Almost 10 to 20 percent of all babies in the United States of America are affected by the dreaded skin problem called eczema. Baby eczema is one of the pre-dominant conditions which is making the rounds over the past few decades. But most of the baby eczema conditions become resolved by the time the baby reaches the age of 2 years. There are a few cases which are spaced out far and between where the baby eczema problem becomes chronic and continues well into adulthood.

The most common condition of eczema which affects babies is atopic eczema. In this case, the skin becomes dry and reddish due to incessant itching. The babies develop scaly skin on the scalp, arms, face and the legs. This is a very painful condition in which sometimes, the entire body of the baby may get affected by eczematous lesions. Baby eczema occurs due to myriad reasons, primary among which are genetic problems, allergy to some types of clothing, food habits and the like.

When the skin of the baby is badly moisturized, then symptoms of baby eczema may develop. Also, if the temperature is too extreme, then the sensitive skin of the baby faces problems in acclimatizing to it. There are some cases, which are few, in which there is link between giving up on breastfeeding at a very early stage and eczema. The majority of baby eczema cases are supposed to be an extension of food allergies. In these cases, the digestive system of the baby is not able to handle certain food items and thus develops this condition.

If your baby has been diagnosed with eczema, then a safe solution is to eliminate the foods which pose problems in the digestive system. Some of the commonly implicated food items are peanuts, milk, eggs, wheat and fish. Of course, it has not been scientifically proved that there is a direct co-relation between the two but it has been observed that a controlled diet usually prevents baby eczema. There are a few cases also in which infants develop eczema when they wear clothes which have been treated with detergents or clothes softeners.

Though there are no proven methods of treatment, some of the generally effective methods include bathing the baby in lukewarm water and keeping the skin moisturized. Wearing light clothes which help in ventilation also helps to some extent.

Dyshidrotic eczema is a condition in which the hands and the feet are the primary areas which get affected. In most of the cases, the feet and hands develop painful rashes and the skin becomes red and sore due to incessant itching. It is a chronic condition in which tiny bubble-like vessels and lesions appear on the skin and are filled with water. The palms and soles of the feet are the most heavily affected regions while in some severe cases, the tips of fingers and toes also develop vessels and lesions. In most cases of dyshidrotic eczema, hands and feet are the only affected regions.

Dyshidrotic eczema mostly affects people in the middle years of their life. This condition is equally distributed among men and women and it is not restricted to any particular age-group. Generally, places which have a warm climate tend to have more eczema patients. The United States almost has 20% of its entire eczema suffering population under the effect of dyshidrotic eczema.

Most people believe that eczema is a continuation of faulty sweat glands but it isn’t so. Scientists have not been able to pin-point the exact cause for this form of eczema but it is believed that a number of factors are contributors. Most of the people who suffer from this condition are found to have a history with atopic eczema or some type of allergic condition such as hay fever. Eczema may be triggered by multiple reasons, among which fungal infections are primary. There are also some metals which are known to affect people. Nickel is one of the leading causes of this eczema. Most people come to know of their antagonistic reactions to nickel only after adverse effects with jewelry. Few cases have also been reported in which emotional stress has been the primary cause for dyshidrotic eczema.

Generally, this condition resolves in a couple of weeks. You may get some relief from this painful problem through application of dermal creams and ointments. Antibiotics are also recommended by doctors to prevent bacterial infections from escalating. Mostly, medical practitioners advise oral steroids which are pretty effective in curing dyshidrotic eczema. In some rare cases, the vessels may combine together to form bigger lesions. When this happens, you have to get them drained using aluminum acetate compresses.

The word eczema is most commonly confused with a single skin disease which it is not. It is in fact a group of skin problems which are characterized by the presence of inflammation and irritation on the skin of the affected individual. There are a number of eczema types but the most common of the lot is atopic eczema. It generally affects children below the age of 7 years. Almost 1 out of every 6 children is affected by this skin problem. But most of them get rid of this problem long before they traverse their teenage years.

The three types of eczema are allergic to contact eczema, irritant contact eczema and finally atopic eczema. All these eczema types have different symptoms associated with them. For instance, the condition of atopic eczema is characterized by red and dry skin, continuous itching of the affected parts, blisters filled with water found all over the body and the like. There are some areas of the body which get really affected by atopic eczema. Back of the knees, front parts of the elbows, neck, face and chest are primarily the main regions where atopic eczema has a strong effect. This skin problem is not contagious and people should be well-informed about the same.

The reason why atopic eczema occurs has not been deciphered totally as yet but ongoing studies seem to suggest that genetics might play an important role in the occurrence of the disease. Certain medical practitioners tend to believe that the condition is caused by the body’s allergic reaction to some chemical compound. Some of these allergens are generally found in food items like eggs, milk, soya and peanuts. Some of the other causes for atopic eczema include allergens found in flower pollen, dust mites and pet hair. Certain medicines which might work absolutely fine for one individual might cause allergic reactions in other people. Basically these allergens which activate the person’s reaction are labeled as atopics. The reaction is initiated in the body of the individual when he/she comes in contact with the chemical. Some of the factors which can act as a complementing factor to this problem are found to be stress and genetic problems. These factors can result in accelerating the condition to such levels that the person might be forced to take sedatives and immediate treatment.

The roots of eczema are not fully clear, but some people have found that by eliminating contact with certain chemicals , foods and environmental factors that there skin rash will improve. Our bodies absorb through the skin which is why the nicotine patch and hormone patches are effective.

What are some common chemicals and triggers that may result in atopic eczema or other forms of dermatitis? Do you know if you may be exposing yourself daily to substances that cause or aggravate your skin problem?

Some people have an allergic reaction to fragrances. This can include perfumes, fabric softeners, bath oils and popular cleaning products. If you are reluctant to eliminate fragrances altogether, seek out alternatives from the natural food stores that are hypoallergenic.

In addition to fragrances, some people have reactions due to factors in the environment that contact their skin. This can include sodium lauryl sulfate, compounds in detergents and also nickel and other metals that may come in contact with the skin. There have been articles recently about dermatitis on the skin due to cell phone nickel responses.

Fortunately there are alternatives to harsh cleaning and laundry detergents including castile soaps such as dr. bronners, miracle ii soap or making your own mixtures with baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar to complete many common household tasks. By using natural products, you limit the risk of having an allergic reaction that can manifest as atopic eczema or another form of dermatitis.

Be conscious of the furniture polishes, floor cleaners and products you use in your home for both cleaning and bathing. Research the ingredients to see if they may be common allergens.