What causes eczema is still not exactly clear, but it is believed to result from a reaction to an irritant by our immune system. It often has a genetic link tending to run in families, and can commonly occur together with other allergies such as asthma and hay fever.

There are many causes of eczema triggers, which is why it is so important to identify and eliminate exposure to them. This is the single most important step in preventing and treating eczema.

Here is a list of the most common triggers associated with eczema causes, particularly in children:

• Dairy products; eggs and yeast
• Pet hair, animal dander (the shed skin scales of animals)
• Detergents, soaps, cleaners, bubble baths
• Wool or synthetic fibers
• Pollen, dust
• Stress
• Moulds and fungi
• Various cosmetics and perfume
• Climate changes, especially temperature extremes
• Colds, flu or any kind of infections
• Sweating

Here is a list of the five main types of eczema:

• Atopic eczema: Refers to people who tend to have ‘allergic’ tendencies and is the most common type of eczema. People with atopic eczema also have an increased chance of developing asthma or hay fever.
• Discoid eczema: More common in middle aged people and appears as small patches or circles on the skin.
• Allergic contact eczema: Occurs over time as the skin becomes hypersensitive to something that eventually becomes a trigger.
• Irritant contact eczema: Results when the skin comes into contact with something that strips away the natural oils leaving dry, red, cracked and itchy skin.
• Seborrheic eczema: Another common form of eczema normally showing up in areas such as the forehead, scalp and nose which have lots of sebaceous glands.

Eczema is characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:

• Dry, scaly, red patches of skin: The redness results when the skin is inflamed due to an increase in blood flow to the affected area. It may also be caused from a bacterial infection.
• Cracked or thickened skin: The bodies protective response from all the scratching can often make affected skin thicker than non affected skin.
• Itching: This is normally the main symptom and is often worse at night. Itching alone doesn’t necessarily mean you have eczema as it usually comes alongside other symptoms.
• Blisters: Bubbled up skin can be caused from tissue fluids oozing between cells and gathering together. Large fluid or pus filled blisters can also occur with infected or severe eczema.
• Raw, sensitive, infected skin: Caused from scratching.

Although it can affect any part of the body, eczema in children typically occurs around the face, scalp, arms, legs, hands and neck. Adults tend to have eczema symptoms on the face, neck and the insides of limbs and ankles. In rare cases the condition can also affect the eyelids and skin around the eyes sometimes resulting in loss of eyebrow hair and eyelashes.

For more information on the causes of eczema and how to prevent and treat it permanently, click here.

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