What is Eczema?

Many people have only small patches of dry skin, though others may experience extensive inflamed skin all over the body. Commonly, people experience periods where symptoms are less noticeable, and times where symptoms become severe (flare-ups). Symptoms can range from mild to moderate and in some cases, they can cause extremely inflamed skin. In some cases, the itch can become unbearable, causing you to itch uncontrollably, resulting in bleeding of the skin. Common symptoms eczema causes include:

• Itching
• Discolored skin (red, brown, and gray patches)
• Dry skin
• Rough or scaly patches of the skin
• Crusting or oozing
• Swollen and inflamed skin
• Cracked, thickened, and scaly skin

You may have all of the eczema symptoms or just a few. The best way to find out if you have this condition is to consult with a medical professional who can examine your skin to provide a proper diagnosis and treatment.

Eczema is the name for a group of skin conditions that cause irritated, dry, and itchy skin. This condition is classified into types such as:

• Atopic (dermatitis) eczema – Atopic means sensitive to allergies. This is the most common form of this skin condition. It causes the skin to become dry, cracked, inflamed, and itchy.
• Discoid eczema – Occurs in oval and circular patches on the skin.
• Contact dermatitis – Happens when the body comes into contact with specific ingredients and substances.
• Varicose eczema – Is caused by blood flow problems through the leg veins (varicose veins) and is most often affecting the lower legs.
• Seborrhoeic eczema – Scaly, red patches develop on the eyebrows, ears, scalp, and sides of the nose.
• Dyshidrotic eczema (pompholyx) – Causes tiny blisters to erupt across the palms of the hand.

There is no exact cause that leads to this condition, but it is obvious that there are multiple factors that can trigger and cause this skin condition to appear and persist. Food allergies, stress, weather, detergents, and soaps can play a part in triggering symptoms. It can be genetic and can develop alongside other conditions such as hay fever and asthma. Undergoing a food allergy test can sometimes help identify triggering symptoms.

The screening itself does not pose any direct risks. But, according to the National Cancer Institute, there is an indication that visual exams that are carried out on asymptomatic people can lead to adverse consequences. Such as – Overdiagnosis, misdiagnosis of a benign lesion, or the psychological impact of being informed about potentially having cancer.

This is why we advise people to book their screening with a highly experienced and skilled dermatologist that has the capabilities to provide you with the most accurate information possible.