Eczema is the general term for rash-like skin conditions. Atopic dermatitis (AD) which is the most common type of eczema, is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by the appearance of rashes, redness and itchiness of the skin. This chronic skin condition normally begins during infancy and continues through into childhood. While some patients might outgrow the condition, others might continue to have it in adulthood. Eczema affects 15-20% of children and 2-10% of adults.

*Breaching the skin barrier or a disruption in the stratum corneum, which subsequently affects the ability of the skin to retain moisture often leads to eczema.

The specific cause of eczema remains unknown. However, a combination of genetic and environmental factors is presumed to be the cause. There are also everyday elements that triggers flare ups. Some of the most common triggers are dry skin, stress, and irritants.

Eczema may start out as dry and extremely itchy skin. Rashes on the skin may become very red, sore, swollen and tend to worsen upon scratching. There might be leakage of clear fluid from the rashes and they will eventually crust over and start to scale. This is a condition known as oozing and scarring. The rashes are commonly found in the elbow creases, behind the knees, on the cheeks and on the buttocks. They may also appear on other body parts.