Atopic Eczema

The term ‘atopic’ refers to allergic condition. So when someone is diagnosed with atopic eczema, it means that he or she is having some allergic reaction in their body. However, it is not as simple as we have just described it right now. In fact, people suffering from atopic eczema are at higher risk for developing other allergic conditions like hey fever or asthma.

Symptoms

If you are suffering from atopic eczema, the first thing that you will notice is that your skin becomes dull and dry. You may also experience a reddish and inflamed skin. Faces are the mostly affected area for children suffering from atopic eczema. Having infection on the inflamed skin area is a very common symptom.

Prevalence

In most of the cases, the onset of atopic eczema is common among children below five years old. On the other hand, it is really a rare incidence if someone develops atopic eczema after finishing his teenage. For some individuals, flare up eczema may become vanished when they reach at their teenage. Nearly 33.3% adult population in US is suffering from atopic eczema.

Causes

The exact causes behind the development of atopic eczema are still not known to the researchers. Although it has been discovered that few cells responsible for immune system function may cause atopic eczema, but how they actually relate to the condition is still yet not known. Genetic predisposition may play a central role in some cases.

Atopic eczema has been spreading like an epidemic in recent years. It is believed that dramatic changes in environmental condition, increased level of pollution, changes in dietary preference, and lifestyle may influence the development of such condition.

Treatment

The treatment of atopic eczema can be divided under three categories – avoidance of irritants and allergens, moisturizing, and administration of topical steroids as soon as inflammation bursts in.