All about Eczema

What is Eczema?
Eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is an inflammation of your skin which causes patches of skin dryness and itchiness. It tends to run in families – meaning that if one person in a family has it, it’s more likely that other people in the family will have it too. This includes a mother or father having it, and then one or more of the children having it as well.

How common is it?
Eczema is quite common with about one in ten young people having it. However only half of the people who have it when they are young will still have it when they are old.
People get eczema when they’re young, over four out of five get it before they are seven years old. So if you’re a teenager and you haven’t had it yet, it’s less likely that you will.

Can eczema be cured?
Eczema cannot really be cured altogether, but for quite a few people it goes away as they grow up. Otherwise using special oils and creams which you can get from the chemist or from your doctor will help so much that you will hardly know that you have got it. See “What about treating it” below for more information.