly known is a chronic skin disease characterized by itchy, red and dry skin. Atopic eczema flares periodically and then subsides for some time, even up to several years, when the disease is in remission. Itching may be severe, and scratching the rash can make it even worse. It usually appears on the arms and behind the knees, ankles, wrists, feet, face, neck, upper chest, the skin around the eyes, including the eyelids.
The exact cause is unknown but factors that may cause atopic dermatitis include environmental factors like molds, pollen, or dust; contact irritants like soaps, detergents, nickel (in jewelry), or perfumes; food allergies; or other allergies. Atopic dermatitis usually begins in early childhood, before the age of 5 and can continue into adulthood. Atopic dermatitis is hereditary and people who develop the condition often have a family history of other allergic conditions such as asthma, hay fever or allergic conjunctivitis.
Contact eczema
Contact eczema or contact dermatitis occurs when substances touching your skin cause an irritation or an allergic reaction, thus the name. The symptoms includes red rash, itching, blisters, pain, tenderness, and burning in areas where the skin has come into contact with an allergen or with a general irritant such as an acid, a cleaning agent, or other chemical. Other examples of contact eczema are reactions to laundry detergents, soaps, nickel (present in jewelry), cosmetics, fabrics, clothing, and perfume.
The condition is sometimes referred to as allergic contact eczema (allergic contact dermatitis) if the trigger is an allergen and irritant contact eczema (irritant contact dermatitis) if the trigger is an irritant. People who have a history of allergies have an increased risk for developing contact eczema. The most important thing when treating this type of eczema is finding the culprit for this kind of reaction. If you find the culprit the rash usually resolves in 2 -4 weeks.
Seborrheic eczema
Seborrheic eczema or seborrheic dermatitis is a very common skin disorder that mainly affects your scalp, causing scaly, itchy, red skin and stubborn dandruff. Other signs and symptoms of seborrheic eczema include yellowish, oily, scaly patches of skin on the scalp and face, and occasionally other parts of the body. In babies, seborrheic eczema on the scalp is known as “cradle cap”. Seborrheic dermatitis can also affect your face at the creases of the cheeks and/or the nasal folds, upper chest, back and other areas of your body that have many oil glands. Itching is not necessarily the main symptom of this skin disorder. Stress, oily skin, infrequent shampooing, and weather conditions may all increase a person’s risk of developing this type of eczema. Seborrheic eczema is not a sign of poor hygiene.
Nummular eczema
Nummular eczema, nummular dermatitis or discoid dermatitis is also very common. In most cases, discoid eczema is not hereditary and it does not result from food allergy. It is characterized by coin-shaped patches of irritated skin that may be crusted, scaling, and extremely itchy. Discoid eczema can affect any part of the body particularly the lower legs but it can also affect the arms, back, and buttocks. One or many patches appear, and may persist for weeks or months. The patches can be pink, red, or brown and well defined. They have a dry cracked surface or a bumpy, blistered or crusted surface. Nummular eczema is usually a chronic condition.
Neurodermatitis
Neurodermatitis or lichen simplex chronicus, is a chronic skin inflammation characterized by intense itching. If you try to scratch you can only make things worse because the more you scratch the more it itches. This itch-scratch cycle can cause the affected area to become thick and leathery. It can be found on the head, lower legs, wrists, or forearms. The most difficult of all is to break the itchy-scratchy cycle and stress can exacerbate the symptoms of neurodermatitis. Women are often more affected by neurodermatitis than men, and the condition is most frequent in people between 20-50 years of age.
Stasis dermatitis
Stasis dermatitis/eczema is also known as gravitational/venous eczema. It’s an itchy rash on the lower legs, generally related to the circulatory problem known as venous insufficiency, in which the function of the valves within the veins has been compromised. The affected skin is red and scaly, and may ooze, crust and crack. Stasis dermatitis occurs almost exclusively in middle-aged and elderly people, with approximately 6%-7% of the population over 50 years of age being affected by the condition. Symptoms include itching and/or reddish-brown discoloration of the skin on one or both legs, blistering, oozing skin lesions seen with other forms of eczema, and ulcers which may develop in affected areas. The chronic circulatory problems can lead to an increase in fluid build up (edema) in the legs.
Dyshidrotic eczema
Dyshidrotic eczema/dermatitis, dyshidrosis or pompholyx is an irritation of the skin in which small, fluid-filled blisters (vesicles) occur on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet, or both. These blisters usually last around three weeks and cause intense itching. Once the blisters of dyshidrosis dry, cracks and grooves (fissures) form, which can be painful. The cause of dyshidrotic eczema is unknown. This form of eczema occurs in up to 20% of people with hand eczema and is more common during the spring and summer months and in warmer climates. It affects equally both sexes and it can occur in people of any age.
