Types of Eczema and who they affect

Definition

Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin that presents as areas of redness and itching with eruption of small blisters (vesicles) which may break to give a watery exudate. The exudate dries to form a thin crust over the area of the eruption. In more chronic (long standing) forms where there has been repeated damage to the skin from scratching the skin may become thickened and scaly.

Types Of Eczema

There are several types of eczema depending on the underlying cause. The most common types are;

Atopic eczema – endogenous or internal eczema

Allergic eczema (sometimes called allergic contact dermatitis)

Irritant eczema (sometimes called primary irritant dermatitis)

Although eczematous lesions can become infected the condition is essentially not caused by infection and is not contagious.

Who does it affect?

Atopic eczema

The prevalence of atopic diseases has been increasing over the past 30 years. The reasons for this are not clear. Atopic eczema commonly begins in infancy with 65% of cases presenting before 6 months of age. It affects 15-20% of children in the UK but will clear up by adolescence in around 70% of cases, continuing into adult life in the remainder.

Contact and irritant eczema

Contact eczema can occur in childhood but is most common in adulthood when use of potential sensitizers and irritants is widespread in both the home and at work. In Western countries contact eczema of both types accounts for around 85-90% of all occupational skin disease. Nickel sensitivity affects 15-20% of women and contact eczema is common in certain occupations such as hairdressing, work with machinery, coal mining, the building trade and a wide variety of jobs that involve contact with known sensitizers.