If you are suffering from the redness, itching and discomfort so characteristic of eczema, you share a condition that affects up to 20 percent of newborns and an estimated 3 percent of children, teens and adults nationwide. This totals more than 35 million folks who, like you, have varying degrees of eczema symptoms on any given day.

But if eczema is so common, why is it also so hard to resolve? At the heart of this dilemma is eczema’s chronic nature and sometimes mysterious origins. In this article, you will learn more about eczema’s range of symptoms, what can cause eczema to start or flare up, how it is diagnosed, treatment options at home and professionally and options for preventing eczema.

Eczema Causes, Categories, Signs & Symptoms, Diagnosis and Prevention

Part of the medical research challenge that eczema presents is its very variability. For example, eczema can be mild, moderate or severe. There can be many symptoms presenting at once or only one or two that show up regularly.

As well, eczema favors certain areas of the body most of the time, but not always. And there are several different names for eczema depending on which group of symptoms may be appearing at any given time.

In this section, it is our hope you will learn the basics of eczema causes, categories, signs & symptoms, diagnostic strategies and approaches for prevention so you can achieve cessation of symptoms and increased comfort and quality of life!

Causes of Eczema

According to WebMD, eczema is a skin condition that can be passed on from parent to child. While it often shows up in affected individuals as early as infancy, it can also arise in adulthood even if you have had no previous history of eczema outbreaks.

Unfortunately, here is where eczema’s trail ends for medical researchers, who still don’t fully understand what causes eczema. The current theory includes a combination of factors as follows:

Even with this level of detail into possible causes for eczema, researchers still have a long way to go to understand how eczema can manifest as symptoms of an allergy at one moment, a genetically-triggered rash at another moment and a symptom of a co-occurring medical disorder at yet another moment. However, just having this range of possible causes to work from can be very helpful for diagnostic and prevention purposes.

Categories of Eczema

While atopic dermatitis, or AD for short, is currently considered to be the most common category of eczema, and the majority of sufferers fall into this category based on their symptoms, there are actually many different categories of eczema.

Here are the major categories as outlined by the National Eczema Association (NEA):

Atopic dermatitis (AD)

The two main diagnostic criteria for determining if eczema is AD are that the eczema is both inflammatory and chronic in nature. Atopic dermatitis is the earliest category of eczema to appear, often showing its face as early as infancy (within the first six months after birth). Interestingly, AD is classed with two similar conditions: allergies and hay fever. So it is thought a sensitivity to one can also trigger the other two in time.

Contact dermatitis

The word “contact” in the name of this form of eczema is a giveaway about how it is contracted. Basically, when a person touches something, be it chemicals, pet dander, dust and debris, pollen, cleaning products or similar other items, this can irritate the skin surface and give rise to contact dermatitis. There are actually three main types of contact dermatitis: irritant contact dermatitis, allergen contact dermatitis and contact urticaria (hives).

Dyshidrotic eczema

This type of eczema includes stress, allergies and contact with certain minerals, pigments and salts as common triggers. Dyshidrotic eczema affects twice as many women as men, although doctors don’t know why.

Hand eczema

Hand eczema is often called “hand dermatitis” and for good reason – it shows up primarily on the hands. It is also very common (an estimated 10 percent of sufferers have this type of eczema). Triggers are thought to be half genetics and half skin contact with some type of triggering substance.

Neurodermatitis

Also called “lichen simplex chronicus,” neurodermatitis gets this name from the thick, scaly, itchy sections of skin that resemble tree lichen. It is very itchy, which is what causes the thick skin sections to form.

Nummular eczema

Also called either “discoid eczema” or “nummular dermatitis,” nummular eczema is another common type of eczema that can show up at any point in life. Because the rash doesn’t look like most other types of eczema, it can be mis-diagnosed at first. The current theory is that nummular eczema arises as a response to an allergy like an insect bite or changes in skin moisture conditions.

Stasis dermatitis

Also called venous stasis dermatitis, this type of eczema arises in response to blood circulation issues. When there is pressure on the veins under the skin, this can cause compression and fluid leakage, which rises to the skin surface in the form of stasis dermatitis.

Signs & Symptoms of Eczema

As you might imagine, with this many different known categories of eczema to work from, each has its own set of distinctive symptoms. You will notice that some symptoms can overlap while others are unique to that category of eczema.

Here, learn more about the most common symptoms that appear with different types of eczema:

Atopic dermatitis (AD)

Symptom severity for AD can change depending on whether eczema is dormant or flaring. Common symptoms include redness, itching, scaly skin that feels dry, skin cracks behind ears, rash that shows up on arms/cheeks/legs and open sores that “weep” or ooze.

Contact dermatitis

Reddish rash, weeping or crusty blisters and skin that swells and/or burns are the most common symptoms of contact dermatitis.

Dyshidrotic eczema

Small blisters filled with fluid, flaking and scaling skin, itching, redness, skin cracks and pain are all signs of dyshidrotic eczema.

Hand eczema

Hand eczema can cause cracking or dry skin, peeling and flaking, red and itchy skin, skin blisters and pain, all in the fingers, spaces between fingers and knuckle areas.

Neurodermatitis

Here, the thick scale-like patches will appear at the neck’s nape, scalp under the hair, shoulders, soles of feet, backs of hands, ankles and wrists. In addition to itching, the skin often becomes discolored.

Nummular eczema

The small round spots in this type of eczema look different than with other types of eczema. Clusters of small blisters can become open sores that weep and scale over.

Stasis dermatitis

Edema at the ankles (swelling), itching and pain, redness and scaly skin are all symptoms of static dermatitis, which typically appears near or at the site where circulation issues have formed beneath the skin.

Methods for Diagnosing Eczema

Because there are so many different categories of eczema, your doctor may need to take a combination approach to diagnosing the type of eczema that you have.

Here are some of the most commonly used eczema diagnostic methods:

Allergy testing

If your doctor suspects contact with allergens may be triggering your eczema symptoms, allergy testing may be ordered.

Blood tests

This is often done to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms.

DNA testing

In certain situations, DNA testing can be helpful to look for Filaggrin gene mutations. The Filaggrin gene is one known gene thought to indicate susceptibility to eczema.

Is It Possible to Prevent Eczema?

Unfortunately, to date doctors have not discovered a way to completely prevent eczema from occurring. However, there are some methods for lessening its impact on your life, which will be detailed in the treatment section here.

Once you have a definitive diagnosis that tells you what type of eczema you have, there are two approaches to treating your symptoms. You can treat them at home or take the help of the medical community. Sometimes a combination approach can work best.

In this section, learn about the most helpful treatment options for controlling eczema outbreaks and gaining quick relief from symptoms.

Avoid known triggers

Perhaps the most helpful treatment approach of all is to identify common triggers and do your best to avoid those. Some of the most common reported triggers include stress, dry skin, certain allergens (such as pollen or pet dander), irritants (such as in personal care products or household cleaning products) and too hot/cold conditions. Biofeedback and meditation can also be helpful.

Opt for all-natural and fragrance-free whenever possible

Avoiding personal care products that contain chemical “fragrances” and wearing/sleeping on soft, breathable, non-irritating natural fibers can give your skin its best chance to stay balanced and healthy. Taking this approach can also keep you from unconsciously scratching or rubbing your skin, which can trigger an eczema outbreak.

Shea butter

Within one week of using shea butter daily, eczema can disappear completely. The symptoms of eczema (itching, peeling) and the irritated, disfigured skin, will start to fade, and the skin will repair itself. After a week, your eczema will be significantly improved, and your skin will be again smooth and healthy.

Choose cleaning and personal care items wisely

Whether you are cleaning your skin or the kitchen floor, it is always best to opt for mild, natural solutions. For instance, instead of drying soap, you can use a gentle cleanser specifically formulated for eczema, which is usually free from sodium lauryl sulfate.

Dab on coconut oil as needed.

When it comes to finding sensitive skin-friendly moisturizers, you are in luck. Coconut oil is one of the hands-down best options, since it contains natural anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and anti-fungal properties. Coconut oil also contains Vitamins E and K, which help it soak easily into the skin.

Use essential oils to ease symptoms

Today, much more is known about the individual healing properties of various essential oils. Some are particularly well-suited to ease symptoms of eczema, including these:

• Lavender oil – Lavender is not only soothing and calming to skin, but it also effectively repels bacteria, fungi, germs and irritants. It can also reduce inflammation and prevent scarring after eczema outbreaks.

• Tea tree oil – You should always dilute tea tree oil with a carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil is a great choice) since it is very strong. Eight drops of tea tree oil in one-quarter cup carrier oil is a good strength. You can apply this to irritated skin to achieve relief.

• Rosehip oil – Rosehip oil is now being called the “anti-aging oil” because it is so healing for skin. Rosehip oil contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals plus a generous helping of essential fatty acids to help skin heal after an eczema outbreak.

• Chamomile oil – Chamomile oil has all the healing properties of lavender oil and is very soothing. But you shouldn’t use it if you are pregnant or have hay fever, so check with your doctor first!

• Calendula oil – Like tea tree oil, calendula oil is strong and is best used as a skin moisturizer and soother when combined with a carrier oil. You can use the same recipe for the tea tree oil found here.

Soak your skin with apple cider vinegar

By combining apple cider vinegar with water (1 part to 3 parts) and soaking a cotton ball in the solution, you have a ready-made skin easer. You can just dab the cotton ball over the outbreak areas. There may be a slight burning sensation but this will fade quickly into relief.

Exfoliate with olive oil

What could sound more soothing than olive oil, honey and water? This lovely gentle exfoliant can help lift away rough, scaly patches and restore skin to smooth softness. Combine 10 drops olive oil (extra virgin is best), 2 teaspoons honey and one-quarter cup water together. Mix and then spread on affected areas and let it stay for a few hours before washing any extra away. You can repeat this up to twice per day as needed.

Take a soothing tepid essential oil bath

Bathing is known to be helpful for easing eczema symptoms, but the key is to bathe the right way. You want to a lukewarm bath (not too hot or even too warm) and then add in about 10 drops of tea tree oil or any of the other essential oils listed here. Then you can add two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil to the bathwater. Plan to soak for at least 10 minutes and then towel dry gently.

OTC (over the counter) or prescription medications can also help

You may want to try skin-easing OTC medications that are specially formulated to moisturize and sooth skin symptoms of eczema. Your doctor can also prescribe medications for you that address your specific symptoms. It is always a good idea to talk with your doctor first before changing anything about your skin care regimen.

Photo (light) therapy

Light therapy is a newer entrant into the spectrum of eczema care options. Here, you will receive narrow-band UVB (ultraviolet spectrum-B) light via a special light machine. This is done to help your skin produce more Vitamin D and do a better job fighting of triggering skin bacteria.

As this article highlights, there is nothing easy about living with eczema. But since eczema is not a rare disorder by any means, there is also plenty of support to be found. In addition to the National Eczema Association (NEA), which offers podcasts, walk events and support groups, you can use the treatment helps outlined here to experience faster relief from eczema flare-ups.

If you have questions after reading the material in this article, please feel free to post them in the comments section and we will do our best to answer them for you!