Eczema is sort of an umbrella term, much like dermatitis, used to describe a number of ailments that present with similar symptoms. Listed here are the five most common eczema types that arise, and their unique symptoms. Getting familiar with them will help you recognize when it’s time to seek medical care, and why.

1) Atopic Dermatitis
Of all the types of eczema, this by far is the most popular to show up. Symptoms include: itchy skin, red and swollen patches; and is possibly caused by an immune response that is somehow impaired or otherwise not functioning properly. With this type of condition, the eczema can show up and disappear without apparent cause. About one out of every ten infants will contract atopic dermatitis, and three out of every hundred grown-ups will also become affected at one point or other. Atopic dermatitis also seems to be hereditary.

2) Contact Eczema
This is another type that is fairly common, and presents the patient with skin that is inflamed and itchy, as well as burning. It’s caused, as you may have deduced, from contacting an allergen. The skin may also be sensitive to other irritants common to household use, like acids (even lemon juice), cleansers, various chemicals that may be typical in everyday use, and even laundry soaps and hand or body wash. The list is pretty wide, and can change as life goes on. It’s difficult to say since allergies can come and go in the course of one’s life, and since the ingredients to the chemicals we use aren’t necessarily consistent from batch to batch.

3) Seborrheic Eczema
This type of eczema results in yellowish and oily, sometimes even scaly patches on the skin. Often these patches show up on the face and scalp, though there’s no hard and fast rule – eczema appears where it wants to. Common areas that will show this condition are the facial creases, and the chances of contracting it are increased with stress, changing weather patterns or seasons and oily skin.

4) Nummular Eczema
This is another hereditary type of eczema. It produces coin-shaped areas of skin that can be crusted and scaling, and of course: very itchy. The areas commonly affected are the back, lower extremities, arms and the buttocks. This is a chronic condition that needs consistent attention.

5) Neurodermatitis
The final of these five eczema types is called neurodermatitis. This form of eczema is a chronic condition, caused by the cycle of scratching the itchy tissue. If scratching isn’t averted, the condition worsens. Interestingly, females are more susceptible than males, and commonly those between the ages of twenty and fifty. This will present itself on the head and extremities, though may appear elsewhere.

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