Common causes of eczema.
Eczema (or atopic dermatitis) is an inflammatory skin condition. The cause of eczema can be attributed to hereditary or external factors. External factors include allergies, tobacco smoke, weather, chemicals, dust mites, grasses, pollens, pets, soaps, shampoos, washing powders and cosmetics or even food intolerance.
It is more likely to occur in people who have a family history of eczema or other allergy conditions.
Eczema skin symptoms include red, dry, itchy or scaly skin. In extreme conditions, the skin may blister, bleed and weep.
Eczema is not infectious and cannot be caught by another person. It is more likely to occur in children under six, and many children will grow out of the condition. For a lot of eczema sufferers, the condition will grow less and less severe as they grow older. However, some eczema sufferers will have the condition for their whole life. If eczema is left uncured, it can lead to more extreme skin infections, like herpes simplex type 1 and impetigo.
There are also specific types of eczema. Pompholyx (or dyshidrotic eczema) affects only the hands and sometimes the feet. It is thought that it may be caused by abnormal sweating. Nummular eczema has coin-shaped skin lesions that are normally on the arms and legs and may spread to the trunk.
Symptoms of eczema – how your skin looks and feels.
The symptoms of eczema are related to the skin, as eczema is a skin condition. Here are some of the eczema skin symptoms that may signify someone who is suffering from eczema.
- There is a rash
- The skin is itchy
- The skin may be dry, red, patchy or cracked
- Affected areas may weep
- The skin may feel rough
- There may be lesions that become infected.
If you have any of the following symptoms and suspect you may be suffering from eczema, see a doctor for a formal diagnosis.
A natural remedy to provide relief from the dry, itching skin symptoms of eczema is Aloe Ferox Whole-Leaf Gel. It has a natural plant botanical antibiotic to help heal your skin.
Take charge of your eczema.
There are some simple strategies to help relieve the symptoms of eczema.
Considering diet, there is some relatively new thinking that food intolerance (not allergies) may be responsible for causing or exacerbating your eczema. It can be difficult to ascertain whether you are in fact food intolerant. Keeping a food diary is a good starting place as there is growing scientific evidence of the link between eczema and food.