Itchy, flakey skin, and not sure what’s causing it? It could be eczema.
Eczema is a common skin condition that affects 31.6 million Americans. So common is the condition that research shows that
one in 10 individuals will develop some form of eczema at one point in their life. It is common among children and can affect anyone regardless of their ethnicity. If you or your loved one has had a mild to severe itch or skin pain that won’t go away, eczema can be the cause. Read on to learn more about eczema and get answers to questions such as “is eczema itchy,” “does eczema itch,” “what causes eczema,” “how to treat eczema,” “does eczema spread,” and many more.
What is eczema
Despite being a common skin condition, eczema is one of the most commonly misspelled words. “Eczma,” “exczema,” and “exema,” are a few of the hilarious versions of the word. So, how do you spell eczema? The trick is to put the “c” before “z” and remember not to include an “x” no matter how tempting that is.
Spelling aside, eczema is a skin condition that causes inflammation and irritation of the skin leading to intense itching. It is also known as atopic dermatitis meaning it’s associated with hereditary or genetic factors. What causes eczema is still not clear though environmental and genetic factors may be the major triggers. It is most common in infants
affecting about 20% of infants and only 3% of adults. Although most infants outgrow the condition by the end of their teenage years, the intense itching may affect most of their childhood.
Is eczema contagious, and does eczema spread?
If you know someone suffering from the condition, then “is eczema contagious” has to be one of the most commonly asked questions out there.
Atopic eczema is the most common type of eczema. Since it is associated with genetic factors, it is not contagious. It can only spread from one part of the body to the other. However, different skin infections that may be triggered by eczema may be infectious. You should, therefore, be cautious with what your child or loved one is exposed to. Eczema symptoms are similar to other skin infections and can be confused for other skin conditions like
psoriasis,