What is eczema?

Eczema is a general term for many types of skin inflammation, also known as dermatitis. The most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis (some people use these two terms interchangeably). However, there are many different forms of eczema.

Eczema can affect people of any age, although the condition is most common in infants. Eczema will permanently resolve by age 3 in about half of affected infants. In others, the condition tends to recur throughout life. People with eczema often have afamily history of the condition or a family history of other allergic conditions, such as asthma or hayfeverr. Up to 20% of children and 1%-2% of adults are believed to have eczema.