Eczema

Eczema is a group of skin conditions that cause dry and inflamed skin. The most common type of eczema is atopic eczema, and it’s often just known as eczema. Atopic eczema can be mild, with patches of flaky skin. It can also be severe, causing sore patches all over the body and interfering with your daily life.

There are a few other kinds of eczema that have other symptoms.

Some people might have more than one kind of eczema. They’re not all treated in the same way. If you’re not sure what kind of eczema you have, talk to your GP.

The cause of eczema isn’t completely understood. There are thought to be many potential triggers. One example is when your immune system tries to protect itself against something it thinks is harmful. This can then cause your body to produce excess white blood cells that can make your skin inflamed and irritable.²

Eczema often comes in flare-ups, where your symptoms are much worse. You might also have periods when your skin is much better. Avoiding triggers that seem to cause flare-ups, like stress or certain laundry detergents, can help keep your eczema under control.³

Keeping a diary of when you have flare-ups, with information about what you’ve done that day, may help you identify triggers. This could help you to prevent eczema flare-ups in the future.

Atopic eczema can occur in both children and adults. In children, symptoms often appear before their first birthday. There are a range of different factors that can increase your risk of developing eczema.

You’re also more likely to develop eczema if someone in your close family also has it. But the environment that you live or work in can also increase your chance of having eczema. Pollution, allergens as well as cold or dry weather are potential triggers for eczema.⁴

Eczema is related to a variety of health conditions. One study found that 27.5% of people with atopic eczema also have asthma.⁵ Many people with eczema also have hay fever or other allergies. This group of conditions are often called the ‘atopic triad’.

People with eczema are also more likely to struggle with mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The more severe your eczema is, the more likely it is to impact your mental health.⁶

We don’t know exactly why this is, but eczema can be painful and disruptive. It can also affect your confidence and how you feel about yourself.

There are support groups you can join to find people living with similar experiences. Exercise and practising relaxation techniques like yoga or taking up creative hobbies might also help. Your GP can also help find ways of managing your symptoms if you're struggling to get restful sleep.

There’s no cure for atopic eczema, but there’s a range of treatments that can help. You may need to use a combination of treatments to find something that works well for you.

Emollients, or moisturisers, can be used often to treat the discomfort of dry skin and prevent flare-ups. You can get many of them over the counter.

If you’re having an eczema flare-up, medicines like corticosteroids can help reduce inflammation. If you can’t use corticosteroids, there are other medications available. Talk to your local pharmacist for advice.

Corticosteroids rarely cause side effects. When used as advised, they can be very helpful for dealing with eczema flare-ups. However, when first applied, some people experience an itching or stinging sensation. This is usually because the corticosteroids have been applied over broken or inflamed skin. With repeated use, the sensation should become less intense as you become more used to the treatment.⁸