<\/span><\/h2>\nAtopic dermatitis is a chronic<\/span>, itchy skin that is very common in children but can occur at any age. Also known as eczema<\/span> and atopic eczema and was formerly known as Besnier prurigo<\/span>. It is the most common form of dermatitis.<\/p>\nAtopic dermatitis generally occurs in people who have an 'atopic tendency'. This means that they can develop any or all three closely related conditions; atopic dermatitis, asthma and hay fever<\/span> (allergic rhinitis). Often these conditions occur in families with parents, children, or siblings who are also affected. A family history of asthma, eczema, or hay fever is particularly helpful in diagnosing atopic dermatitis in infants.<\/p>\nAtopic dermatitis arises due to a complex interaction of genetic<\/span> and environmental factors. These include defects in skin barrier function that make the skin more susceptible to irritation from soap and other contacts. irritants<\/span>, climate, temperature, and nonspecific triggers: see Causes of atopic dermatitis.<\/p>\n<\/span>How is atopic dermatitis?<\/span><\/h2>\nThere is great variation in the appearance of atopic dermatitis between individuals. Occasionally, most people have acute<\/span> flares with inflamed, red, sometimes blistered and watery patches. Between outbreaks, the skin may appear normal or suffer from chronic eczema with dry, thickened and itchy areas.<\/p>\nThe presence of infection<\/span> or an additional skin condition, creams applied, the person's age, ethnicity, and other factors can alter the look and feel of eczema.<\/p>\nHowever, there are some general patterns about where eczema is in the body based on the age of the affected person.<\/p>\n\n<\/span>Childhood atopic dermatitis<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/span>Infants<\/span><\/h2>\n\n- Babies under one year of age often have widely distributed eczema. The skin is usually dry. scaly<\/span> and red with little scratch marks made by a sharp baby nail<\/span>.<\/li>\n
- Babies' cheeks are usually the first place affected by eczema.<\/li>\n
- The napkin area is frequently saved due to the moisture retention of the diapers. Like other babies, they can develop irritating<\/span> napkin dermatitis, if wet or dirty diapers are left on for too long.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
<\/span>Atopic dermatitis in preschoolers.<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/span>Toddlers and preschoolers<\/span><\/h2>\n\n- As children begin to move, eczema becomes more located<\/span> and thickened Young children scratch vigorously and eczema can look very raw and uncomfortable.<\/li>\n
- Eczema in this age group often affects the extensor muscle<\/span> (external) aspects of the joints, particularly the wrists, elbows, ankles, and knees. It can also affect the genitals.<\/li>\n
- As the child grows, the pattern changes frequently to involve flexor<\/span> surfaces of the same joints (the folds) with less extensor involvement. The affected skin is often lichenized, that is, it dries and thickens from constant scratching and rubbing,<\/li>\n
- In some children, the extensor pattern of eczema persists in later childhood.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
<\/span>Atopic dermatitis in school-age children.<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/span>School-age children<\/span><\/h2>\n\n- Older children tend to have flexural<\/span> eczema pattern and most often affects the elbow and knee folds. Other susceptible areas include the eyelids, earlobes, neck, and scalp.<\/li>\n
- They can develop recurrent<\/span> sharp itchy blisters on the palms, fingers, and sometimes the feet, known as pompholyx or vesicular<\/span> hand \/ foot dermatitis.<\/li>\n
- Many children develop a 'nummular' pattern of atopic dermatitis. This refers to small areas of coin-shaped eczema scattered throughout the body. These round patches of eczema are dry, red, and itchy and can be mistaken for ringworm (a fungal infection).<\/li>\n
- For the most part, eczema improves during the school years and may disappear entirely in teens, although the skin's barrier function is never completely normal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
<\/span>Atopic dermatitis in adults.<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Infected dermatitis<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/span>Adults<\/span><\/h2>\n\n- Adults who have atopic dermatitis can present themselves in different ways.<\/li>\n
- They can still have a diffuse<\/span> eczema pattern but the skin is often drier and lichen than in children.<\/li>\n
- Commonly, adults have persistent localized eczema, possibly limited to the hands, eyelids, push-ups<\/span>, nipples or all of these areas.<\/li>\n
- Recurrent staphylococcal infections can be prominent.<\/li>\n
- Atopic dermatitis is an important factor contributing to occupational irritant contact dermatitis. This most often affects hands that are frequently exposed to water, detergents, and \/ or solvents.<\/li>\n
- Having atopic dermatitis does not exclude allergic contact dermatitis (confirmed by patch<\/span> tests) in children and adults)<\/li>\n
- \n
Hand dermatitis in adult atopics tends to be dry and thickened, but can also be blistered.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/span>Persistent atopic dermatitis<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
Atopic eczema<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
<\/div>\n
See more images of atopic dermatitis and flexural dermatitis.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Does atopic dermatitis persist forever?<\/span><\/h2>\nAtopic dermatitis affects 15-20% in children, but is much less common in adults. It is impossible to predict whether eczema will improve on its own or not in an individual. Sensitive skin persists throughout life. A meta-analysis that included more than 110,000 subjects found that 20% of children with atopic dermatitis still had persistent disease 8 years later. Fewer than 5% had persistent disease 20 years later. Children who developed AD before age 2 had a much lower risk of persistent disease than those who developed AD later in childhood or during adolescence. <\/p>\n
It is unusual for a baby to be affected with atopic dermatitis before four months of age, but may be breastfed. seborrheic<\/span> dermatitis or other rashes before this. Onset of atopic dermatitis usually occurs before the age of two, although it can manifest itself in older people for the first time.<\/p>\nAtopic dermatitis is often worse between the ages of two and four, but it usually improves after this and may go away entirely in teens.<\/p>\n
Certain occupations such as agriculture, hairdressing, house and industrial cleaning, housework, and care expose the skin to various irritants and sometimes Allergens<\/span>. This aggravates atopic dermatitis. It is wise to keep this in mind when considering career options: It is generally easier to choose a more suitable occupation from the start than to change it later.<\/p>\n<\/span>What is the treatment for atopic dermatitis?<\/span><\/h2>\nTreatment of atopic dermatitis may be necessary for many months and possibly years.<\/p>\n
It almost always requires:<\/p>\n
\n- Reduction of exposure to triggers (when possible)<\/li>\n
- Regular emollients<\/span> (moisturizers)<\/li>\n
- Intermittent current<\/span> steroids\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In some cases, administration may also include one or more of the following:<\/p>\n
\n- Topical calcineurin inhibitors, such as pimecrolimus. cream<\/span> or tacrolimus ointment<\/span>\n<\/li>\n
- Chrysabarol ointment<\/li>\n
- Antibiotics<\/li>\n
- Antihistamines<\/li>\n
- Phototherapy<\/li>\n
- Oral corticosteroids<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Long-standing and severe eczema can be treated with an immunosuppressive agent.<\/p>\n