Skin Conditions
ECZEMA
What is it and how do I manage it?
Eczema is a well-known dry, inflammatory skin condition. Although it is mainly seen as a problem in children, it can affect people of all ages. You may find that, even if you have ‘grown out’ of childhood eczema, it can come back when you are an adult. Although the exact cause of eczema is not known, your genetics play a role, so you may find it runs in your family.
What you might not realise is there are many different types of eczema that can affect different body parts. The good news is that eczema is not contagious, but you may have times when it is worse than others – this is known as a flare-up.
If you have eczema, your skin is different to the skin in healthy people. It may not produce as much fats and oils, which makes it harder to trap moisture in your skin. This weakens your skin barrier leading to dry, irritated, cracked skin. Eczema skin is more prone to irritation and allergic reactions, making your skin red and inflamed.
Eczema can be itchy, making you scratch – and further damaging your skin in the process. This itch-scratch cycle can then continue to make your eczema worse.
Types of Eczema
There are a number of different causes and types of eczema, but the most common are:
Atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis)
Contact eczema (contact dermatitis)
Dyshidrotic eczema (pompholyx eczema)
Discoid eczema (nummular eczema)
Seborrhoeic eczema (seborrhoeic dermatitis)
Varicose eczema (stasis, venous or gravitational eczema)
General symptoms of eczema
Not everyone has the same symptoms or signs of eczema. It depends on the type.
The symptoms can range from mild to servere depending on the cause.
There may be a number of reasons for eczema to flare up. You may have a few the following symptoms:



Inflamed skin
Dryness
Cracked skin
Blisters
Sore painful skin
Thickened skin
Lesions
Eczema triggers and factors
Eczema triggers can vary from person to person and depend on the type of eczema. Here are some of the most common:
Allergens
Clothing
Cleansers
Diet
Stress
Weather and temperature
How to manage eczema
As well as avoiding triggers that can make your eczema flare-up, there are many different ways you can manage your eczema.