What are the different types
of eczema?

This is the most common type of eczema. If you have atopic eczema, it means that you have been born with a tendency to develop allergies. Your skin is sensitive and prone to allergic reactions and you may have had a food allergy in early childhood or developed asthma or hay fever. These atopic conditions often run in the family. Atopic eczema now affects about 1 in 5 young children in the UK. Many people ‘grow out’ of their allergic conditions in their teens, but allergies may persist or return throughout adulthood. Atopic eczema can be triggered by a specific substance, such as latex in rubber gloves, which is a common allergen. Stress or infections can also trigger eczema. During an eczema attack, the skin can get extremely red, dry and blistered. It is very itchy and sufferers repeatedly scratch and rub their skin to get relief. Unfortunately this damages the protective surface layer of the skin, leaving it open to infection.

With treatment, the redness and irritation can be reduced, but the skin will remain sensitive and need extra care. During a mild attack, using a mild steroid cream or other treatments can help. During a more severe attack, stronger steroid creams may be needed, under guidance from a healthcare professional. Antibiotics can help if the skin becomes infected, and in very stubborn cases, stronger medication such as an immunosuppressant (treatment that calms over-active immune system responses) or ultraviolet light treatment may be needed. Avoid things that irritate the skin, and moisturise regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product) to help prevent or manage an attack. Choose a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better.

For more information, please see the rest of the website. If you still have questions, please speak to your healthcare professional.

Allergic contact eczema may develop when your skin comes into repeated contact with substances such as nickel, which is often found in jewellery, perfume in fragrances and toiletries, and latex, which is found in rubber gloves and shoes. You may have been using or wearing something for some time with no skin problems, then one day you develop allergic contact eczema. When the trigger substance or ‘allergen’ next touches your skin, you develop a red, bumpy rash, which later becomes dry and itchy. The skin reaction may not appear immediately, but a day or two after contact with the allergen. Sometimes the delay can make it difficult to work out what has caused the problem.

If a contact allergy is suspected, your healthcare professional may employ patch testing. In this test, small amounts of different substances are placed on the skin to see if you have an allergic reaction to them. If the cause of the allergic reaction is obvious, such as an item of jewellery, avoid contact with it and your eczema should get better. To treat a flare up of eczema, you may need a steroid cream and a soothing emollient, but choose a simple product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better.

For more information, please see the rest of the website. If you still have questions, please speak to your healthcare professional.

Irritant contact eczema often affects the hands because they may be in frequent contact with water, detergents or other irritant chemicals found in washing powder, soap or shampoo. These irritants damage the protective outer layers of the skin, making it sore, dry and chapped. Many people develop irritant contact eczema because of the work they do. Hairdressers and cleaners are at risk but so are people who use household cleaning products. Mothers with young babies are also often affected. The problem is often worse in cold, dry weather.

The most important step in managing this condition is to identify what causes the problem and try to avoid it. Avoid using soap for washing, and wear protective gloves to keep water and detergents off your skin. Regular moisturising with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product) can help, but choose a simple product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better. Steroid creams may also be needed for a short period.

For more information, please see the rest of the website. If you still have questions, please speak to your healthcare professional.

Discoid eczema is less common than other types of eczema. It appears as round, red patches which are surrounded by normal skin. These round patches are usually blistered and very itchy, and the skin may become thickened because of scratching. Discoid eczema normally appears on the hands, chest and lower legs. Discoid eczema can be mistaken for a fungal infection, but antifungal creams are ineffective in treating it, and a strong steroid cream is usually needed to calm the complaint.

For more information, please see the rest of the website. If you still have questions, please speak to your healthcare professional.

Seborrhoeic eczema may affect people of all ages. In babies, it can appear as ‘cradle cap’ when thick dry patches of skin form on the scalp. The cause of ‘cradle cap’ isn’t clear and it seldom causes babies any bother. The dry skin can be loosened by massaging baby oil or olive oil into the scalp at night, and washing it out with mild baby shampoo the next morning. If the condition is more troublesome, your healthcare professional may advise you to apply a mild antifungal agent or steroid cream if needed.

Seborrhoeic eczema in adults is thought to be caused by an overgrowth of yeast that live on greasy parts of the skin. It appears on the scalp as dandruff, and on the face, especially in the eyebrows and around the nose. The chest, back, groin and armpits can also be affected. The skin is red, dry and flaky, with a variable amount of irritation. Seborrhoeic eczema of the scalp can be treated with an anti-yeast shampoo. If it appears elsewhere on the body, an antifungal agent or steroid cream may help.

For more information, please see the rest of the website. If you still have questions, please speak to your healthcare professional.

Gravitational eczema is also known as varicose eczema or stasis eczema. It usually affects middle-aged and elderly people and is caused by faulty blood circulation. As its other name suggests, it affects the areas around varicose veins on the lower legs. Gravitational eczema is red, dry and itchy, and may develop around leg ulcers.

Moisturise regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product) to help prevent or manage an attack. Choose a simple product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better. During a more severe attack, steroid preparations can help.

For more information, please see the rest of the website. If you still have questions, please speak to your healthcare professional.

The hands are one of the most common parts of the body to be affected by eczema. Hand eczema is also known as hand dermatitis. If you have had it for some time, it is known as chronic hand eczema; the term, ‘chronic’ simply means long-standing. Several different types of eczema can affect the hands, and more than one type can occur in the same person at the same time. For example, someone with atopic eczema may also have irritant contact eczema of the hands from using too much soap, or an allergic contact allergy from fragrance in a moisturiser.

It has been reported that up to 10% of the population (1 in every 10 people) may suffer from hand eczema, so if you suffer from it, you’re not alone. Hand eczema is even more common in certain jobs - up to 30% (almost one third) of high-risk groups, such as nurses, suffer from it. The reason why hands are so commonly involved is that we do so much with them in everyday life, exposing them to the climate, water, soap, harsh chemicals and the wear and tear of manual work and hobbies, such as gardening. People with severe chronic hand eczema may benefit from a patch test to identify any substances that may be causing allergic contact eczema.

When hands are affected by eczema, the skin becomes red, dry, itchy and blistered. Simple everyday tasks can become extremely difficult. Cracked skin can be painful and even a small amount of eczema on the fingertips can be surprisingly troublesome, but there are things you can do to help.

Avoid things that you know can trigger an eczema attack, and moisturise regularly with an emollient (softening and soothing skin product) to help to prevent and manage a mild attack. Choose a simple product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better. Because the skin on palms of the hands is thicker than on most parts of the body, mild steroid creams are often too weak to settle an attack. Stronger steroids may be needed, but should only be used under medical guidance. In more severe long-standing cases, steroid tablets, immunosuppressants (treatments that control the skin’s immune responses), antibiotics, ultraviolet light treatment or retinoids may be more appropriate. However, what works for one person doesn’t always work for another, so you will need to work with your healthcare professional to find a treatment that suits you.

For more information, please see the rest of the website. If you still have questions, please speak to your healthcare professional.