Symptoms

Just as any form of eczema exhibits a variety of symptoms—blisters, rashes, itching, pustules, etc.—autoeczematization is the same way. The symptoms affect nearly any area of the body, but often start on the forearms and legs. The head and extremities are usually last to be infected by autoeczematization.

Causes

One of the most identifiable aspects of autoeczematization is its cause. In each case, it comes from the skin’s reaction to the infection of a virus, fungi, bacteria, or parasites. When the body is infected like that, the skin reacts in such a way that its immune properties are lowered. In addition, the skin’s ability to withstand disease and irritation is also lowered, allowing the onset of similar symptoms in other areas of the skin. The spread of a secondary infectious antigen and harmful cytokines produces the symptoms of autoeczematization.

Treatment

In order to treat autoeczematization, one must also treat the original cause—the fungal, bacterial, or parasitic infection that produced the condition in the first place. Treatment of the widespread eczema is also recommended, using typical eczema medications such as corticosteroids and immunosuppressants.

Symptoms

Those who suffer from dermatitis herpetiformis develop small oozing papules on their skin. The blisters are extremely itchy, creating complication when they are scratched to the point of the skin breaking. Although the name herpetiformis makes it sound as if the disease is related to herpes, there is no connection. The word simply means that it looks like the skin lesions produced by herpes simplex.

Causes

Dermatitis herpetiformis, as mentioned, is closely related to the gluten intolerance of Celiac disease. Symptoms are usually aggravated by consumption of foods containing gluten, which includes nearly any bread product and products containing rye, wheat, and barley.

Treatment

The best form of treatment is an intense diet modification, which means eliminating any consumption of foods containing gluten. Diet modification treatment may be combined with a variety of medications.

Complications

Dermatitis herpetiformis affects the immune system. Those who suffer from dermatitis herpetiformis may also develop problems with the lymph system (intestinal lymphoma) or any variety of thyroid conditions. Untreated skin lesions developing from the blisters can produce infections.

Symptoms

Because regular blood flow is a normal part of healthy skin, skin with stasis eczema appears weakened. It may become brownish, bruised, contain red spots, and be ulcerated, and swollen. In more severe cases, the skin develops open sores, blisters, itching, thickening of skin, and painful patches. More serious stasis eczema results in oozing skin, crusty areas, and skin ulcers. Because the skin can develop sores and cracks, there is an increased risk of infection.

Causes

Usually, the major cause of stasis eczema is vein valve malfunction, meaning that the circulation in the extremities is not able to transmit the blood at optimal levels. Heart failure can also be a cause of stasis eczema. The condition affects mostly individuals over the age of 50, with more women exhibiting symptoms than men.

Treatment

Stasis eczema is a symptom of a more serious problem with the circulatory system. It is important to focus on a healthy heart and not merely concentrate on eliminating the skin condition. However, to reverse symptoms, it may help to wear elastic support hose to reduce the swelling and improve circulation. Staying off one’s feet or occasionally elevating the feet also reduces swelling. Cortisone and moisturizing creams will help to reduce the itchiness and irritation of the affected areas. Health professionals may recommend compression stockings or corticosteroid treatments for serious cases.

Complications

Because the skin can develop sores and cracks in stasis eczema, the condition can increase the risk of bacterial infection, cellulitis, and even venous ulcers.

Symptoms

Eczema vaccinatum usually occurs in individuals, even infants, who have a history of eczema in any form (especially atopic dermatitis). The symptoms are readily identifiable—severe and widespread infection of the skin characterized by crusting, intense rashes, swelling, blistering, and rashes. Usually, the infection of vaccinia is accompanied by fever and widespread edema.

Causes

Those who are at increased risk are individuals with any skin disease. Since vaccinia can be transferred from one non-infected individual to an at-risk individual, those who have vaccinia or have recently received smallpox vaccination should avoid all contact with those who have a history of eczema. Tragic incidents have occurred in which a family member, after receiving a vaccination against smallpox, have inadvertently affected members of their family.

Treatment

In order to be successful, treatment must be immediate and professionally administered. An intensive care regiment of antibiotics, fluid replacement, powerful painkillers, and fever-reducing medications are administered at high levels. In some cases, antiviral drugs, and Vaccinia Immune Globulin could be an effective form of treatment.  Individuals who have a history of eczema should never receive the smallpox vaccination.

Complications

As mentioned, sometimes eczema vaccinatum results in death, especially among infants and the elderly. Because of the severe damage inflicted upon the skin, scarring and painful lesions develop, which could result in infection.

Symptoms

Most forms of seborrheic eczema are not a severe health threat. In fact, some people with mild forms of seborrheic eczema may not even realize that they have eczema, as was the case with me for many months. The name, “seborrheic” tips you off to the fact that this form of eczema tends to occur around the sebum glands—the skin’s oil-producing glands. The oil-rich areas of the face are on the side of the nose or between the eyebrows. Other common spots for the breakout of adult seborrheic eczema are the armpits, groin area, and breastbone. Infants usually develop crusty, red, patches on their scalp in a condition known as cradle cap. The severity of seborrheic eczema varies from mere redness to intense itching with soreness, greasy skin, and patchy scaling. Symptoms may also improve or increase from time to time. Some forms of scalp seborrheic eczema becomes crusty and difficult to manage.

Causes

Seborrheic eczema is related to an over-production of oil from the sebaceous glands, although there can be other factors, too. One of the other suspects for the cause of seborrheic eczema is a yeast fungus known as malassezia. The fungus can develop in the oily secretions of the skin. Stress, fatigue, and anxiety also play a role in the development of seborrheic eczema. Like most forms of eczema, the dry winter months may cause seborrheic eczema to worsen. Interestingly, this form of eczema is more common in those who have Parkinson’s disease and HIV/AIDS.

Treatment

The best forms of treatment are antifungal medications or anti-itch creams. For scalp infections, antifungal shampoos may also reduce the symptoms. Be sure that the shampoo you select has an ingredient such as salicylic acid, ketoconazole, ciclipirox, or pyrithione zinc. For other occurrences of seborrheic eczema, antifungal medications should help treat mild to medium forms of the eczema. More serious and persistent seborrheic eczema may require stronger forms of medication such as ketoconazole and desonide.

Complications

In its most serious forms, seborrheic eczema causes interruption of normal activities due to pain or intense itching. Some people have described loss of sleep and abnormally high stress levels as a result of their seborrheic eczema. Additionally, infection may set in.

Symptoms

Contact dermatitis is confined to the area of contact and its immediate surroundings. It is one of the easiest forms of eczema to identify, because it appears within minutes of contact. That makes it easy to know what caused the irritation. Just as it occurs quickly, contact dermatitis usually goes away quickly, too—often within hours. Sometimes, however, the condition takes days or weeks before it passes. It appears as a red area, and usually occurs with itching, burning, blisters, and rashes.

Causes

Nearly everyone will experience contact dermatitis if they come in contact with poison oak, poison ivy, or poison sumac. Other people experience contact dermatitis if they come into contact with any variety of elements, ranging from nickel, to rubber, to certain shampoos or soaps. In some rare cases, contact dermatitis can be brought about by sunlight (phototoxic dermatitis)

Treatment

The most common types of treatment are simple self-care remedies that can be done at home. Using a cold wet compress, applying moisturizing or relief lotion, taking Benadryl, and applying hydrocortisone or zinc oxide are common and effective ways to treat contact dermatitis.

Complications

Serious forms of contact dermatitis are those that persist for days, attended by severe itching, pain or other irritation. Medical professionals using corticosteroids or antihistamines must usually treat these severe cases of contact dermatitis.

Symptoms

Atopic dermatitis is characterized by redness of the skin, itching, inflammation, rashes, swelling, cracking, crusting, and scaling. Dry skin on or around the affected are is also a common symptom.

Causes

Atopic dermatitis atopic dermatitis can occur in response to a variety of irritants in food, clothing, chemicals, or some allergens. Of course, a deeper cause may be genetic predisposition to the condition. Children who experience atopic dermatitis as a child are at increased risk for eczema into adulthood, though most will outgrow it.

Treatment

Like all forms of eczema, there is no treatment for atopic eczema. There are, however, ways of preventing and avoiding atopic dermatitis. The most common-sense way of dealing with atopic dermatitis is to remove any potential causes, be it in the diet, clothing, or other conditions. For infants who suffer from atopic dermatitis, it is recommended that mothers breastfeed them rather than use formula. Staying away from dairy products, nuts, wheat, soy, and corn products is also recommended.

In addition to avoiding the causes, the skin itself should be cared for. Using an intensive or prescription-strength skin moisturizer is one of the best forms of treatments. Avoiding dry skin is absolutely imperative. In extremely serious forms, physicians sometimes prescribe a corticosteroid ointment, medicated cream, or even steroid injections.

Complications

If atopic dermatitis because particularly severe, subjects run the risk of infection due to open lesions. The most common infection is Staphylococcus aureus, which can be treated with antibiotics.