Eczema also often called dermatitis is one of the most common medical problems in the world.
For example, over 60 million people are effect by Eczema world wide.
It has also been said in health reports that the amount of people with eczema is increasing.
A statistic which I once read that has stayed in my mind, is that in the last thirty years the number of people with eczema has more then doubled.
Also, approximately £300 million is spent in the U.
K alone on treatments for eczema such as creams, lotions etc.
Eczema is a skin disease which can be either acute or chronic and can be found in persons of all ages.
It is characterised by inflammation of the skin, with the formation of scales, crusts and skin eruptions which can result in a water discharge or bleeding.
An annoying characteristic of eczema is that it results in itching.
Eczema is an autoimmune disease as is linked to asthma,acne,psoriasis and arthritis.
Eczema is usually at its worst in the folds of the skin, such as behind the knees, elbows, eyelids, in-between the fingers and the groin.
A characteristic of eczema is that it appears on the left and right side of the body in identical places.
Atopic eczema is the most common type of eczema.
It usually starts in childhood and can improve as a child grows older.
However, this may not always be the case and it can continue throughout a person's life or may in fact appear for the first time in adulthood.
In most cases there is usually a family history of skin problems or another atopic condition such as asthma, hayfever etc.
You or your partner may not have eczema but a child who has eczema.
However, what you will have in common in your family is a predisposition for it.
It can be caused by allergic responses to substances such as dust mites, pollen, skin shed by household pets, cigarette smoke, various foods and other related causes such as stress.
The severity of eczema can vary from person to person.
For some people the extent of their eczema may be an occasional dry patch on their skin, but for a lot of people, eczema can be a severely disruptive and crippling condition which can persist for many years.