What is Eczema? (Part I)
It’s a common term you’ve all heard of, but have you ever gotten down to the nitty-gritty of what eczema really is?
Do you have eczema?
Hopefully, whether you know you have it, or don’t, the Derma Divas will shed some light on this skin condition.
Eczema is a superficial inflammation of the skin that primarily affects the epidermis (or the most superficial layer of your skin.) It causes itching and a red rash which is often accompanied by blisters that weep and then crust.
This may be followed by scaling, thickening or discoloration of the area.
This condition is characterized by dry, itchy skin that can become inflammed in its advanced stages, and exhibit bleeding cracks.
It can also be characterized by red, blistering, scaly, brownish thickened and itchy skin lesions.
The word eczema is derived from the Greek word “ekzein”, which means “to boil out”, due to the tendency for this condition to cause oozing.
Eczema has been identified with different types of dermatitis (contact, atopic and chronic dermatitis.) Any word ending in the suffix “-itis” indicates inflammation, so dermatitis literally translates into “inflammation of the dermis”.
Eczema is not contagious and tends to come and go, often affected by external factors.
Although no one is sure what causes eczema, it appears to be an abnormal response of the body’s immune system.
Unfortunately, as of today, there are no ‘cures’ for eczema but most conditions can be managed and controlled with treatment and the avoidance/removal of aggressors/triggers. Eczema is attributed to many different causes and manifests itself in a variety of different forms.
So many, in fact, that Ferdinand Von Hebra, the father of modern dermatology stated: “Eczema is anything that looks like eczema.”
Here’s a little more on the different types of Dermatitis:
- CONTACT DERMATITIS: The most common form of eczema and it can be divided into two types-Irritant and allergic.
- Irritant Contact Dermatitis: Is caused by agents outside the body, such as solvents and detergents.
- Hand dish-washing makes skin susceptible to skin flare-ups due to contact with water and soap, especially when residue gets trapped under watchbands and rings.
- Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Is a body’s slow immune reaction to allergens (or substances that produce adverse skin reactions) found in plants such as Poison Oak or Ivy, cosmetics and preservatives.
- Earrings, rings and other jewelry that contains metal, especially nickel, often trigger skin erruptions.
- ATOPIC DERMATITIS: Is a hereditary type of eczema that normally affects up to several members of the same family.
- The following allergic conditions can be associated with Atopic Dermatitis: Hay fever, hives, asthma and even stress.
- The word ‘atopic’ means “without place”, since this condition can come from such ordinary sources as perspiration, grease, clothing, etc.
- Atopic Dermatitis can also happen in infants, affecting their face and scalp.
We hope this has shed a little more light on the different types of eczema. Although a cure has not been found to treat this condition, knowledge is always power!
To gain access to even more knowledge (as these two Derma Divas are just getting warmed up!), we want you to subscribe at the top-right hand of this page to receive additional information on a regular basis.
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Be sure to stay tuned to part two of this post…
To your skin’s health!
The Derma Divas.
