Eczema & Dermatitis
Eczema and dermatitis are inflammatory skin conditions that cause redness, itching, and dryness. They can affect anyone but are especially common in children and people with sensitive skin. Managing these conditions involves protecting and restoring the skin barrier as well as knowing what triggers flare-ups.
What’s the difference?
Eczema and dermatitis are often used interchangeably to describe a group of commonly occurring skin conditions. They affect up to 1 in 5 children and 1 in 12 adults. The signs and symptoms vary, but can include skin dryness, redness, and feeling hot and itchy. Eczema can affect any part of the body, although it most commonly appears on the hands, inside the elbows and behind the knees. It can also become inflamed, leading to additional redness and irritation during ‘flare-ups’.
Atopic eczema/dermatitis
The most common form is atopic eczema, or atopic dermatitis, which tends to start during childhood. ‘Atopic’ means sensitivity to allergens like pollen or house dust mites. It often involves an overreactive immune system and so can be associated with asthma or hayfever. It is usually a long-lasting (or chronic) condition, which means the skin’s normal protective barrier is not as effective as it should be. When exposed to certain ‘triggers’, the skin can become dry, itchy, cracked, sore and red. On darker skin it can appear as dark brown, purple, or greyish patches.
The underlying cause isn’t completely understood, but genetics appear to be an important contributing factor. The triggers that can make atopic eczema/dermatitis worse include emotional stress and various environmental factors.
Contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is caused by the skin coming into contact with substances, or conditions, that are irritants and/or cause an allergic reaction. Laundry detergents, fragrances, central heating, cold weather, unsuitable foaming soaps, shampoos, and household cleaners are just a few of the things that can trigger it.
Contact dermatitis tends to be localised on particular contact areas of the body (often the hands or face). Sometimes it develops quickly after exposure, making it easier to identify the problem substance e.g. hair dye. In other cases, the problem builds up gradually over a prolonged period e.g. nickel in mascara. If you can identify and avoid substances that are problematic for you, this type of dermatitis should improve.
Seborrhoeic eczema/dermatitis
Seborrhoeic eczema/dermatitis affects about 4% of the population. It is characterised by red, scaly, sometimes itchy skin patches. These are often located on areas of the skin with lots of oil-producing glands – such as the scalp, face or chest – where overgrowth of harmless yeast-like microorganisms can also be a contributing factor. Dandruff is the most well-known, and often mildest, example. Seborrhoeic eczema/dermatitis tends to worsen with tiredness, stress and colder weather.
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