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Have you ever noticed itchy red patches of skin on your child’s hands or face, or maybe noticed the same irritation on your elbows, neck, hands or knees? If so, the skin irritation you are seeing could be the result of eczema.

Eczema is a category of medical conditions that cause inflammation and irritation of the skin. Symptoms of eczema can include, dryness, itchy skin, redness or rash, scaly or thickened areas of skin.

Types of Eczema

There are many types of eczema and knowing the type of eczema is necessary to determine the best course of treatment. There are seven common types of eczema including,

Contact Dermatitis

This type of eczema occurs when you come into contact with an allergens or irritants, such as solvents, detergents, paints, bleach, smoke, or fumes. Most often it is found on the hand or other body part that touches the irritant and can causes redness, burning, and itching.

Hand Eczema

As the name suggests, this condition is usually found on the hand and is caused by a combination of genetics and exposures to irritants. It is one of the most common types of eczema and it can cause pain, dryness, blisters, cracking, and redness on the hand.

Atopic Dermatitis

This type of eczema is a chronic condition that develops typically in children starting as young as six months old. With this type you may often experience flare ups as well as periods with no symptoms. While the exact cause is unknown, atopic eczema comes about when your immune system goes into overdrive.

Neurodermatitits

Neurodermatitis is characterized by itching, discoloration, and thick areas of skin that are often the result of rubbing and scratching the affected area too much. If you suffer from this form of eczema you may notice these scaly patches of skin on your neck shoulders, feet, wrists, and scalp.

Dyshidrotic Eczema

Exposure to nickel, chromium salts, or cobalt can cause dyshidrotic eczema. You can also have this brought about by stress or allergies. This type of eczema is characterized by small and itchy blisters on the edges and soles of the feet and tips of the fingers.

Nummular Eczema

You can suffer from this type at any age and it usually occurs from either dry skin in the winter, insect bites, or skin inflammation. Like the other types, you may notice dry skin and itching, but this type is most identifiable by its round spots or open sores.

Stasis Dermatitis

This type of skin condition occurs due to changes in the pressure of the blood flow in your veins. Too much pressure in your veins can cause the blood to leak out into the skin causing scaling, swelling, redness, pain, itching, and in severe cases can lead to infection.

If you have symptoms of eczema, determining the type you have is important for you to receive the best possible treatment. Treatments can range from ointments, to simply avoiding irritants, and even chronic conditions can be well controlled if properly treated. If you have skin irritation, or other symptoms of eczema, contact your doctor today to determine your best course of treatment.