Have you been seeing small red patches on your skin lately? Does it feel itchy and have blisters? You might not be aware of it, but you could have eczema.
Also known as dermatitis, eczema is defined as a group of diseases that affect the skin through inflammation.
It is not contagious and you cannot catch it from someone who has eczema. However, if eczema leads to an infection, the infecting agent might be contagious.
Read on to discover what the eight types of eczema are:
- Atopic Dermatitis
This is the most common type of dermatitis that is chronic and can worsen periodically. It usually affects young children (below 5 years old) and can progress later into adulthood
Atopic Dermatitis may be caused by a gene variation that makes the skin unable to properly retain moisture and defend against irritants or by food allergies.
General symptoms include:
- It makes skin dry and itchy.
- Skin may have thick and scaly reddish-brown patches found on the extremities, inner bend of joints, and on the head. The patches contain small bumps that hold fluid.
- Itchiness may lead to insistent scratching and leave the skin raw and sensitive.
This type of dermatitis can be avoided by keeping skin clean and moisturized. Also by using milder skin care products.
- Contact Dermatitis
This condition is instigated when a person touches an item they and their skin appears with what looks like a rash; reddish and bumpy.
There are two types of contact dermatitis: Irritant Contact Dermatitis and Allergic Contact Dermatitis.
Irritant Contact Dermatitis
- Can be caused by certain chemicals that may be corrosive
- Reaction occurs almost instantaneously
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
- Caused by your immune system reacting to a certain chemical or allergen
- Onset is delayed (occurs within 48 to 96 hours)
Symptoms of Contact Dermatitis are highly similar to Atopic Dermatitis, except that infected skin is usually only at the site of contact with the allergen.
Patch testing is a good way to determine what can trigger contact dermatitis for you, ask your Family Clinic about it. - Dyshidrotic Eczema
This type of eczema has a higher incidence in females compared to males. It is caused by allergies, stress, moisture, and contact to certain items such as nickel, cobalt, and chromium salts. Dyshidrotic Eczema is also associated with seasonal allergies because symptoms tend to worsen at this time.
Symptoms of Dyshidrotic Eczema include:
- appearance of blisters (at the toes, fingers, hands and feet)
- red itchy skin that may be scaly and/or painful.
If you think your child may have eczema, please come and visit Grace Pediatrics & Family Clinic, Inc. We provide outstanding Pediatric Care in Houston, Texas. Our family clinic will not only care for your skin but for your overall health.
Our facility is located at 9207 Country Creek Drive, Suite 206 Houston, Texas 77036.
For more inquiries, don’t hesitate to send us a message through email: gracepediatrics@yahoo.com, through fax: 713-988-5471, or you can call: 713-988-6835
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