By Bjarne Lühr Hansen PhD, MD and Philipp Skafte-Holm MD, Mentor Institute
There are several different kinds of eczema. The causes of eczema are hereditary conditions, dry skin, allergy and infections. There is no treatment that can cure eczema. However, there are different treatments that soothes. Their own doctor with a corticosteroid crème treats most people with eczema.
Eczema is not one but several different illnesses. The three most common kinds of eczema are scaly eczema, contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis.
Scaly eczema appears by plenty of scale in the face, scalp and on the chest. Most frequently seen with infants in the age of 3 to 6 months and with adults in the age of 30 to 60 years. Hormones in the blood and fungal infection leads to scaly eczema.
Contact dermatitis is a reaction to the touching of different substances. It can be an allergic reaction or an irritant reaction. If you are allergic to nickel, contact dermatitis arises when you touch objects that contain nickel. All who come into contact with acid develops eczema – this is and irritant reaction not allergy. Contact dermatitis is most frequently located on the hands where red itchy blisters appear. Typically, contact eczema is seen with women in the age of 20 to 40 years.
Atopic eczema is seen with 15 to 20% of all children. A very dry skin and allergy are critical for the development of atopic eczema. Atopic dermatitis is located in face, elbow crease and hollow of the knees. The skin is itchy, red and thickens. With 9 out of 10, atopic dermatitis disappears before the children start school.
