There are several different types of eczema. The most common of these is atopic eczema – the kind suffered mainly by babies and children. This book therefore covers atopic eczema in childhood in greater detail than other forms of eczema.

Other types of eczema trouble us at different times of life for a number of reasons. For some, it is work related, whereas others develop a specific allergy to something to which they are exposed at home or work. And, as we get older, our skin becomes drier and thinner, which contributes to certain forms of eczema in old age.

This book should help you understand some of the basic rules in eczema, how it arises, the principles of treatment and what kind of professional help is available.


What is eczema?
The term ‘eczema’ covers a wide range of skin problems, which trouble people at different stages in their lives. It crops up in many different ways, such as in an elderly person with dry red skin around the ankles, a child with weeping red areas on the wrists, or someone whose eyelids have become itchy, red, dry and puffy in reaction to make-up. Common features of eczema include the following.