What Is Eczema?

Eczema, officially called atopic dermatitis, is an inflammatory skin condition caused by an overactive immune system.

It most often first appears in early childhood but teenagers, adults and even the elderly can experience their first eczema eruption much later in life.

Genetics play a role in increasing risk for developing eczema but so do nutrition, living environment, occupational exposure and food allergies.

Fortunately, eczema is a treatable condition and eczema sufferers can get relief or even be cured of this disease.

Who Is Affected?

1. Workers who come in contact with chemicals, cleaners or other substances that are either directly irritating or indirectly cause an allergic response.

• Examples include hair dressers, construction, farming or printing

2. Infants and toddlers, especially those who exhibit food allergies during or shortly after food introduction

• Common food allergens are dairy, peanuts, citrus, shellfish, wheat and soy

3. People with a family history of eczema, asthma or hay fever have an increased risk for developing eczema

• These commonly overlapping conditions are called the atopic triad

What Are The Different Types Of Eczema Skin Conditions?

Touching something that causes a toxic reaction in he skin is called irritant contact dermatitis. It is localized to the skin directly in contact with the offending substance.

Usually this is from repetitive, cumulative exposure such as a harsh dish washing soap used daily or acetone nail polish remover used by nail aestheticians.

However, it only takes a single episode to cause irritant contact dermatitis with dangerous industrial solvents and polymers.

Allergic contact dermatitis is an indirect form of eczema where the person’s immune system creates an inflammatory response to a stimulus.

This process requires at least two exposures; the first exposure sensitizes the individual and the second prompts the immune reaction.

Poison ivy rashes are an example of an allergic contact dermatitis. Eczema triggered internally and not from touching a substance is called atopic eczema.

It’s the eczema that is most widely known for it’s chronic nature and it’s association with allergies, hay fever and asthma. It can appear on a single spot or in many locations.

How Does Eczema Look And Feel?

Eczema appears as dry skin that is typically very pruritic (itchy). It can get tough or even leather-like over time from constant scratching and rubbing. This process is called lichenification.

Eczematous skin is often reddened and can have scales. Swelling can occur in the affected skin such that the area appears puffy. Eczema lesions can ooze clear fluid or bleed small amounts when scratched.

Some eczema eruptions are flat to the surface while others are raised bumps called papules (small bumps) or plaques (larger bumps).

The skin can become infected with bacteria or herpes virus, creating a change in the color or odor of the secreted fluid and/or an increased production of crusts.

Understanding Eczema: What’s Happening On The Skin Level?

A trigger from a person’s living or work environment, diet or medication causes the immune system to create a cascade of signal and reactions.

This type of hypersensitivity is called Type 1, which means that it is orchestrated by IgE immunoglobulins, which are a form of antibody.

Think of antibodies as the body’s security guards looking to identify and bring attention to invaders.

During a Type 1 reaction immune mast cell and basophils secrete vasoactive substances—vasoactive means dilating or constricting blood vessels. In the case of eczema, blood vessels dilate leading to swelling.

Immune T cells, particularly a subset of T cells called T helper cells, play a role in increasing inflammation in eczema lesions.

They also recruit cytokines called interleukins, who act as the alarm ringers of your body’s immune “security system.” Other immune cells increased in eczema are IL-5, IL-12, interferon γ.

Interleukin 5 cytokines (IL-5) stimulate B cell growth, secretion of other immunoglobulins (T cells, etc) and it also a key mediator in activation of eosinophils.

Cytokines function as the secretaries and office managers of the immune security system, sending messages and coordinating functions.

Eosinophils are a category of white bloods cells, which are immune cells that help fight infections. Eosinophils can be elevated when a person has a parasitic infection or when they have allergies.

They play a large role in inflammation in allergies, eczema and asthma.

Eosinophils also produce reactive oxygen species in an effort to neutralize microbes but unfortunately, high amounts of reactive oxygen can cause DNA and protein damage.

Think of them as the muscled, aggressive bouncers of your immune system – getting the job done but sometimes causing collateral damage.

What Can Elicit An Outbreak Of Eczema?

1. Airborne allergens such as pollen, dust mites or animal dander.

2. Foods, particularly in children:

eggs, milk, wheat, soybeans, shellfish, fish and peanuts.

3. Bacteria such as Staph aureus can stimulate your body’s T cells and macrophages. These immune cells recruit other immune cells and initiate signals that tell the skin to swell, redden, itch and ooze.

4. Autoimmune antibodies. The IgE antibodies discussed in the previous section can direct their assault on your own body’s proteins.

The very skin damage of eczema can recruit more IgE and T cells, sometimes leading to a vicious cycle of hyper reactivity of your immune system.

What Can Aggravate Eczema Skin?

➠ Emotional stress can cause your body to manufacture more neurotrophin and neuropeptide, biochemicals that create changes in your skin barrier (the outer layers of your skin) and decrease the threshold for itchiness.

Read ways to decrease your stress level naturally.

➠ Winter aggravates eczema skin due the dryer air and possibly because of decreased skin exposure to light, and indirectly, less production of Vitamin D, which has a protective role in eczema conditions.

➠ Wool carpets, clothing, blankets and scarves can trigger eczema in some individuals. Others find removing clothing of any kind can trigger itching when the skin is exposed to open air.

➠ Frequent hand washing or bathing can lead to skin dehydration by increasing water loss through the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin.

Day care or healthcare workers who wash their hands frequently have higher incidence of hand eczema.

Related posts:

1. Understanding The Different Types Of Eczema
2. Eczema And Emotions: Reduce Stress To Improve Skin Health
3. Detox For Eczema: How To Cleanse To Improve Your Skin Health

Eczema, also called excema, is a type of disorder where the skin changes, becomes inflamed, and the symptoms can be seen on the skin’s surface.

This inflammation is caused by fluid building between skin cells. In very acute cases you will see fluid seeping from the afflicted areas.

There are many different types of eczema which mainly fall into one of three categories, externally caused, internally caused, and eczema caused by other factors.

In most cases, eczema can be classified based on its appearance, cause, response to treatment, and severity.

The best way to treat and even prevent your eczema is to clearly identify and better understand the nature of your condition.

Eczema Caused By External Factors

Externally caused eczema is also often called contact dermatitis. This is because the skin comes into contact with a foreign substance causing an occurrence of eczema.

However, just as there are different types of eczema, there are different variations of contact dermatitis. Knowing the nature of your contact dermatitis is important in finding the right therapy.

When something comes in contact with your skin and aggravates it causing inflammation, this is caused irritant contact dermatitis.

In these cases, soaps, detergents and related chemicals are normally the primary suspects, but there are plenty of other irritants out there.

Irritant contact dermatitis will normally only appear where the irritant actually touched the skin and will not spread very far.

For example, if your skin is irritated by the metal in your jewelry, such as a reaction to a nickel earring post, then you will only have a reaction where the jewelry was worn, like you ear.

As another example, if your laundry detergent is irritating your skin then you will have an occurrence where your clothes or bed sheets have touched your skin. Allergen contact dermatitis is slightly more complicated than the irritant form.

This type happens when your body comes into contact, either on the skin or taken by the skin, with an allergen and it triggers a severe reaction from your immune system.

This reaction takes place within your skin and is visible on the skin surface. Unlike the irritant version, this version can spread beyond the area where the skin contact actually occurred.

This is especially so if the reaction is to an allergen taken by mouth. This reaction typically takes place soon after coming into contact with the allergen, making it easier to identify.

A final form of externally caused eczema is that caused by physical factors. One of the biggest physical triggers is the mixture of heat and sweat.

You will normally see these outbreaks in cases after excess sweating and in the areas where sweat accumulates, such as behind the knees and around the neck and shoulder area.

Your skin may have the same reaction to frequent rubbing or too much artificial sunlight.

Babies often get this kind of “heat” rash in their diaper area when the heat, sweat, and the contents of a soiled diaper begin to cause a reaction on the skin.

Internal Factors

Unlike external eczema types, internal factors can be harder to diagnose and identify a trigger. One of the most common types of eczema from internal factors is atopic dermatitis.

Atopic eczema is normally the result of an extreme immune system overreaction. The outbreaks are typically very inflamed, red, and itch incessantly.

Many times, the skin seeps fluid as well. These patches of eczema tend to spread all over the body.

Atopic eczema can be one of the most difficult types of eczema. It has been very hard for science to determine one trigger and it is suspected that it only occurs as a result multiple triggers.

Many scientists believe that the condition occurs in cases where there is some sort of weakening or defect within the skin or between the skin cells. However, weakened skin alone does not bring about a flare up.

It is believed that hormonal and fatty acid imbalances, especially those caused by a genetic disorder, cause the immune system to overreact through the weakened skin.

Even then, this only happens when an environmental substance triggers the overreaction. This is the key to the difficulty with determining the cause and treatment of atopic eczema.

Atopic is not the only form of internally caused eczema. Dyshidrotic Eczema, or Pompholyx, is very similar to atopic eczema except that it causes severe blister like lesions on the fingers.

The cause of pompholyx still eludes scientists and is believed to be as complicated as the atopic form. Treatment for this severe condition should follow the same course as atopic eczema.

For example, when your body has an overreaction to yeast, such as athlete’s foot, cradle cap, dandruff, or jock itch, then there is an occurrence of Seborrhoeic eczema.

Asteatotic eczema is a very dry skin type that gives the appearance of cracked pavement. It is common in the elderly and is caused by cold temperatures and washing the skin too frequently.

If you have the symptoms of poor circulation in your legs, like swollen ankles or varicose veins then you may ended up with related eczema.

Varicose eczema is a darkening of the skin in your lower legs and stasis eczema is very small red bumps that itch a great deal.

Each of these types should be carefully monitored by your doctor because they can worsen into ankle sores that are difficult to heal.

Other Causes

Some of the more unusual types of eczema are those without an internal or external factor. These types of eczema are rarer, such as neuro dermatitis or lichen simplex.

These conditions occur as a result of nervous licking or scratching. Many people believe that it is triggered by stress or anxiety. A doctor can help you better determine if yours is this type of eczema.

No matter what is causing your eczema, it is important that you get it diagnosed and develop a good therapy plan. A doctor can help you diagnose your condition from the many types of eczema.

He will help you better understand the cause or causes of your condition and will probably recommend some of the standard medical treatments available like ointments, steroids, and pills.

Once you have your standard treatments underway, you should compliment that therapy using natural remedies.

Natural remedies are both treatments and preventative measures which take advantage of the chemical-free, non-toxic organic substances.

These “complimentary therapies” work in conjunction with other treatments to help you find the best relief.

If you would like to know more about how to identify your eczema and which treatments, both standard and natural, will work best then turn to the ebook Vanish Eczema for help.

It is a very comprehensive guide to the many different forms of eczema, their cause, and their treatment.

Furthermore, it explains the standard medical treatments available for many types of eczema.

Most importantly, it offers useful advice on a wide range of natural remedies from skin ointments to detoxifying food preparation techniques.

Vanish Eczema will help you better understand your eczema and get you on the path to soothing and prevention.

Related posts:

1. What Is Eczema? Let’s Go Skin Deep To Understand The Process
2. Eczema Causes – What Causes Eczema?
3. Eczema And The Environment: How To Minimize Your Exposure And Reduce Your Risk