The Itch on Eczema

Eczema, also known as Atopic Dermatitis or Atopic Eczema, is a chronic and intensely itchy disease of the skin which usually first appears in childhood. It affects about 10% to 15% of the population. Eczema is classified in the complex known as atopy, along with hayfever and asthma. Accordingly, if a person suffers from one of these irritations their chances of suffering from another one of them is higher. Eczema is somewhat unpredictable, however, in its flare-ups: it is cyclical in nature (it comes and goes), usually shows itself within the first 6 months of life (in 75% of cases), and will sometimes flare up, or ameliorate itself based on a number of factors (both internal to the body and environmental).

Eczema, the word itself, comes from the Greek word “to boil over” - this best describes the stage of the disease where the skin ‘weeps’, a slow leakage of fluid from the surface of the skin. Eczema is characterized by dry and itchy skin which sheds and peels frequently. Eczema is also to blame for large tracts of sensitive, raised, red skin (sometimes referred to as plaque).

Eczema is a condition which arises from a variety of genetic predispositions, immunological and environmental factors. The factors leading to the incidence of eczema is not fully understood, but (along with other allergic-reaction-type diseases) it is becoming more prevalent.  While eczema itself is not an infection of the skin, it signals a breakdown of the defensive barriers of the skin.  This means that an outbreak of eczema leaves individuals at risk to a host of bacterial infections (most notably staphylococcus aureus, also known as ’staph’).  Psychologically, eczema can also take its toll.  This is mostly caused by awkwardness or embarrassment on the part of the sufferer due to their skin’s condition.  Eczema also leaves the skin very itchy and irritable leading to discomfort and sometimes sleep loss.