Eczema is a general term used for chronic itchy, dry rashes, while in fact there are about 10 different versions of it. They may each have different characteristics and triggers, but they all stem from the same root cause: the Immune System. Doctors have just recently discovered the nerve pathways that carry an ‘itch’ to the brain, but have not been able to find a true way of curing eczema by conventional medicine.
Atopic Eczema:
Is by far the most general and common form of eczema. It has laid claim to 1-3% of adults and 10-20% of children in industrialized countries. The number of eczema sufferers in the United Stated alone and almost tripled in the past 35 years and is still growing.
As with most all forms of eczema, heredity is a key factor in this “allergic disease”. Families with a history of asthma and hay fever can almost expect there children to have eczema in some shape or form. This itchy rash is particularly noticeable on head and scalp, neck, and the insides of knees and elbows.
Contact Dermatitis:
Here is a second type of eczema that comes in two forms:
1) The allergic type is a result of a delayed reaction to things like poison ivy, poison oak, or some other type of allergen.
2) The irritant form comes from a direct contact of some detergents, shampoos, deodorants, etc…
About 3/4 of contact dermatitis are the ‘irritant’ form. This mainly is do to the work environment. Even doctors that wash there hands all day long are susceptible to this. Changing your brand of soaps and detergents to a non scented / perfumed version will usually be enough to keep this at bay.
Xerotic Eczema:
Also known as ‘winter itch’ – is just a dry skin condition that escalates to the point that it turns into eczema. The dryness in the air of winter time makes it worse, and limbs and trunk are most often affected. This type of eczema will look more like a dry, cracked, river bed. The elderly are far more prone to developing this ailment and is closely related to “Ichthyosis”. 95% of Ichthyosis cases are mild and easily identified as eczema, but the other 5% of patients can have it progress to life threatening levels.
Seborrhoeic Dermatitis:
More commonly known as “cradle cap” in infants, this is sometimes classified as a form of eczema. It causes dry or greasy peeling of the scalp, eyebrows, and face. The condition is more likened to dandruff and usually harmless. You will be able to identify it on infants by the thick, yellow crusty scalp rash. Scientist have been able to attribute this to a lack of Vitamin K and B7 in the diet, making it relatively easy to control.
So that ends our top 4 forms of eczema. As stated right from the beginning, understanding that eczema starts from the inside is critical in getting a handle on this ailment. The creams and lotions will cover up what’s going on deep inside, but a defective immune system combined with a poor diet will keep you scratching for many years to come.
When you get tired of wasting money prescriptions that only temporarily provide solutions for the symptoms, and ready to get your body inline, grab this natural cure for eczema and beat it for good.