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=**﻿﻿ ﻿Eczema/Dermatitis** =

**﻿What are Eczema/Dermatits? **


 * Eczema- A //noncontagious// inflammation of the skin, characterized chiefly by redness, itching, and the outbreak of lesions that may discharge serous matter (pale yellow and transparent) and become encrusted and scaly.
 * Dermatitis- A n allergic reaction to a substance, such as a chemical in soaps or makeup, that comes in contact with the skin.
 * Allergies, asthma, hay fever versus allergic reaction

It causes dry greasy peeling of the scalp, eyebrows, and face, and sometimes trunk.
 * Types of Eczema/Dermatitis:[[image:http://dermnetnz.org/acne/img/pod1-s.jpg width="211" height="156" align="right" caption="Contact Dermatitis on face"]] **
 * Atopic Eczema- is an allergic disease believed to have a hereditary component and often runs in families whose members also have asthma/allergies. Itchy rash is particularly noticeable on head and scalp, neck, inside of elbows, behind knees, and buttocks.
 * Contact Dermatitis- is of two types: allergic (resulting from a delayed reaction to some allergen, such as poison ivu or nickel), and irritant (resulting from direct reaction to a detergent). Some substances act both as allergen and irritant (wet cement, for example).
 * Xerotic Eczema-is dry skin that becomes so serious it turns into eczema. It worsens in drywinter weather, and limbs and trunk are most often affected. The itchy, tender skin resembles a dry, cracked, river bed.
 * Seborrhoeic Dermatitis (cradle cap)-a form of eczema that is closely related to dandruff.


 * What Causes Eczema/Dermatitis? **
 * The cause of eczema is unknown but is presumed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
 * Externally is typically when you come into direct contact with a substance that caused a reaction.
 * Internal triggers cause an extreme reaction by your immune system and the skin begins to react internally, at the cellular level.


 * Diagnosis **
 * Based mostly on family history and physical examination.
 * In uncertain cases, skin biopsy may be useful.
 * Where eczema is most common in certain people:


 * Treatment **
 * ** ﻿ ** Currently no cure for eczema/dermatitis
 * Focus on finding treatments on how to control eczema when it flares up [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f8/Protopic.JPG/800px-Protopic.JPG width="287" height="164" align="right" caption="Ointment cream used for treatment of eczema" link="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f8/Protopic.JPG"]]
 * Creams to help lock in moisture to the skin such as, topical steroid creams, oral steroids, topical immunomodulators, antihistamines, ultraviolet light treatment
 * A variety of alternative health therapies such as allergy testing, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), chiropractic and homeopathy


 * Fun Facts **
 * A skin condition that affects both men and women.
 * Age also doesn't seem to make a difference, since this skin condition appears in anyone from babies to the elderly.
 * About one fifth of all children suffer from eczema and about one in every twelve adults has eczema.
 * Eczema can range from mild to severe. Mild eczema symptoms include red, dry and itchy skin.
 * In moderate to severe cases it can be very inflamed, very itchy, cracked, crusty, scaly, and raw.
 * In more severe cases you may also see bleeding or clear fluid leaking - this is also known as wet eczema.
 * Recognizing Eczema **
 * ** ﻿Skin Redness: ﻿ **