Eczema history and symptoms
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Eczema Microchapters |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Eczema On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Eczema |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1], Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Edzel Lorraine Co, D.M.D., M.D.
Overview
History
Given the many possible reasons for eczema flare-ups, a doctor is likely to ascertain a number of other things before making a diagnosis:
- An insight into family history
- Dietary habits
- Lifestyle habits
- Allergic tendencies
- Any prescribed drug intake
- Any chemical or material exposure at home or workplace
Symptoms
Because Eczema is a set of clinical characteristics and not a single disease, there are many different symptoms. All of them involve inflammation of the skin. The symptoms for the more common ones are:
Atopic Eczema
- Most common form, thought to be genetic and linked to asthma
- Itchy rash is particularly noticeable on head and scalp, neck, inside of elbows, behind knees, and buttocks.
Contact Dermatitis
- Allergic: delayed rash caused by an allergen (poison ivy, nickel, etc.)
- Irritant: direct reaction caused by an irritant (ex. types of detergent)
Xerotic Eczema
- Extremely cracked and dry skin that develops into a rash. More common in older population.
Seborrhoeic Dermatitis
- Closely related to dandruff. Dry or greasy peeling of scalp, eyebrows, face, and sometimes trunk.