Pham Dinh Vien

Eczema is a term used for a set of health conditions that make the skin become inflamed or irritated. The most common type of eczema known is called atopic dermatitis or atopic eczema. What does atopic mean? Well, atopic refers to a group of diseases with an often inherited tendency to develop other allergic conditions, such as asthma and hay fever. This means that the problems are rooted in a genetic background and most of the time inherited. Although studies that you might come across while looking for information about eczema will tell you that eczema causes are not known, we can still discuss of a number of causes, mainly connected with the environments in which eczema patients live, and which influence the evolution of the condition significantly.

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the prevalence of atopic eczema is growing, and it affects 9% to 30% of the U.S. population. It is typical in young children and infants. While many infants who develop the condition outgrow it by their second year of life, some people continue to go through such symptoms during their entire life. Nevertheless, with appropriate treatment, the disease can be controlled in the most of the cases. The exact eczema causes are not known, but it is believed that the occurrence of the condition is in connection with an overactive response of the body’s immune system to a bacterium that normally lives on the skin or to an irritant factor in the environment. Another of the eczema causes seems to be the coexistence in the vicinity of family members with a history of other allergies and asthma; eczema is commonly found in such families.

Among eczema causes, one that may also be considered in the case of patients who suffer flare-ups of this itchy rash, is the patients’ reaction to certain substances or conditions in the surrounding environments. Therefore, exposure to rough or coarse materials for some, feeling too cold or too hot in others’ cases, as well as getting in contact with household products (soap, detergents, etc) and living near animals may lead to outbreaks of this condition. Besides all these, colds and upper respiratory infections could also be blamed for this disease. To make things even worse, that is to further strengthen the disease, we have another element to consider: stress. Although there is no cure, most people can effectively manage their skin condition with medical treatment and by avoiding irritants. At least the disease is not contagious!

Popularity: 18% [?]