Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition. It can present as itching, dry skin, rashes, scaly patches, blisters, and skin infections. Most people with eczema have itchy skin. Types of eczema Eczema comes in different forms. Each type has triggers that can change how your skin's barrier works.
Types of Eczema
Eczema comes in different forms. Each type has triggers that can change how your skin's barrier works. There are seven different kinds of eczema: Atopic dermatitis.
Contact dermatitis.
Dyshidrotic eczema.
Neurodermatitis.
Nummular eczema.
Seborrheic eczema.
More than one kind of eczema can happen at the same time.
Causes of Eczema
Eczema happens when the skin barrier can not heal itself after being damaged. This is because a gene called filaggrin has a change in it. Filaggrin is essential for making the barrier on the skin. Usually, the filaggrin gene is found in two copies in every skin cell. On the other hand, people who get eczema only have one copy of this gene. Even though you only need one copy of the gene to make a normal skin barrier, you need two copies to fix a broken one.
Suppose irritants get into a person's skin and damage their skin barrier. In that case, a person with only one copy of the gene may also be unable to fix their skin barrier. Once the skin barrier is broken, the skin loses moisture and becomes dry and scaly. Environmental allergens, irritants in a person's environment, can also get into the skin and trigger the immune system, making the skin red and itchy.
Those with a family history of eczema or allergic conditions like hay fever or asthma are likelier to get eczema. Most of the time, what you eat does not cause or worsen eczema. If you think a food is to blame, talk to your doctor or a dietitian for allergy testing and advice on what to eat. Even though eczema can cause stress and make you scratch more, it does not cause eczema by itself.
